Most leaders think coaching is something they schedule. A one-on-one. A development conversation. A blocked-off hour on the calendar. In this episode, we make the case that coaching is actually a language — and it happens in real time, in the flow of the work, in the moments nobody planned for.

Drawing on the experiences of David Marquet, retired U.S. Navy Captain and author of Turn the Ship Around, Nathan tells the story of the USS Santa Fe — the worst-performing submarine in the U.S. Navy — and the single moment that revealed why smart, experienced leaders keep getting mediocre results from the people around them. The problem wasn't the crew. It was the language.

This is Part 2 of a multi-part series on coaching. Today is practical: three questions that replace the instinct to give answers, why fear is the reason your team isn't telling you what they know, and the daily choice every leader faces between task accomplishment and actually developing people.