​​​Coaching vs. Managing in L&D​​​

May 5, 2025 | Articles, L&D

Key Takeaways:

  • ​Management in L&D focuses on structure, coordination, and accountability.
  • Coaching in L&D emphasizes individual growth, reflection, and empowerment.
  • Incorporating reflection time and strategic, open-ended one-on-one conversations can deepen retention, uncover barriers to learning, and provide personalized support.
  • ​Modeling a growth mindset in L&D fosters psychological safety and continuous development.

​There is a growing conversation about the distinction between managing learning and coaching for learning. Though these two roles may seem similar at first glance, they serve fundamentally different purposes and demand distinct mindsets and approaches. While management tends to focus on structure, process, and performance outcomes, coaching prioritizes individual growth, reflection, and empowerment. Understanding the difference between the two is important for L&D professionals aiming to foster deeper engagement and sustainability within their organizations.​​​

​​​​Defining Management in L&D​​​​​

​​Management in L&D is often characterized by control, coordination, and accountability. Managers typically operate within a defined scope, overseeing the delivery of training programs, tracking participation and completion rates, and ensuring ​alignment ​​with organizational learning goals. They set timelines, evaluate training outcomes through metrics, and often make decisions about what content should be delivered and how. This approach is necessary for maintaining order and consistency, especially in large organizations with a variety of training needs. It ensures that learners meet specific competencies required by their roles and that the organization maintains its standards.​​​

​​​​Defining Coaching in L&D​​​​​

While management provides structure, it doesn’t always create space for learners to internalize and apply knowledge in meaningful ways. This is where coaching becomes essential. Coaching in L&D is less about directing and more about guiding. It’s rooted in inquiry, listening, and supporting learners in developing their own understanding and skills. A coach in the workplace doesn’t just ask, “Did you complete the module?”—they ask, “What did you take away from that session, and how might you apply it in your role?” The shift here is from compliance to curiosity.

Coaching ​encourages learners to take ownership of their development​. Rather than being passive recipients of information, employees are treated as active participants in their growth. Coaches help learners connect training to their personal and professional goals, troubleshoot challenges, and reflect on what success looks like for them. This personalized attention can make the difference between surface-level understanding and deep learning.

​​​Another key difference​ between coaching and management​ is that ​the latter ​​tends to focus on problems and solutions whereas coaching focuses on possibilities. A manager might identify a gap in performance and assign a training module to close it. A coach, on the other hand, might explore why the gap exists in the first place, and work with the employee to uncover strengths they can leverage, motivations they can tap into, and strategies that fit their role within the organization.

In practice, this means that coaching requires a different skill set than managing. Coaches must develop the ability to ask open-ended questions, practice deep listening, and resist the urge to immediately give advice. They must be comfortable with silence, with not having all the answers, and with seeing progress unfold over time rather than expecting instantaneous results. While managers may be judged by deliverables and deadlines, coaches measure success through growth, insight, and behavior change.

Here are four tips for L&D professionals to embrace coaching:

1. Ask More, Tell Less

Begin your learning sessions or follow-ups with open-ended questions like, “What stood out to you?” or “How might this be useful in your work?” This encourages reflection and helps learners connect content to context. When you ask instead of tell, you invite learners to take ownership of their thinking and make personal meaning out of what they’ve learned. It also shifts the dynamic from instruction to conversation, which builds trust and engagement.

2. Build in Reflection Time

Don’t rush through training modules. Incorporate moments where learners pause to think, write, or discuss what they’re learning. These breaks in content delivery allow space for connections, insights, and questions to surface. Even a few minutes of ​guided reflection​ can transform passive listening into active learning and help learners retain information long after training is complete.

3. Use One-on-One Conversations Strategically

Check-ins don’t have to be performance reviews. Use them to explore how employees are applying their learning, what they’re struggling with, and what support they need. These conversations can uncover hidden barriers or missed opportunities that might not come up in group settings. They also signal that you care about the learner as a person, not just a role.

4.Model a Growth Mindset

Share your own learning process, including challenges and mistakes. When learners see you engaging with curiosity and humility, they’re more likely to do the same. This helps normalize uncertainty and struggle as part of learning, rather than something to avoid or hide. Modeling vulnerability builds psychological safety ​and sets the tone for continuous development.

​​In conclusion, coaching and management both play important roles in L&D. While management ensures structure and accountability, coaching brings a human-centered approach that supports deeper learning, reflection, and growth. By shifting from directing to guiding, L&D professionals can create more meaningful learning experiences that resonate with individuals and drive lasting change. ​​​

Embracing a coaching mindset doesn’t require a complete overhaul; it simply asks us to listen more, ask better questions, and create space for learners to take the lead in their own development.