Often in the business world, organizations frequently struggle to incorporate leadership coaching or training programs that will both help the organization to grow and benefit their employees. In the same way that I outlined the differences between leadership coaching and psychotherapy, I now would like to highlight the differences between leadership coaching and training.
Understanding Leadership Training Programme Vs Leadership Coaching Programme
| Leadership Training | Leadership Coaching | |
| What does it involve? |
Imparting certain skills or transferring knowledge. It could involve enhancing communication skills, time management, employee performance, or certain processes vital for effective workflow within teams. Transfer of technical knowledge and/or direct learning. |
Learning to realign or reorient towards new goals, and deal with new challenges. Make a difference in the area of life that is not performing at an optimal level. |
| Who is it for? |
Management teams, functional teams, business leaders, and professionals across all stages of their careers. |
Mid to senior-level leaders. Eg: Senior executives, managers, business heads, and C-Suit executives. |
| How is it conducted? | Group training |
One-to-one coaching is much preferred. Although small groups of 4-5 leaders coached together is not uncommon. |
| What happens? |
A certified trainer imparts the training to the group in the required area. |
A leader works with a certified coach who challenges the leader’s limiting beliefs and asks the right thought-provoking questions. A coach prompts a leader to search for answers within their own selves. |
| Outcomes |
Improved employee turnover Employee retention
Overall boost in organizational productivity. Leaders identify their blindspots Improvement in skills.
Leaders and teams function at a higher level
Larger organizational problems have better resolution. |
A goal-oriented leadership coaching program serves to take the leader to take a deeper look at themselves. Brings to light a leader’s hidden talent Leadership coaching impacts leaders to change their behavior, shed their old patterns, and identify their own strengths which might be dormant within them. A good coach holds the coachee accountable for their actions and helps the coachee to move forward.
Adds meaning to the leader’s life. Leadership coaching brings immense value not only to the leaders but also to the organizations. |
Leadership Coaching vs Training; What to Choose?
As both leadership coaching and training are renowned in their own way, both have different functionalities. To understand the difference between leadership coaching vs training in management you need to first understand and imbibe each coaching and training separately.
- Leadership training is recommended when there is a requirement to help teams and groups gain specific knowledge or acquire a skill set.
- Leadership coaching is optimal for leaders of organizations who are looking to ace specific long-term goals while working on themselves. It is for those who wish to make a difference in the organization in the long run. These leaders work strategically and produce results that matter.
Do you have any other questions on the difference between training and coaching? I would be happy to answer them.
Sailaja Manacha, a Master certified Coach from ICF, is known for her programs and coaching methods that combine psychology with leadership practices. In her work, Sailaja draws from Psychology, Ontology, NLP and Spiritual frameworks as well as rich, real-world experiences.
