To Triad or Not to Triad, That is the Question.

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If you’re running or commissioning coaching in your organisation, you may have heard about triads and wondered whether they’re worth including. Here’s everything you need to know so you can make the right decision for your leaders.

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What is a Coaching Triad?

A triad is a conversation between the coachee (the leader), their sponsor (often their manager) and the coach. It’s designed to align everyone around the goals, expectations and outcomes of the coaching journey. 

Triads are usually used at the start, mid-point, or end of an engagement to keep the coaching focused and connected to business priorities 

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Why Use Triads?

When done well, triads can be a powerful tool for creating alignment and driving measurable impact. They can help you to:

• Create shared clarity on what success looks like
• Ensure coaching is aligned to business and leadership priorities
• Strengthen accountability between the coachee and their sponsor or manager
• Give the coach valuable context for more targeted support

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When Triads Work Best

Triads are most effective when they’re used to set direction or close the loop:

• At the start of a coaching engagement to align on objectives
• At the end to review outcomes and next steps
• When coaching is part of a strategic leadership initiative

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When Triads Might Not Be Needed

Triads aren’t always essential. In fact, they can occasionally limit psychological safety or make coaching feel like performance management if not structured carefully. You might avoid using triads when:

• The coaching is deeply personal or developmental
• Trust between the sponsor or manager and coachee is still being built
• You’re giving leaders full autonomy over their coaching journey 
• There’s a risk of the sponsor or manager overstepping into the coaching space

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The best leadership coaching experiences strike a balance between alignment and autonomy. Triads can add huge value when they create connection and clarity, but only if they’re used with purpose and good boundaries.

If you’d like advice on how to integrate triads effectively (and evidence stronger ROI from your coaching investment), reach out to our team at Coachable and  we can help you streamline your coaching experience, measure impact and get more value from every session.

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