Coaching the coach: QA has an important role

When teams achieve great things, we often celebrate their collective effort—the way individuals come together, support each other, and move toward a shared goal. But what’s easy to overlook is the person behind the scenes making it all possible: the coach.

In the world of Quality Assurance, coaching happens at every level. Team leads guide others, but even individual contributors play a coaching role—helping their peers grow, solve problems, and improve together. There’s a wealth of resources out there that reinforce this: QA isn’t just about catching bugs; it’s about lifting the whole team’s game.

Think about hockey coaches in the NHL. Many, like Craig Berube of the St. Louis Blues, were once players themselves. Berube played over 1,000 games, experiencing a variety of coaching styles along the way. After retiring, he stepped behind the bench and, in a stunning underdog story, led a struggling Blues team from the bottom of the standings to a Stanley Cup victory. The odds were 250-1, but with the right leadership and a team that clicked, they did the impossible.

What makes a coach truly valuable isn’t just their technical skills or past achievements—it’s their ability to see the bigger picture and help others discover their own potential. Berube wasn’t the flashiest player, but he understood his role and, more importantly, how to help others play theirs.

The same principle applies to any organization. The best coaches don’t just pass down instructions; they lead from behind, asking the right questions and encouraging team members to find their own answers. That’s how future leaders are made.

Books, classes, and webinars are great for learning concepts, but real growth happens when people are empowered to figure things out for themselves. Over my career, I’ve seen the power of this approach firsthand. Many of those I’ve coached have gone on to lead teams, departments, and projects, often outside QA.

The real moral? Anyone can be a successful coach. It’s about learning from others, sharing what you know, and fostering a leadership style that empowers people to discover their own path. When you lead from behind and let others shine, you don’t just build stronger teams—you create the next generation of leaders.