Coaching vs Training: What Your People Really Need

Let Me Tell You a Story.

A few months ago, I was sitting across from a client—let’s call him Ramesh. Smart, sharp, and slightly slumped in his chair. His team had just wrapped up a week-long training marathon. Slides were presented, games were played, and everyone left with certificates and a branded notebook.

Two weeks later?

Silence.

Behaviour didn’t really change. Ownership didn’t rise. The way people showed up at work stayed exactly the same.

He looked at me and said, “I don’t get it. We ticked every box. Why’s nothing changed?”

I smiled and asked, “Do your people need more training—or something else entirely?”

That question lingered.

Because the truth was—training wasn’t the missing piece.

What they actually needed… was coaching.

🎯 First, What’s the Real Difference?

Coaching Vs Training Think of training as a well-designed toolkit. It’s structured. It’s fast-paced. It equips your people with knowledge—how to write a sharp email, how to delegate better, how to run a great meeting. It’s often group-based, scheduled, and delivered with a plan.

Coaching, on the other hand, is like holding up a mirror. It’s slow. Intentional. One-on-one or in small groups. It’s about helping people make sense of what’s going on inside them so they can show up differently outside.

To put it simply:

Training answers the “what” and “how.”
Coaching digs into the “why” and “what’s stopping me.”

Training says: Here’s how to delegate.
Coaching asks: Why aren’t you delegating even though you know you should?

Both matter. But they serve different purposes.

🧠 Story Time: The Team That Stopped Talking

There was this team we worked with—high-performing on paper, but under the surface? Full of friction.

They had been through multiple collaboration and communication trainings. Everyone knew the models, the frameworks, the acronyms.

But when it came to real conversations—giving feedback, resolving conflict, asking for help—they froze. Meetings felt tense. Messages were “polite” but loaded. Progress was slow.

We introduced group coaching instead.

In just a few sessions, something shifted.
People started naming unspoken assumptions.
>They got honest. They listened.
>They didn’t just learn how to communicate—they started connecting.

Training taught them the ‘what’.
Coaching gave them the courage to use it.

So… Which One Do Your People Need?

Now we’re getting to the good part.

If your people are new to a role, struggling with basic skills, or need structured inputs on specific topics—start with training.

But if they already know what to do, and just aren’t doing it… if they’re stuck in patterns they can’t name, if there’s resistance, overwhelm, or overthinking… then it’s coaching they need.

Here’s a little pulse-check you can run right now:

✅ Quick Reflection:

Are people often nodding in sessions but not applying anything after?
Do they avoid giving feedback or initiating difficult conversations?
Do you sense a lack of ownership or invisible emotional blocks?
Are your high performers struggling to transition into leadership?

If you’re nodding to 2 or more—coaching might be the game-changer.

The Training-Coaching Cocktail: Best of Both Worlds

The magic happens when you stop choosing and start mixing.

At our workshops, we often begin with a power-packed training to set the foundation—tools, frameworks, live practice.

But we don’t stop there.
We follow it up with small-group coaching or one-on-one sessions. That’s where the “I get it” becomes “I’m doing it.”

It’s like making coffee.
Training is the water—it brings the strength.
Coaching is the milk—it brings the depth.
Together? The perfect brew.

“But What If We Can Only Choose One?”

Sometimes, you’re working with a lean budget. Or leadership wants results fast. Or you’re just trying to do the best you can with limited time and resources.
Totally fair.

If you can only start with one—coaching or training—use these four real-life scenarios as your compass.

The “We Know It, But Don’t Do It” Situation

You’ve sent your team for trainings. They’ve got the frameworks, the models, even laminated pocket cards with action steps. And yet… the behaviour doesn’t stick.

They know they’re supposed to delegate—but still cling to tasks.
They understand feedback models—but avoid difficult conversations.
They’ve heard about emotional intelligence—but react impulsively under pressure.

This is the classic “insight without implementation” trap.

📍What’s really going on?
It’s not a knowledge issue. It’s about fear, self-doubt, and emotional patterns they may not even be aware of.

✅ What to choose: Coaching
Coaching helps people go deeper—into their beliefs, habits, and self-talk. It shifts mindsets, which then naturally shifts behaviour. This is where real, sustained change happens.

1. The “Congratulations, You’re a Manager Now!” Spiral
  
  You promoted your star performer into a manager. They were confident, capable, and crushing their individual goals. But now, they look overwhelmed.
  They’re working late, skipping team check-ins, and constantly firefighting.
  
  Why? Because managing others is an entirely new game.
  
  It’s not just about knowing what to do—it’s about unlearning old habits, stepping into a new identity, and building people leadership skills from scratch.
  
  📍What’s really going on?
  They’re unsure of how to lead. They’re still thinking like a doer. They feel the pressure but don’t know where to begin.
  
  ✅ What to choose: Training first, then coaching
  Start with training to build foundational skills—delegation, performance management, effective communication. Then add coaching to help them transition mentally and emotionally into their new role. One without the other won’t stick.
2. The “We Avoid Tough Conversations” Culture
  
  Everything looks nice on the surface. People smile. They nod in meetings. But the real stuff?
  Unspoken.
  Managers don’t give real feedback. Teammates tiptoe around conflict. Resentments simmer quietly until people disengage or exit.
  
  📍What’s really going on?
  This is an emotional landscape issue. People don’t feel safe to speak up. Or they don’t have the self-awareness to express themselves clearly and constructively.
  
  ✅ What to choose: Coaching
  This isn’t about teaching them “phrases to say in conflict.” It’s about helping them explore what’s holding them back, manage emotional triggers, and build relational courage. Coaching gives people the space to practise vulnerability in a psychologically safe environment.
3. The “Busy But Not Productive” Syndrome
  
  Your team’s working hard. Meetings all day. Emails at midnight. Everyone’s drowning in tasks.
  
  And yet… goals are missed, projects delayed, and burnout is knocking at the door.
  
  📍What’s really going on?
  There’s a gap in clarity, prioritisation, and systems. People are reacting all the time instead of planning. They’re “busy” but not focused.
  
  ✅ What to choose: Training
  This is where a sharp, actionable training session on time management, task prioritisation, and smart working can turn chaos into clarity. Give them tools and let them practise those tools in real scenarios. It’s like resetting the system with a better operating manual.
  
  So, What’s It Gonna Be?
  
  Here’s the thing no one tells you:
  
  You don’t always need to throw more content at your team. Sometimes, you need to sit down and listen. Create space for reflection. Let people breathe, talk, and think.
  
  Other times, you need to give them the sharpest tools to cut through the noise and get stuff done.
  
  Your people don’t need to be “fixed.”
  They need to be seen, heard, and supported—differently.
  
  And if you’re still unsure, just ask them. Or better yet, do a simple radar activity.

Quick DIY Team Pulse Tool: The Self-Coaching Radar

Ask your team to rate themselves on a scale of 1–5:

1. - I take responsibility for my outcomes, not just tasks.
  - I speak up when something doesn’t feel right.
  - I handle difficult conversations with maturity.
  - I ask for help when I need it.
  - I make space to reflect on how I can grow.

Plot it. Discuss it. You’ll know exactly where coaching is needed—and where a good training can go a long way.

Let’s Build That Dream Team

Whether your team needs structure or space, direction or depth—we can help.

We don’t do one-size-fits-all. We co-create journeys that blend learning with reflection, skills with self-awareness, performance with purpose.

💬 Want to explore what would work best for your people?
📞 Let’s chat.
🌐 Visit www.theyellowspot.com and drop us a message.