Leadership coaching as a catalyst for educational change

Relevance. The relevance of the study lies in the fact that today's education system is undergoing many changes, provoked not only by technological advances but also by other external factors such as epidemics, war events, etc., which force educational institutions to be flexible and adapt to the conditions that the situation offers them. It is also important to continuously improve the skills of all teaching staff in both schools and higher education institutions to be able to meet the demands that reality presents. Purpose. The aim of this study was to explore the concept of coaching as a method of training and developing the professional and personal qualities of the school staff. Methodology. The leading research methods were general theoretical methods of scientific knowledge, as well as various methods of collecting and systematising information, such as: analysis, synthesis, abstraction, idealisation, etc. Results. In the course of the study, such types of coaching as internal and external were considered and their advantages and disadvantages were identified. A comparative analysis was also made of the concepts of �mentoring� and �coaching�: how they differ and what they have in common. It also looked at the concept of �leadership� and why it is important to develop leadership skills in coaching. Conclusions. Coaching was found to be one of those processes that improve a teacher's skills and effectiveness, and leadership development has a positive impact on the improvement of the whole institution. It is particularly important to develop leadership skills in school staff who are in leadership positions. The practical relevance of the study lies in the recommendations provided for the use of the coaching system in relation to the school workforce. Keywords: school system; professional skills development; mentoring; personal qualities of the teacher; performance improvement