The coaching profession has come a long way. When I first started working with coaches, it was considered something reserved for executives or people in transition. Today, it’s everywhere — and for good reason.

According to the International Coaching Federation (ICF), the number of professional coaches worldwide grew by 54% between 2019 and 2023. That’s not just a statistic — it’s proof that people are craving the kind of clarity, accountability, and transformation that coaching offers.

But as the field has grown, so have expectations. Great coaches aren’t just good listeners — they’re skilled facilitators of insight, behavior change, and sustained growth. They blend empathy with evidence, curiosity with clarity, and intuition with structure.

Here are the five skills that separate a good coach from a great one.

1. Deep Listening

Coaching starts here.

And no, I don’t mean nodding while waiting for your turn to speak. I mean the kind of listening where the other person feels seen.

This is the art of noticing the pauses, the patterns, the moments someone’s voice catches. Deep listening helps clients hear themselves more clearly.

Harvard Business Review found that leaders who practice active listening are five times more effective at building trust and engagement. Trust me,  clients can feel the difference between being heard and being understood.

2. Powerful Questioning

Coaching lives in the space between a great question and an honest answer.

A powerful question doesn’t have to be profound, it just needs to be the right one at the right moment.

The NeuroLeadership Institute found that insight-based questioning activates neural pathways tied to motivation and creative problem-solving. Translation? The right question literally changes how someone’s brain sees a challenge.

My favorite questions usually start with “What” or “How.” They move the conversation from defensiveness to discovery — and that’s where real coaching begin.

3. Goal Alignment and Accountability

This is where good coaching becomes great.

Setting goals isn’t about checking boxes, it’s about anchoring growth in something measurable and meaningful. Coaching helps people translate awareness into action.

In fact, a 2022 ICF study found that 84% of clients achieved their stated goals through coaching, and those with regular accountability check-ins were nearly twice as likely to sustain results six months later.

But here’s the part I love most: goals evolve. As clients grow, what they want changes. A skilled coach knows how to adapt, keeping accountability firm but flexible.

4. Presence and Emotional Intelligence

Every great coach I know has one thing in common:  presence.

It’s that calm, grounded energy that helps clients slow down, reflect, and access something deeper. It’s not just about what you say; it’s how you are.

Emotional intelligence (EQ) is a huge part of this. Research from the Forbes Coaches Council (2023) found that EQ accounts for over 85% of a coach’s effectiveness.

Presence is contagious. When you model awareness and calm, you invite your clients to meet you there. That’s where transformation starts.

5. Integrating Insight with Actionable Tools

This is where modern coaching has evolved the most. Clients today don’t just want reflection, they want results. They want insight they can turn into action.

That’s why the best coaches bring frameworks, tools, and evidence-based practices to their sessions. It’s not about teaching,  it’s about helping clients turn awareness into consistent action. A 2023 MIT Sloan Management Review study found that organizations combining reflective coaching with structured tools saw a 2.5x improvement in behavior change retention.

Insight without structure fades. Tools without reflection feel transactional. The magic is in the mix. 

Final Thoughts

These five skills are the backbone of great coaching, and honestly, of great leadership.

When we listen deeply, ask boldly, hold people accountable with empathy, stay fully present, and bring tools that make growth tangible, something bigger happens.

We don’t just help people achieve goals, we help them become who they’re meant to be.

And that’s the real work of coaching.