Leadership coaching has become one of the most expensive line items in people budgets. It’s also one of the least understood. As an HR consulting firm that both runs 360 feedback and delivers 1-1 leadership coaching, we sit at an interesting intersection: we see the data, and we sit in the room when leaders try to do something with it. Across organisations and sectors, we see a similar picture:

1. Leaders are time-starved and operating in constant firefighting mode.

2. Teams are expected to deliver more with less, while staying engaged and change ready.

3. Senior leaders are under pressure to show up differently: more strategic, more inclusive, more future-focused.

How We Think About Coaching

At Talentonic HR Solutions Private Limited , we don’t see coaching as an indulgent perk or a motivational exercise. We see it as a structured series of conversations that change how a leader thinks, decides and behaves at work. Our philosophy rests on 4 ideas:

1. Coaching must start from context: Sometimes that context is a clear business mandate; other times it’s a 360 report that helps leaders make sense of how they’re perceived. Either way, we begin with where the leader is and what will make the biggest difference to their effectiveness.

2. Behavioural and specific, not vague and inspirational: We translate broad ideas “be more strategic”, “build trust”, “manage stakeholders better” into clear, observable behaviours in real situations “spend 30% more time on forward-looking reviews with the team”.

3. Data-informed, not opinion-driven: Wherever possible, we anchor coaching in evidence: 360 feedback, stakeholder input, engagement data. The goal isn’t to chase ratings, but to make sure we are working on what actually matters to others.

4. Psychologically safe, but accountable: Coaching sessions are a confidential space to be honest and reflect deeply, but not indulgent. We will talk about self-doubt and patterns and then ask: “So what will your team experience differently in the next 30 days?” or "What can you do differently to break this cycle"

How Coaching Works at Talentonic

Coaching after 360 Feedback

For clients using our Talent3Sixty platform, coaching follows naturally after feedback. We help leaders:

1. Interpret feedback without defensiveness or over-reacting to one comment.

2. Identify 2–3 growth themes linked to their role that will move the needle: “Leading peers more assertively in cross-functional forums” “Building a stronger succession bench in my team”.

3. Experiment with new behaviours. Designing small experiments in their real work (a different way of running a review, a new way of structuring a stakeholder conversation, introducing a end of month leadership email). Coming back to reflect: What worked? What didn’t? What did you learn about yourself?

Standalone Leadership Coaching

Sometimes clients bring us in without a 360: for a new CEO, a critical CXO role, or a high-potential leader. Here, our work typically follows this arc:

1. Clarify the “big job to be done”: What must be different in 12–18 months because this person is in the role?

2. Name the real development edges: Not a competency wish-list, but the 2–3 edges where growth will unlock the most value (e.g., moving from expert to enterprise leadership, shifting from reactive to proactive, or learning to manage conflict).

3. Build a leadership practice, not a to-do list: We focus on what the leader will do every week differently: in meetings, in one-on-ones, in decision forums, not just what they think or feel.

Coaching is not a magic wand. Coaching delivers exceptional ROI when there is genuine intent to grow, not just to “fix perception” and when an organisation is willing to support the change through feedback, space to experiment, and clarity on expectations. If the issue is structural (broken processes, unclear strategy), or the person is mis-matched to the role at a fundamental level or that the environment actively punishes the very behaviours it says it wants; then the better investment is fixing the system first.

About Talentonic Coaches

Our coaches come from both business and behavioural science backgrounds: consultants, senior executives, and professionals trained in organisational behaviour and psychology. What unites them is how they work:

1. We prepare. A lot. Sessions are not random chats. We walk in having studied your 360, your role context, and whatever your HR partner has shared (with consent).

2. We keep it real. No jargon. No generic motivation. No judgement. Expect clear thinking, sharp questions, and honest reflection.

3. We connect insight to impact. Every conversation ends with: “What will your team see differently next week?”

4. We bring data into dialogue. Coaches use 360 data as a living map, not a report to be filed away.

5. We build accountability. If a leader spends 20 minutes describing a problem or venting, we’ll ask: “And what’s your contribution to it?”

If you’re an HR leader, CHRO or business head thinking about investing in coaching for yourself or your organisation, we’re always happy to have a no-obligation conversation to explore whether it’s the right lever, right now.

About Talentonic HR Solutions

Talentonic HR Solutions Private Limited is a boutique HR consulting firm that helps organisations build leadership capability and organisational effectiveness. Our work spans 360 feedback and analytics, Virtual Development Centres, engagement surveys, and Board evaluations. Our coaching practice complements this ecosystem by helping leaders turn data into action, and reflection into performance.

Learn more at www.talentonic.com or talk to Manavi Dhawan-Guha, Anuj Khanna and Deepak Dhawan