To Coach or not to Coach

Barbra Carlisle • April 12, 2024

Coaching vs Classroom learning - the pros and cons

People often ask me what learning and development approach is best for them, or their teams.  When should you use coaching and when is it better to use a classroom approach to learning and growing?


Below I set out my thoughts on the benefits of both coaching and classroom learning and when one might nudge the other off the winners podium.  As always I would love to hear your thoughts.


Coaching:

Personalized Approach: Coaching is highly personalized. It focuses on an individual leader’s specific needs, challenges, and growth areas.

One-on-One Interaction: Coaches work closely with leaders, providing tailored guidance, feedback, and support in a safe and confidential environment.

Behavioural Change: Coaching aims to enhance self-awareness, improve skills, and drive behavioural change.

Adaptive Learning: Coaches adapt their approach based on the leader’s unique context and goals. There is not one set process for achieving results.

Long-Term Impact: Coaching can lead to sustained improvements in leadership effectiveness where the coachee embraces the learning and applies actions.


Traditional Leadership Training:

Structured Programs: Leadership training often follows a structured curriculum or program so everyone is taken through the same topics and have the opportunity to develop skills together.

Group Setting: Training sessions involve groups of participants, allowing for shared learning experiences.

Skill Development: Training focuses on specific skills (e.g., communication, decision-making) and theoretical knowledge.

Scaleable: Training can efficiently cover essential topics and provide a common foundation.

Short-Term Impact: While training can impart knowledge, its impact may diminish without ongoing reinforcement, applying the learning and accountability.


Which learning intervention is the best?

Which learning intervention you choose will be determined by:

  1. What the end goal of the learning intervention is
  2. What the skills gaps are within the team and the type of skills gap – e.g. soft skills, technical skills etc
  3. The time available to dedicate to learning
  4. The number of learners you have

 


Coaching tends to be more effective when:

  •       The organisation is going through transformation with lots of change at the top
  •       Leaders are new to the organisation or recently promoted within the organisation
  •       Leaders need personalized development.
  •       Behavioural change is the goal.
  •       Context-specific challenges require targeted solutions.
  •       Long-term growth is desired.


Traditional leadership develop training is effective when:

  •       A common skill set is needed across a group.
  •       Time constraints exist.
  •       Foundational knowledge is essential.
  •       Immediate results are necessary.
  •         Large numbers of people need to be trained quickly

In summary, both coaching and traditional training have their place. Combining them strategically can yield powerful results. Effective leadership development often involves a blend of personalized coaching, structured training, and continuous learning.

 

We offer coaching and upskilling applied leadership development courses for 1 to many people to help your organisation thrive.


We thrive in meeting your people challenges and offering solutions that fit your need.

To find out about our support packages please get in touch. 


What challenges are you facing today?  Give me a call and we can talk things through.  contact me at barbra@gleecoaching.com   www.gleecoaching.com

Finding your way as a leader

By Barbra Carlisle • June 13, 2025
When I first stepped into a leadership role, I did what many of us do, I mirrored the leadership styles I had seen in action as a young professional. I had seen Cathy Garner at the Housing Corporation back in the mid 90s invite me to a senior level meeting and me to reply "Why Cathy I don't have anything useful to say" and her saying "Barbra it is about being in the room. Come, it will not be a waste of your time". Brilliant advice. I also sub consciously took in the directive leaders, the nice to face not quite so nice behind your back leaders and began to learn that leadership means different things to different people. I also experienced leaders who manipulated and coerced me into positions that were simply not comfortable for a young female professional. What I came to learn that I had to be naturally me as a leader. Yes I over share, yes I make light of things, yes I am a glass half full person. I worked on recognising when that style didn't bring the best out of the people around me and I flexed my style. Uncomfortable but definitely rewarding. We all have it in our gift to ask "what kind of leader do I actually want to be?" In today’s leadership landscape, especially in the charity and non-profit sector, authenticity isn’t just a nice-to-have — it’s essential. According to recent research from CIPD, only 26% of L&D leaders feel their organisations are truly receptive to their ideas. That disconnect often stems from leaders not feeling confident in their own voice, or unsure how to bring their full selves to the table. Or bringing their full selves without filters and being told they are too loud, too this or too that. Why your leadership style matters Your leadership style shapes how people experience you — and how they experience their work. When you lead in a way that aligns with your values and personality, you create psychological safety, trust, and clarity. When you lead in a way that feels performative or borrowed, it can create confusion or even mistrust. When you lead without any consideration of what it is like to be on the other side of you I am sorry to say you will fail. Because not everyone will work well with the natural you. At Glee Coaching, I often work with new CEOs and senior leaders who are still figuring out what kind of leader they want to be. Some are navigating imposter syndrome. Others are trying to balance being approachable with being strategic. The truth is, there’s no one-size-fits-all model. But there is a way to lead that feels like you — and that’s where the real impact happens. How to start finding your style Observe, but don’t copy. Learn from others, but filter it through your own values and strengths. Ask for feedback. Not just on performance, but on how people experience your leadership. Try tools that build self-awareness. Programmes like Discover Your Leadership Voice (which I run monthly) help leaders understand their natural communication style and how to adapt it to others. Reflect regularly. What’s working? What feels forced? What energises you? Leadership isn’t about being the loudest voice in the room. It’s about being the clearest, most consistent version of yourself — and helping others do the same. Get in touch if you want to chat about how you can find your own style of leadership that works for you and those around you.

Humility in Leadership

By Barbra Carlisle • June 13, 2025
“I learnt a lot by going in and making the cups of tea, and hoovering up for them.” That quote came from Alan Adams, General Manager of Southport Flower Show and a guest on my podcast *The Unlikely Executive*. It stuck with me, not because it was about tea or hoovers ( though I do like the former, the latter less so), but because it captured something about a certain type of leadership: the insight that comes from experiencing all aspects of the organisation. I believe this links to leader empathy. In the charity sector, I have met three broad types of leaders 1. those who have 'worked' their way up 2. those who have pivoted from private to third sector and entered at a senior level (more about them in a later newsletter article) 3. those who have almost been pushed into leadership through personal circumstance (for example those who set up charities on the back of a personal trauma - again I will post about this at a later date) Today I want to focus on those who have worked their way up. They’ve been on the frontlines, run community events, answered helpline calls. That experience gives them a deep understanding of the people they serve and the teams they lead. But what if you didn’t start there? What if you came into leadership from another sector, or stepped into a senior role early in your career? Does that mean you’re missing something? Not necessarily. But it does mean you need to be intentional about how you connect with the frontline. Why it matters Leaders who understand the day-to-day realities of their teams make better decisions. They build more trust. They’re more likely to spot issues early and respond with empathy. In a recent People Management report, 41% of UK businesses now see learning and development as central to their strategy. That includes developing leaders who can connect across levels — not just manage from the top. How to build that connection (even if you didn’t start at the bottom) Spend time with your team. Not just in meetings, but in their world. Sit in on calls. Visit service sites. Ask questions. Listen without fixing. Sometimes the most powerful thing you can do is listen without jumping in with a solution. Be curious, not performative. People can tell when you’re ticking a box. Show genuine interest in their work and challenges. Share your own learning curve. Vulnerability builds trust. If you’re learning, say so. - my own personal favourite - have a work experience week - where you do a role that you have never tried before and take advice and guidance from the current postholder. At Glee, I work with leaders who want to lead with more empathy and impact — whether they started on the frontlines or not. What matters most is your willingness to understand, adapt, and grow. Because leadership isn’t about where you started. It’s about how you show up now.
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