Coaching: From a developer to an agent of change

We believe that in order to be the best partner for our clients we need to build the best work life for digital talent. For us, a consultant has always been way more than an extra pair of hands; they’re the person who shows up with fresh skills, knowledge, vision and a habit of sharing them generously. By understanding the client’s business as well as the tech, they spot the real needs hiding behind the requirements.

But what happens when a consultant runs into a tricky situation in their client work?

Coaching often starts from a need for a change. When a consultant encounters a challenge in their work they’re not sure how to tackle, coaching offers clarity and direction. Sessions are 1:1 discussions and always a psychologically safe space. The agenda is solution-oriented: we talk through the challenge and how the consultant would resolve it. If the solutions require more input from different stakeholders, we can present them to the client as themes to work on together.

Clients can also have specific topics they want to explore with us. They might be seeking insights how to unify their ways of working in different teams or what tools could improve their work. Or they might be neck-deep in a transformation and in need of change agents who can understand how people are experiencing it.

Coaching is especially valuable during transformations. Succeeding in change means mastering the trickiest part: communication. For clients, coaching offers an opportunity to understand how their teams actually feel about upcoming changes and communication from the leadership team, and if there are any underlying risks to look out for. The feedback is honest, actionable, and something they probably wouldn’t get any other way.

The results that are shared with the client are completely anonymous. Rather than specifying which consultant or team said what, we focus on the actual issues at hand. The most important insights are shared first with our consultants and then with the client, usually including the leadership team, to ensure action can be taken where it matters most.

The biggest win with consultant coaching? Projects succeed, things run smoothly, and clients get more value from their consultants. Our consultants become true change agents, proactively solving challenges and driving the results their clients care about. Coaching gives us a front-row view of how problem solving and changes in approach lead to bigger improvements.

From the consultant’s point of view, coaching offers many benefits: it helps them in problem-solving and making a greater impact in their project, while also fostering their wellbeing, learning and contributing to the success of their team. Many consultants have felt that coaching is one of the most important links to Witted. To have someone outside the project to talk to has been especially valuable. In addition to coaching, we have separate development discussions and sparring for all our employees and freelancers, to support navigating career paths and professional development.

When consultants start applying what they learn in their own projects, work speeds up, teams work better together, and the client sees real impact. It’s not just about finding the right consultants for our client’s teams, it’s about accelerating their digital development and transformations. From exploring new AI tools to standardizing team processes and sharing learnings across teams, the changes are practical and real.

From a coach’s perspective, the best part is seeing that change in action while knowing we’re helping consultants thrive and clients focus on what truly matters to them.

Jasu Ståhlberg is our in-house Coach extraordinaire, helping our consultants thrive in their projects and professional lives.