Hands-on Workshop

Coaching Skills in 90 Minutes

Stop fixing, start coaching. A practical workshop that teaches managers the essential skill of helping people find their own answers—through asking, listening, and empowering.

What you'll need

  • Time: 90 minutes
  • 👥 Group: 4–16 people
  • 🪑 Space: Quiet room with space for pair work
  • 📺 Tech: None required
  • Prep: 15 minutes to read through the guide
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[Workshop illustration]

About this workshop

Most managers default to "telling" because it feels faster. But telling creates dependency, while coaching builds capability. This workshop gives managers a simple, memorable framework they can use immediately—without requiring certification or months of training.

Through timed practice conversations with fictional problems, participants experience the difference between fixing and coaching. They leave with question stems, listening structures, and the confidence to pause instead of jumping in with solutions.

What participants will learn

The knowledge and understanding they'll gain:

  • The Ask → Listen → Reflect → Empower framework
  • Why "fixing" undermines long-term capability building
  • Powerful open questions that unlock thinking
  • How to use silence as a coaching tool

What they'll be able to do afterwards

The skills and behaviours they'll take away:

  • Pause before giving advice and ask a question instead
  • Help team members explore options themselves
  • Listen actively without planning their response
  • Reflect back what they hear to deepen understanding
  • Empower people to commit to their own solutions

How it works

Participants pair up and practise coaching each other through fictional workplace problems—with time limits that force focus. Each round introduces a new element: open questions, listening without interrupting, reflecting back, and empowering action. The competitive element keeps energy high while the rotation ensures everyone gets practice.

By the end, participants have experienced both sides of coaching conversations and built muscle memory for the new approach.

Perfect for

New managers learning to develop their team, experienced managers who default to "telling," high-potential employees preparing for leadership, or any team that wants to build a coaching culture.

What's in the base box

  • Facilitator guide with timing cues
  • Coaching question stem cards
  • Fictional problem scenario cards
  • Ask-Listen-Reflect-Empower framework poster
  • Practice conversation templates
  • Digital pack (QR to downloads)
  • Participant reflection sheets

Available add-ons for this workshop.

Real Scenario Practice

Use actual challenges from your workplace instead of fictional scenarios for deeper relevance.

Manager Coaching Pairs

Set up ongoing coaching partnerships between managers to continue practice after the workshop.

Question Bank Customisation

We'll develop coaching questions specific to your industry and common leadership scenarios.

Facilitator Coaching

A 60-minute session to walk through the flow and practice facilitating coaching rounds.

Follow-Up Skills Check

A 45-minute follow-up session to troubleshoot real coaching conversations and reinforce learning.

Ready to coach, not fix?

Let's talk about bringing Coaching Skills to your team. Or if you need something bespoke, we can design that too.

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