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

Leading Change: How to Navigate Transformation with Confidence and Clarity

By Barbra Carlisle • July 22, 2025
There is no getting away from it we need to be agile and lead through change - it is constant!

Leadership vs. Management: Understanding the Difference to Unlock Your True Potential

By Barbra Carlisle • July 22, 2025
Newsflash - Leading is not Managing! Why the Distinction Matters For years, many professionals, myself included, assumed that leadership and management were one and the same. After all, both involve guiding people and achieving goals. But in today’s dynamic and complex business environment, understanding the difference between leadership and management is essential. At Glee Coaching, we help individuals and organisations harness the power of both disciplines to drive performance, engagement, and long-term success. What Is Leadership? Leadership is about vision, influence, and transformation. It’s the ability to inspire others, create a compelling future, and guide people toward shared goals even in the face of uncertainty. As John C. Maxwell famously said, “Leadership is influence, nothing more, nothing less.” Leaders focus on: Setting direction rather than controlling outcomes Inspiring trust rather than demanding compliance Fostering innovation rather than maintaining the status quo Research from Harvard Business Review highlights that the best leaders are those who can move beyond titles and focus on action engaging in behaviours that inspire, align, and mobilise others. These leaders are not just visionaries; they are catalysts for change. What Is Management? Management, on the other hand, is about structure, execution, and consistency. It ensures that systems run smoothly, resources are used efficiently, and objectives are met on time and within budget. Peter Drucker, the father of modern management, once said: “Management is doing things right; leadership is doing the right things.” Managers excel at: Planning and organising Monitoring performance Solving problems and mitigating risks Gallup showed that managers are the single biggest factor in employee engagement, accounting for up to 70% of the variance in team engagement levels. This means that effective management isn’t just operational it is foundational to team morale and productivity. Leadership vs. Management: A Strategic Balance Rather than viewing leadership and management as opposing forces, I tend to think of them as complementary disciplines. The most effective professionals know when to lead and when to manage. A helpful rule of thumb I use is that Leaders should be 80% strategic and 20% tactical while Managers should be 80% tactical and 20% strategic. This balance is echoed in a 15-year study by HBR contributor James R. Bailey, who found that the most successful executives blend both leadership and management behaviours adapting fluidly to the needs of their teams and organisations. Issues that my coaching clients bring tend to be around the perceived need of leaders to sit in the transactional tactical doer space. Why You Need Both in Today’s Workplace In a world of hybrid teams, rapid innovation, and constant change, organisations need people who can: Lead with purpose and authenticity Build high-performing, collaborative teams Manage complexity with confidence and agility Gallup’s global engagement data shows that when managers are disengaged, team performance suffers dramatically. Conversely, when leaders are purpose-driven and aligned with their values, they inspire greater commitment and resilience across the organisation. If you're curious about how coaching can support this development, explore our What Is Coaching page . How Glee Coaching Can Help At Glee Coaching, we offer tailored leadership and management development programmes that help you: Discover your authentic leadership style Strengthen your management toolkit Navigate the transition from manager to leader (or vice versa) Build confidence, clarity, and capability Whether you're stepping into your first leadership role or refining your executive presence, we are here to support your journey. Call to Action Ready to explore your leadership potential or refine your management style? 👉 Visit our programmes to discover programmes designed for impact or call Barbra