For proactive professionals
Your manager wants to invest in you
You just need to make it easy to say yes. Here's how to get them to back Work Coach — the coaching that makes you a sharper, more self-directed report (they may even have budget for it).
Make it easy to say yes
Managers want to support their people. A good pitch shows them exactly why this is worth approving.
A vague ask
"Hey, is it okay if I try some coaching thing? I know it might cost something, but I think it could be helpful..."
A clear pitch
"I'd like to use Work Coach to own my development. I'll handle everything—all I need is your sign-off, and it may fit our learning budget."
Why your manager will love this
You do the work. They get a more engaged, self-directed report.
A more self-directed report
Every manager wants people who own their growth. Work Coach makes you one—you set goals, track progress from your real meetings, and bring solutions instead of problems.
A tiny investment that pays off
Far less than an executive coach or a stalled hire—and most managers have professional-development or L&D budget set aside for exactly this. It makes managing you easier, too.
Zero work for them
You run everything—your goals, your plan, even a 360 from the team. All they do is say yes, and you show up to 1:1s with a plan instead of a vague check-in.
Key insight
"The easiest report to manage is one who owns their own growth—and just needs you to say yes."
Copy this message
Here's a template you can customize and send to your manager via Slack, email, or whatever works.
Hi [Manager name],
I want to be more intentional about my growth, and I'd like to use a tool called Work Coach to do it—I wanted your support before I get started.
It's an AI coach (with the option of a real human coach) that helps me set goals, work toward them, and get honest feedback—including running a structured 360 with our team. It learns from my actual meetings, so the coaching is specific to how I really show up.
I'll handle everything—setup, choosing reviewers, follow-ups. You wouldn't need to do anything.
My plan is to evaluate myself against our career ladder, name my gaps and what I'm doing about them, and bring you a concrete plan to get your input—then keep you posted as I hit milestones.
It's a small investment, and I believe it falls within the kind of professional development our team supports. You'd get a more self-directed report and better visibility into how I'm doing.
Would you be on board with me getting started? Happy to answer any questions.
Pro tip: Customize this to match your voice and your relationship with your manager. The key points are: you'll handle everything, it's a small investment that may already fit the team's budget, and you'll come back with a concrete plan to work on together.
What happens next
You set your goals
Work Coach learns from your real meetings and helps you build a development plan around what you're actually working toward.
You gather 360 feedback
As part of it, Work Coach collects candid input from leadership, peers, and reports—anonymized where appropriate and synthesized into clear themes.
You map it to your ladder
Compare where you are against your role's expectations. Pinpoint your strengths and the gaps worth closing.
You bring a plan to your manager
Show up with priorities and next steps, then keep them posted as you make progress. A focused partnership, not a vague check-in.
Common questions
What if my manager has concerns?
That's fair—ask what's on their mind. Usually it's about time or process. Once they hear that you'll handle everything and it takes zero effort on their part, most concerns go away. You can also emphasize that this gives them better visibility into how you're doing across the team, which actually helps them as a manager.
Will my manager see the raw feedback?
Only if you share it with them. The feedback is yours and yours alone to act on. You control what you share.
What if my company already does 360s?
A company 360 is a once-a-year snapshot for HR. Work Coach is ongoing coaching—it works between reviews, learns from your real meetings, and runs its own deeper 360 when you want one. It complements the company process and gives your manager richer, more current context.
Does this come out of my budget or theirs?
Many teams have professional-development or L&D budget set aside for exactly this—it's worth asking, since a lot of people are surprised to find it's already covered. If not, it's a small enough investment to be worth doing on your own.
How is this different from just asking for feedback myself?
When you ask directly, people filter. They don't want to hurt your feelings or damage the relationship. Work Coach creates the psychological safety of a third party—plus structured questions that go deeper than "how am I doing?" It also handles anonymization, reminders, and synthesis for you.
How much time does this take?
About 5 minutes to set up. It takes 5-10 minutes per person in a voice conversation. It's incredibly lightweight for the people giving feedback, and lets you focus on the synthesis and your manager conversation.
Is this safe for my company?
Work Coach only collects feedback on your performance—not company information. The questions focus on how you work, communicate, and collaborate. No proprietary data, no business strategy, no sensitive details. Just honest input on how you're doing.
Make the pitch. Get the green light.
Your manager wants to help you grow. Give them an easy way to do it.