Lean Into Team Coaching: Leadership Lessons from Eisenhower’s D-Day Advisors

Team coaching isn’t a quick fix—it’s a sustained partnership that builds habits, sharpens performance, and strengthens cohesion.

Eighty-one years ago tomorrow, 133,000 Allied troops stormed the beaches of Normandy in the largest seaborne invasion in history. D-Day was the product of years of planning—early conversations began as far back as 1941, but detailed coordination intensified in 1943, with final plans approved just weeks before the assault.

Behind the scenes, the complexity was staggering: rehearsals for amphibious landings, construction of artificial harbors, and laying of a secret fuel pipeline from Britain to mainland Europe. Yet one of the lesser-known contributors to the success of Operation Overlord was the role of embedded military advisors—leaders without formal command who worked inside foreign units, building trust, aligning tactics to strategy, and maintaining accountability amid extreme uncertainty.

A few years ago, I had the opportunity to visit Normandy. Standing on those serene cliffs overlooking the sea, it was surreal to imagine such a peaceful place once bore witness to such ferocious combat. That visit brought home a leadership truth that has stuck with me: winning complex, high-stakes missions doesn’t come from control; it comes from cohesion. Teams succeed when they are supported from within.

Eisenhower’s Embedded Advisors: Coaching from Inside the Mission

General Dwight D. Eisenhower, Supreme Commander of the Allied Expeditionary Force, knew he couldn’t control every battlefield. What he could do was build a network of embedded leaders—advisors placed within American, British, Canadian, and other Allied units.

These advisors weren’t commanders. They didn’t issue orders. But they played a vital role:

• They built trust across military cultures

• Aligned local decisions to strategic objectives

• Helped resolve tensions before they became fractures

• Provided insight, accountability, and cohesion in the fog of war

In many ways, these embedded advisors were the early ancestors of today’s team coaches—working inside the team, not above it, to enable better performance.

To be clear: nothing in today’s corporate world compares to the stakes of D-Day. But the leadership model Eisenhower used—equipping teams with embedded, trusted support—is a metaphor worth exploring, especially on a day that reminds us what’s possible through collective action under pressure.

(For those interested in the deeper strategic dimensions of D-Day, I highly recommend Rick Atkinson’s excellent book, The Guns at Last Light.)

Why Team Coaching Isn’t Just a Buzzword

Most leaders have experienced team offsites or one-and-done workshops that deliver a short burst of alignment—but little lasting change. Team coaching is something else entirely. It’s an ongoing partnership between a coach and a team designed to embed new habits, unlock performance, and create internal cohesion that sustains over time.

It can take many forms, but typically includes efforts to:

• Align the team around goals, roles, and decision rights

• Strengthen communication and trust

• Surface blind spots and resolve long-standing tensions

• Build habits of shared accountability

• Use data and assessments to track progress and adjust course

The coach doesn’t replace the team leader; instead, they support the leader by helping the team lead itself better. That partnership gives leaders room to think more strategically, confident that team dynamics are being developed and strengthened from within.

Why It’s Gaining Ground

Team coaching is one of the fastest-growing trends in leadership development. According to the International Coaching Federation (ICF):

• Team coaching engagements grew 33% between 2015 and 2019

• By 2022, 63% of organizations reported using team coaching—up from 51% in 2019

Why the surge? Because leaders are realizing what Eisenhower knew: strategy doesn’t win on its own. Execution does. And execution depends on aligned, accountable, resilient teams.

What Makes a Great Team Coach?

A strong coach is more than a facilitator—they’re a strategic ally who:

• Understands how strategy, culture, and execution intersect

• Earns the trust of senior leaders and the team

• Brings structure through clear frameworks and data, not vague advice

• Uses assessments to create a shared language that deepens trust and focuses growth

• Communicates with candor, presence, and respect

• Helps build capability, not dependency

• Guides the team toward meaningful action—because actions, not conversations, drive results

The best team coaches, like Eisenhower’s advisors, don’t take over—they embed alongside.

Not Ready to Commit? Start with a Pilot.

For leaders curious about team coaching but hesitant to fully commit, piloting is a smart approach. It allows you to test the value and fit before making a broader investment. A few ways to begin:

• Pick one challenge. Choose a defined issue—goal clarity, decision rights, or communication gaps—and invite a coach to help the team tackle it over 2–3 sessions.

• Use a team diagnostic. Leverage a lightweight assessment to generate insights and open the door for deeper conversations.

• Observe how the coach fits. Pay attention to how the coach complements your leadership style, how the team responds, and whether you see movement—not just comfort.

  
  

The goal of a pilot isn’t perfection—it’s fit. The most important factor in any coaching engagement is chemistry and trust. Whether you work with Catalyst Point or another firm, your focus should be on finding a coach who understands your goals, complements your culture, and earns your confidence.

Why Some Leaders Resist Team Coaching—and Why They Shouldn’t

Inviting a coach into your team can feel exposing. But the best leaders know that strength lies in seeking support, not avoiding it. Choosing to embed a coach demonstrates:

1. Commitment to continuous learning

2. Ambition for the team—not just the individual

3. A growth mindset that welcomes feedback

4. Courage to be vulnerable in pursuit of excellence

5. Flexibility in how results are achieved, key to success in a volatile world

The strongest leaders don’t go it alone—they build the team and the support system to succeed together.

The Bottom Line

Team coaching isn’t a trend. It’s a leadership imperative.

Just as Eisenhower embedded trusted advisors to unite a complex coalition, today’s leaders can embed coaches to align their teams—enhancing clarity, building trust, and delivering performance that lasts.

On the eve of this D-Day anniversary, we honor the extraordinary sacrifice and courage of those who fought for freedom. Let their legacy remind us: no great mission succeeds in isolation.

We’d love to discuss whether team coaching is right for your organization. And whether you work with Catalyst Point or another firm, what matters most is finding the right coach for your team’s needs. If we can help, don’t hesitate to reach out.