Know the difference between 'training' and 'coaching' employees

Laurie Glover, Apr 24, 2014, 2:31pm EDT

Managers often use the terms “training” and “coaching” interchangeably. This leads to a lot of confusion for both managers and employees, and makes it difficult to evaluate the outcomes of each.

Both training and coaching have their place in every organization.

Understanding the main differences between training and coaching can help managers make sure they use the right tool for the right tasks. If they can do that, everyone benefits.

Training

Training is used for things like new-hire orientation, changes in processes, procedures, or technology, and new governmental regulations.

It trains something specific and can be a one-time event.

Key characteristics of training:

• Learning focused
• Provides new knowledge and skills
• Often takes place with groups
• Usually structured
• Used to get someone to do a specific task

To be successful with these initiatives, managers need to:

1. Know the basics. Train the audience using the following key phrases:

• Tell me
• Show me
• Let me
• Test me

2. Understand adult-learning theory

Adult learners are pressed for time and are goal oriented. They bring previous knowledge and experience and have a finite capacity for information. They have different motivational levels and learning styles.

3. Make it fun

Everyone likes to have some fun. It certainly breaks up the tedium of lectures.

4. Prepare, plan, practice

Because training is a structured activity, you need to spend more time preparing before the actual delivery to get it right.

Coaching

Coaching sometimes has a bad reputation because it’s so often used to deliver critical or constructive feedback. But it shouldn’t be.

It should be an on-going activity with each of your employees designed to keep everyone on track.

Key characteristics of coaching:

• Development focused
• Facilitates critical thinking and decision-making
• Usually takes place one-on-one
• Informal or unstructured
• Used to improve performance and behaviour

Here’s a good roadmap for successful coaching:

1. Do it Often

I’m a firm believer that offering five minutes coaching each week is better than 30 minutes once a month.

2. Ask Questions. Ask your employees the following questions:

• What are you proud of that you’ve accomplished in the last week?
• Where are you stuck?
• What can I do to help?
• What are your goals for the coming week?

Laurie Glover is an organizational development professional with extensive international experience in corporate training, academia, and sales and marketing management. Glover is CEO of QSTS, a consulting firm that helps organizations and individuals move from “good” to “great” by igniting organizational excellence. The firm specializes in workplace learning programs on leadership, management and supervisory skills and in programs for lawyers and accountants in building their practices.