PLAYBOOK GUIDE

Manager-Led Coaching: Creating Lasting Change Beyond the Course

Deliver training outcomes you can see and measure.

Manager-led coaching provides structured support that bridges the gap between learning events and workplace application.

Why Your Training Programs Need Manager-Led Coaching

Drive Workplace Application

Increase Performance

Build Stronger Teams

Improve Employee Retention

Maximise Training ROI

The Learning Transfer Problem

You've created impressive training programs that build genuine capability, but without ongoing support, skills rarely stick in the workplace. This familiar challenge faces L&D teams everywhere: various studies find that training alone typically achieves only 15–20% improvement in job performance².

Without ongoing support after training, learners forget an average of 50% of new information within an hour², much more knowledge is lost throughout the week, initial enthusiasm from training sessions diminishes when employees face workplace realities, and new skills are abandoned when challenges emerge.

Manager-led coaching offers a practical, scalable solution by embedding ongoing support into existing workplace relationships.

The Manager-Led Coaching Solution

Manager-led coaching involves a learner's workplace manager taking on a coaching role during training programs to support learning and encourage growth. This approach leverages the manager's unique understanding of both organisational context and individual employee needs.

With manager coaching support, learners focus on growth and removing barriers to application of new skills. Regular feedback loops support sustained behaviour change, while managers provide active support during training, and offer structured approaches to application on the job.

The Business Case for Manager-Led Coaching

Research shows that organisations with high coaching capability are twice as likely to be viewed as strategic partners to the business¹, while public sector managers who underwent executive coaching after leadership training displayed an 88% increase in productivity⁴.

Manager-led coaching delivers measurable impact through:

Performance gains: Manager support plays a crucial role in linking learning to performance outcomes³.
Employee engagement: 7 in 10 workers say learning improves their sense of connection to their organisation⁶.
Retention improvement: Companies with strong learning cultures see 57% retention versus 27% for moderate learning cultures⁵.
Cost efficiency: Leverage existing managers instead of external coaching services, scaling programs without proportional cost increases.

How Manager-Led Coaching Works

The concept is straightforward – managers support their team members through structured touchpoints before, during, and after training programs.

Setting Up for Success

Learners nominate their coach

During course onboarding, learners select their manager, mentor, or peer as their coach, creating accountability and support from day one.

Goal Consultation

Coach and learner meet to discuss learning objectives and how they align with both career aspirations and organisational needs. This establishes clear expectations and creates a shared understanding of what success looks like.

Workplace Context Setting

Managers help learners understand how program content connects to their specific work environment, identifying real situations where new skills will be applied.

Baseline Assessment

Both learner and coach complete diagnostic assessments separately, then collaborate on final responses that identify current capability levels and priority development areas. This creates a clear starting point for measuring progress.

Elements of a Successful Coaching Program

Here are the essential building blocks for coaching integration.

Psychological Safety First

Create an environment where learners feel safe to admit struggles, experiment with new approaches, and learn from mistakes. The most effective coaching happens when coaches share their own learning experiences and respond to challenges with curiosity rather than criticism.

This trust forms the foundation for honest conversations about what's working and what isn't. Without psychological safety, learners hide struggles and miss opportunities for genuine growth.

Simple Coaching Framework

Choose a simple coaching framework to provide structure for conversations. Solution-focused models like OSCAR (below) give both learner and coach clear steps while keeping the employee focused on their development.

Outcome: What do you want to achieve?
Situation: What's happening now?
Choices: What options do you have?
Actions: What will you do?
Review: When will we check progress?

Diagnostic-Driven Development

Use pre-program diagnostics to create structured conversations about development priorities. Coaches and learners complete separate assessments, then collaborate on final responses that identify focus areas.

This ensures coaching targets high-impact skills and creates baseline measures for progress tracking. The diagnostic process aligns coach and learner expectations from the start, preventing mismatched priorities. It also provides concrete data to demonstrate capability growth at program completion.

Progressive Skill Building

Focus on one skill at a time to avoid overwhelming learners. Start with high-impact capabilities and build progressively. Multiple practice opportunities with feedback build confidence in using new skills before moving to the next development area.

Coaches can identify real workplace situations where each skill applies, making practice contextual and relevant. Once a skill becomes natural in easy situations, coaches introduce more complex applications to continue building capability.

Speak with our Team

Step-by-Step Implementation Guide

Here are some steps we recommend for implementing your manager-led coaching program.

Step 1

Identify Coaching Touch-points

Identify coaching touch-points within existing programs and ensure learning objectives are measurable and relevant to workplace application.

Design coaching moments that fit naturally into the course flow and existing organisational rhythms like manager
one-on-ones.

Step 3

Set Up Your Technology

Choose a platform with nomination workflows, coach dashboards, diagnostic tools, and feedback mechanisms.

Purpose-built platforms like Guroo Academy streamline coaching integration with features specifically designed for manager-led coaching, including integrated diagnostics, coach task review, and multi-stakeholder visibility that make implementation seamless.

Step 5

Pilot with Proven Programs

Start with your most successful training programs where outcomes are already strong. Add coaching to amplify results and create compelling proof points. Choose programs with engaged facilitators, clear workplace application opportunities, and visible business impact.

These early wins build momentum and demonstrate value to skeptical stakeholders.

Step 2

Prepare Coaches

Create coaching guides with conversation starters, workplace application frameworks, and coaching model templates.

Where possible, deliver coaching skills training on effective questioning and feedback techniques. Set clear time commitment expectations and communicate the value proposition.

Step 4

Create Engagement Strategies

Design approaches to keep coaches and learners engaged throughout the journey. This includes automated reminders for coaching touchpoints, recognition for active coaches, regular communication about coaching benefits and impact, and resource libraries that coaches can access on demand. Consistent engagement maintains momentum and prevents coaching relationships from fading when work pressures increase.

Step 6

Monitor and Optimise

Track engagement through platform reporting and conduct post-program surveys to measure effectiveness. Monitor workplace application through manager observations and performance metrics, addressing barriers as they emerge.

Document success stories and quantifiable improvements to build the case for scaling coaching across more programs.

How Guroo Academy Powers Manager-Led Coaching

Without the right platform, coaching becomes an administrative burden. Guroo Academy makes it operationally simple.

Coach Nomination Process

Learners nominate their coach during course onboarding or have coaches assigned administratively.

Nominate manager, mentor, or peer
Administrative assignment options
Automated coach notifications
Clear role expectations

Speak with our Team

Bridge the Gap Between Learning and Performance

Your training builds genuine capability. Manager-led coaching ensures that capability makes it to the workplace.

Training providers face a consistent challenge: clients love your programs but struggle to measure their impact. Coaching integration solves this by creating visible, trackable skill application that proves your value and justifies continued investment.

Implementation doesn't require starting from scratch. The right platform lets you layer coaching support onto proven programs, giving facilitators tools to engage managers without adding administrative burden.Your core delivery remains unchanged – coaching amplifies what already works.

Implement Manager-Led Coaching with Guroo Academy

See how our purpose-built platform makes launching and scaling manager-led coaching simple.

Book a demo to explore:

Coaching nomination workflows
Diagnostic tool configuration
Coach dashboard capabilities
Task review and feedback features
Integration with your existing programs

Have questions about implementing manager-led coaching?
Let's discuss your specific situation and create a roadmap for success.

References

¹ Weber, E. & Arneill, M. (2019). The Role of Coaching in Learning Transfer. Training Industry.

² Wilson Learning Worldwide (2024). Learning Transfer Model research synthesis.

³ Blume, B.D., Huang, J.L., & Ford, J.K. (2023). Transfer of informal learning: The role of manager support. Business Horizons, 66(6).

⁴ Day, D.V. (2000). Leadership development: A review in context. The Leadership Quarterly, 11(4).

⁵ LinkedIn Learning (2024). Workplace Learning Report.

⁶ LinkedIn Learning (2024). Workplace Learning Report.

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