Too busy to coach? How managers can coach effectively in the moment

I recently spent a week visiting various retail stores and had the opportunity to chat with store managers about how they support their team’s development. We got onto the topic of coaching, and something interesting happened. Two very clear groups emerged.

The first group said, almost word for word: “I just don’t have time to coach.”

The second group said something slightly different: “I don’t have time, but I try to keep an eye on my team and give them feedback where I can.”

That tiny difference? It’s everything.

We often imagine coaching as a formal, sit-down conversation about KPIs or performance measures. But some of the most effective managers I met weren’t blocking out time to coach their teams. They were doing it in 10-second bursts throughout their day.

It was clear that “I’m too busy to coach” isn’t a fact, it’s a mindset—one that needs to change.

Why quick coaching conversations matter more than you think

Here’s what stood out to me the most: the strongest coaches were the ones who didn’t confuse coaching with performance management or formal training.

They were the managers who simply paid attention to their team, noticed their behaviours, and talked to them in the moment. It wasn’t dramatic. It wasn’t time-consuming. It was leadership woven into the rhythm of their day.

A quick, “Hey, I just noticed you do… can I give you some feedback?” done regularly has far more impact than one formal conversation at the end of the month. These micro-moments build confidence, correct small issues before they become big ones, and give team members constant clarity about how they’re doing.

The managers I saw doing this were the ones who knew how to prompt and support in the moment, not the ones who had more time.

Three fast coaching techniques for time-poor managers

If you’re currently thinking, “No, seriously, I don’t have time,” then let me change your mind. It really is the basic methods that have the most impact, and they’re quicker than the time it takes to pop to the bathroom or grab a cup of coffee.

Notice and nudge

Throughout the day, lift your eyes (or open your ears) from your work and observe your team.

• When you spot something done well, point it out: “Great job handling that complaint. You kept your voice really calm.”
• When you spot something that needs adjusting, offer a gentle nudge: “Hey, I noticed you did... Can I offer a quick adjustment?”

These tiny, real-time nudges create continuous improvement far more effectively than infrequent, formal meetings.

To do this well: make sure you’re specific with your feedback so your team knows exactly what they did well, or how they can improve.

Ask, don’t tell

Instead of jumping straight into instructions, be curious and ask questions to encourage your team member to reflect. People are far more likely to remember and embed a new behaviour when they develop their own solution.

• “How do you think that went?”
• “Did you get any tricky questions? How did you handle them?”
• “What would you try differently next time?”

This is also a great approach when you can’t observe your team member doing their job. They may have meetings you’re not part of, or do their work quietly behind a screen. Or, you may be shut in an office getting your work done and unable to observe them.

For times like this, it only takes a minute to quickly check in, ask them how a task or interaction went, and encourage them to reflect on their own performance.

To do this well: be genuinely curious and look for opportunities to offer support. You don’t want them to feel like they’re being tested.

“How can I help?”

This one came from a fantastic manager I met during my store visits.

This manager simply found a moment every day to ask each team member, “What small thing can I do to help you improve today?” Their team started to predict the question, and preplanned what they wanted to discuss or practice.

The result? Instead of the manager needing to plan each team member’s coaching, this simple question got their team members independently reflecting on their own performance and being proactive about what they need.

For a time-pressed coach, I think that’s a bit of a hack.

To do this well: ask this in the context of a certain situation you just observed or a skill you know they’re working on.

Coaching doesn’t need to take time. It just needs attention and a bit of thought.

Every manager, busy or not, can use micro-moments to build capability, confidence, and momentum across their team. You just need to pay attention and find those moments.

The best part? Finding these moments to coach your team strengthens your leadership. After all, you’re not a leader because you have a ‘manager’ title. You’re a leader because you’re motivated to make a positive impact on the people around you.

Coach regularly, and your team will feel the difference. Naturally, their trust, motivation, and performance will all improve. Your relationship with them will become stronger and more authentic, making these quick coaching chats easier and easier.

It’s a snowball effect—you just have to get that ball rolling. So switch your mindset from “I don’t have time,” to “What’s one small coaching habit I can start today?”