Selecting the best development option for employees can be a difficult decision to make. Two options that are widely used across industries are training and coaching, but how do you decide where to invest for the most value? It’s important to understand the different aims of training and coaching in order to make the right choice.
Training
Training addresses knowledge and skills by providing information, methods and strategies. It may also provide participants with opportunities to discuss the new information or practice new methods and strategies.
To assess training, ask, “Does the individual have sufficient knowledge of the method, strategy, tool or tactic to implement it in order to resolve the challenge he or she is facing?” It’s a question of having the skill or the ability to do something well. If the answer to this question is no, then training is an excellent choice for development. For example, if a leader needs a method for prioritizing and deciding what to delegate, he or she can learn this skill in training.
Coaching
Coaching provides new insight and understanding to change limiting beliefs and behaviors. It also provides participants with customized development programs that create sustained change over time.
Ask, “Does the individual have the skill but is challenged to consistently employ it and reverts to old behaviors, reactions or reasoning?” It’s a question of having an underlying belief that triggers a learned behavior. Often, these behaviors have generated success in the past but are no longer working. If the answer to this question is yes, then coaching is an excellent choice to understand and shift the underlying belief and implement a new behavior. For example, if a leader knows how to delegate but believes that only he or she can do it right, coaching can help decrease anxiety and improve his or her ability to effectively delegate.
Scalability and Cost
When deciding between coaching and training, it is also important to consider scalability, cost, and the level of the individual’s commitment and desire to develop. If used appropriately, training is often a smaller investment, is easily scaled to meet the needs of many individuals and can provide a faster return on investment. Coaching is often a greater investment of time and money, is harder to scale, and provides a return on investment over a period of six months to one year.
Regardless of scalability and cost, both training and coaching are only as effective as the individual’s level of commitment and desire to develop. While coaching can be more of an investment than training, choosing the wrong development method for employees’ needs can be more costly than investing in the right method at the start. Take the time to assess the need, commitment and desire to develop in order to make the best choice.
