By Dylan Evans
The role of managers in recreation organizations is changing. Today’s leaders are no longer expected to simply schedule staff, oversee facilities and manage programs. Increasingly, they are also responsible for developing employees, improving performance and retaining talent, often with limited budgets and high operational demands.
Coaching is a soft skill that helps managers meet these expectations. While it shares many benefits with mentoring, coaching offers unique advantages that make it especially valuable in recreation settings. For managers, coaching is not just a development tool for staff. It is also a leadership skill that supports career growth and organizational effectiveness.
Coaching as a Force Multiplier
Employees are an organization’s greatest asset. If that is true, then one of management’s core responsibilities is to maximize the impact of that asset. Effective managers create environments where employees can perform better together than they could individually.
Coaching supports this goal by helping employees clarify goals, solve problems and build confidence. Instead of providing all the answers, managers use thoughtful questions to guide employees toward their own solutions. Over time, this approach builds stronger, more capable teams that require less direct oversight.
The broader business world has recognized the value of coaching. Industry estimates suggest that billions of dollars are spent annually on coaching services in the private sector. Many public and nonprofit recreation agencies cannot afford that level of investment, which makes internal coaching skills even more valuable. Managers who coach effectively help close this development gap without increasing costs.
Coaching and Mentoring: Similar Benefits, Different Approaches
Coaching and mentoring both offer clear benefits in the workplace. Research and industry commentary consistently link them to higher engagement, improved communication, stronger retention and increased job satisfaction. Both approaches also benefit managers by strengthening leadership skills and workplace relationships.
The key difference lies in how development occurs.
Mentoring typically relies on a more experienced professional passing knowledge, advice and insight to a less experienced employee. This can be especially valuable for onboarding, career guidance and transferring institutional knowledge—all important needs in recreation organizations.
Coaching, on the other hand, focuses less on instruction and more on exploration. Coaches ask questions that encourage employees to think critically, reflect on challenges and identify their own solutions. The manager does not need to be a subject matter expert in every situation; instead, they help employees unlock their existing knowledge and experience.
Why Coaching Works Especially Well in Recreation Management
Recreation managers often supervise diverse teams that include seasonal employees, part-time staff and emerging professionals. Coaching offers several advantages in this environment:
- It requires less specialized expertise: Unlike mentoring, coaching does not depend on the manager being the most knowledgeable person in the room. This makes it easier to use across different programs, facilities and roles.
- It supports employee confidence and independence: When employees arrive at solutions themselves, they build confidence and self-reliance. Over time, this reduces constant check-ins and last-minute problem-solving calls, creating a healthier work-life balance for both staff and managers.
- It is flexible and time-efficient: Mentoring relationships often require a long-term investment of time and relationship-building. Coaching can occur in short, focused conversations and can be integrated into regular one-on-one meetings, performance discussions or even informal check-ins.
- It can be used with all staff: Because coaching does not require a deep personal relationship or long-term commitment, managers can use it broadly—not just with high-potential employees or direct reports seeking mentorship.
Coaching as a Leadership Development Tool
Coaching also benefits managers directly. Effective coaching requires active listening, clear communication and constructive feedback, all essential leadership skills. Practicing these skills strengthens a manager’s ability to lead teams, handle conflict and support employee growth.
Coaching conversations also increase self-awareness. By listening closely to employees’ challenges and perspectives, managers gain insight into their own leadership style and areas for improvement. Helping others succeed can be deeply satisfying and reinforces a manager’s sense of purpose and effectiveness.
Finally, coaching helps identify talent. Managers who coach regularly gain a clearer picture of who takes initiative, who adapts well to challenges, and who may be ready for additional responsibility.
Coaching Complements Mentoring
Coaching is not a replacement for mentoring. Mentorship remains an essential way to transfer knowledge, build long-term relationships and support career development. Coaching is simply another tool, one that is particularly well-suited to today’s recreation management challenges.
As expectations for managers continue to grow, coaching provides a practical, cost-effective way to develop people, improve performance and strengthen organizations. Like a screwdriver alongside a hammer, coaching belongs in every recreation manager’s toolbox. RM
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Dylan Evans is the aquatics director at Audrey Moore Recreation Center with Fairfax County Park Authority and an aquatics professional with nearly three decades of experience in teaching, coaching and leadership. His work emphasizes coaching-based staff development and practical tools for building strong, effective teams.