How to Start Coaching Without a Title or Team

Leadership isn’t defined by job titles. Some of the most effective coaches are individual contributors, teammates, peers, and project collaborators who elevate the people around them.

If you’re in a role without formal authority, you might think coaching isn’t for you. But the truth is, you can coach from any seat. You don’t need a team to coach, you just need a mindset of service and a structure that helps you show up with the right questions.

That’s where the FRIES Coaching Model comes in. It’s part of the MACRO Leadership framework, and it gives anyone, regardless of title, a way to engage others in meaningful, productive conversations about progress.

The FRIES model is designed for performance conversations, but it works equally well in peer-to-peer settings or personal reflection. Let’s break it down:

• F – Focus: What matters most right now?
• R – Rate: How are we doing, really?
• I – Identify: What’s working well so far?
• E – Explore: What’s getting in the way or coming next?
• S – Support: How can we help each other move forward?

You can even use FRIES to coach yourself. Start a weekly journal and reflect on these five questions. It’s a simple way to build self-awareness, track progress, and identify what support you might need to ask for.

Whether you’re leading people or influencing from the side, coaching is about showing up with clarity and care. Use the FRIES framework to start your next conversation or your next reflection.

💬 Try This

- Choose a trusted peer and ask if they’d like to try a 15-minute FRIES-style coaching chat with you.
- Use the FRIES questions to guide your conversation, then switch roles.
- Try journaling your answers to the FRIES prompts for one project you’re working on this week.
- Notice what shifts when you slow down and coach, even without a title.