What Terry Pratchett Taught Me About Leadership and Coaching at Work

'No one is actually dead until the ripples they cause in the world die away.' - Terry Pratchett, Reaper Man

I learned a lot from Terry Pratchett's writing, things that apply in many situations. (If you've not read his work, you should really give it a try - heavy words lightly thrown)

Whilst the above quote touches on our sense of mortality, I also draw another lesson from it, one which I think has great significance for leadership.

Leaders aren’t just defined by their decisions, they’re defined by their impact. 

The things we say, the way we support our teams, the questions we ask (or don’t ask)…all of it sends ripples.

And those ripples last.

Think back to the best leader you ever worked with. What did they do that stuck with you?

Chances are, it wasn’t that they had all the answers. It was probably how they made you feel - capable, trusted, motivated.

Now, think of the worst leader you’ve encountered.

Their impact sticks too, right?

This is why coaching matters in leadership.

Not because it’s trendy. Not because it sounds nice. But because when leaders ask, listen, and empower, they create ripples that last long after they’ve left the room.

Want to start coaching more as a leader at work?

Next time someone brings you a challenge, resist the urge to solve it right away.

Instead, ask questions like:

- 'What have you already considered?'

- 'What’s the real challenge here for you?'

- 'What would be the best possible outcome?'

These small shifts change everything. 

They move you from leader as fixer to leader as enabler - someone who sparks growth rather than stifles it.

Terry Pratchett’s characters weren’t heroes because they had all the answers. They were heroes because they asked the right questions.

So, what’s one coaching-style question you could ask your team this week?

e question you could ask your team this week?