Coaching for Performance Training Course

Duration 5 days 10 modules · 33 contact hours
Level Intermediate Certificate on completion
Who attends Line Managers, Team Leaders and others
Fee from USD 1,100 KSh 95,000 for Kenyan organisations
Where 52 cities + online See dates by city
Next start 7 Nov 2026 Course code SD-LD-131

Before you join: Participants should have experience managing, supervising, advising or developing other people, ideally through regular one-to-ones, performance reviews or project discussions.

Dates & prices

Two start dates a month in every city, and live online on weekdays or weekends. Fees are per participant; classroom fees include tuition, materials, lunch and refreshments, and the certificate.

Suggest a date or city

Showing the next six months. Later dates, other cities and private deliveries for your team are available on request.

Course overview

Managers are often expected to improve performance, build capability and retain valued employees, yet many performance conversations become one-way updates, corrective feedback sessions or vague development discussions. Coaching offers a structured alternative: it helps employees examine evidence, clarify priorities, generate options and commit to actions while retaining responsibility for their results. Used well, it supports both immediate performance needs and longer-term career development without avoiding necessary management decisions.

This course develops practical coaching skills for managers, team leaders, HR professionals and internal learning practitioners. Participants learn when coaching is appropriate and when direction, training, mentoring, counselling or formal performance management is required. They practise contracting, active listening, questioning, goal setting, feedback, performance diagnosis and development planning. The course applies the GROW model, SBI feedback method and SMART goal criteria to realistic situations such as missed service targets, quality failures, low confidence after organisational change, succession preparation and difficult working relationships.

Teaching combines short instructor briefings with case analysis, paired coaching practice, observer feedback, group discussion and structured simulations. Participants work with performance and development situations relevant to their roles, using clear conversation structures and evidence-based prompts. They leave with a personal coaching plan, reusable coaching conversation guides, a performance diagnosis worksheet, a development planning template and an observation checklist for continued skill improvement.

The course is particularly suitable for professionals who already conduct one-to-ones or reviews and need a more disciplined way to develop others. It is also valuable for HR and L&D staff who support managers to build a consistent coaching culture while maintaining fair performance standards.

What you will be able to do

  • Differentiate coaching from mentoring, training, counselling and formal performance management
  • Contract coaching relationships using clear roles, confidentiality boundaries and success measures
  • Apply active listening, purposeful questioning and summarising techniques during coaching conversations
  • Use the GROW model to structure performance and development coaching sessions
  • Deliver evidence-based feedback using the SBI method and agreed performance standards
  • Diagnose performance gaps by separating skill, motivation, resource and role-clarity factors
  • Create SMART development plans linked to job requirements, career goals and follow-up actions
  • Conduct difficult coaching conversations while addressing resistance, emotion and accountability

Benefits of attending

For you

  • Conduct more purposeful one-to-ones with clear actions and follow-up
  • Handle performance concerns without defaulting to advice or avoidance
  • Build employee ownership of goals, solutions and development commitments
  • Give specific feedback that employees can act on immediately
  • Document coaching discussions with appropriate confidentiality and accountability

For your organisation

  • Improves consistency in manager-led performance and development conversations
  • Identifies capability, motivation and resource barriers before problems escalate
  • Strengthens internal talent development through documented growth plans
  • Reduces overdependence on HR for routine people-management conversations
  • Creates clearer links between individual goals, team standards and organisational priorities

Course modules

10 modules over 5 days

Participants can select coaching appropriately and establish clear professional boundaries.

  • Coaching, mentoring, managing and counselling distinguished by purpose and accountability
  • Manager-coach responsibilities aligned with performance standards, wellbeing and referral boundaries
  • Directive and non-directive approaches selected from employee capability and risk
  • Confidentiality agreements balanced against documentation, safeguarding and organisational reporting duties
  • Psychological safety conditions that support candid performance and development conversations
  • Ethical dilemmas involving conflicts, bias, power and inappropriate dependency
  • Coaching agreements defining goals, roles, frequency, records and success measures

Participants can establish trust, expectations and working agreements at the start of coaching.

  • Opening conversations with purpose, permissions, agenda and time boundaries
  • Trust built through reliability, curiosity, respect and appropriate self-disclosure
  • Employee expectations surfaced before agreeing coaching goals and responsibilities
  • Three-way contracting between manager, employee and organisational sponsor
  • Consent obtained before exploring sensitive performance or career issues
  • Session structure agreed using opening, exploration, action and review stages
  • Recording arrangements clarified without turning coaching into surveillance

Participants can use core communication techniques to deepen employee thinking and ownership.

  • Active listening demonstrated through attending, paraphrasing, summarising and checking meaning
  • Open questions used to explore facts, assumptions, options and consequences
  • Powerful questions framed without leading, rescuing or imposing manager solutions
  • Silence used deliberately to allow reflection and fuller employee responses
  • Reflecting emotions and values without diagnosing motives or personality
  • Ladder of Inference applied to test interpretations before drawing conclusions
  • Advice withheld until employee options and decision criteria are explored

Participants can guide focused coaching sessions from goal definition to accountable action.

  • GROW stages connected to focused performance and development conversations
  • Goals specified through desired outcomes, standards, deadlines and ownership
  • Reality explored using evidence, stakeholders, constraints and current behaviours
  • Options generated before evaluating feasibility, consequences and required support
  • Way Forward commitments converted into actions, milestones and review dates
  • SMART criteria used to test clarity and measurability of commitments
  • Session summaries capture decisions, accountabilities and unresolved questions

Participants can deliver balanced, specific feedback linked to observable performance evidence.

  • SBI feedback method separates situation, behaviour and resulting impact
  • Observable evidence distinguished from labels, assumptions and character judgments
  • Reinforcing feedback identifies repeatable behaviours behind successful results
  • Corrective feedback connects performance gaps with required standards and consequences
  • Feedforward questions focus attention on future choices and practical improvement
  • Employee perspectives invited before agreeing corrective actions or support
  • Feedback timing chosen to protect accuracy, dignity and operational continuity

Participants can identify likely causes of underperformance before deciding on interventions.

  • Performance standards translated into observable outputs, behaviours and quality measures
  • Skill, knowledge, motivation, resources and role clarity examined separately
  • Root Cause Analysis distinguishes symptoms from contributing performance conditions
  • Data gathered from work samples, metrics, observation and stakeholder feedback
  • Capability gaps separated from workload, process and authority constraints
  • Manager actions reviewed when expectations, support or priorities remain unclear
  • Interventions matched to diagnosis: coaching, training, support, redesign or escalation

Participants can create development plans that build capability through meaningful work experiences.

  • Career aspirations connected with role requirements, strengths and future opportunities
  • 70-20-10 development planning used as a practical learning structure
  • Stretch assignments selected with clear learning objectives and manageable risk
  • Development goals linked to competency frameworks and observable evidence
  • Mentoring, peer learning and formal training chosen for identified gaps
  • Progress reviews examine learning transfer, barriers and changed priorities
  • Development plans document actions, support, evidence and review milestones

Participants can sustain constructive coaching when employees are defensive, emotional or disengaged.

  • Resistance explored through curiosity rather than argument, persuasion or premature advice
  • Emotion acknowledged while keeping discussion anchored to facts and responsibilities
  • DESC framework used to state concerns and request changed behaviour
  • Accountability maintained when commitments are missed or progress stalls
  • Defensiveness reduced by separating intent, impact, standards and next steps
  • Escalation thresholds identified for misconduct, wellbeing or formal capability processes
  • Conversation endings confirm actions, support, records and review arrangements

Participants can adapt coaching approaches for diverse employees and virtual working arrangements.

  • Cultural assumptions checked before interpreting communication style, confidence or commitment
  • Bias interrupters applied when assessing potential, performance and development readiness
  • Accessibility needs considered in session design, materials and communication channels
  • Remote coaching agreements cover privacy, attention, technology and meeting cadence
  • Video, telephone and written follow-up selected for conversation purpose
  • Power differences addressed through transparent questions, choices and shared agreements
  • Inclusive language supports belonging without making assumptions about identity

Participants can plan, measure and sustain coaching within regular management routines.

  • One-to-one rhythms aligned with operational reviews, development cycles and workload peaks
  • Coaching records distinguish agreed actions from confidential reflective discussion
  • Progress measures combine performance data, observed behaviour and employee feedback
  • Manager self-review uses observation checklists and targeted improvement priorities
  • Peer observation arrangements build feedback habits and coaching consistency
  • Coaching impact reviewed against retention, capability, quality and delivery indicators
  • Personal application plans schedule priority conversations, practice and follow-up reviews

Exercises and examples are adapted to each cohort's sectors and roles.

What you take back to work

  1. Coaching contracting template
  2. GROW conversation planner
  3. SBI feedback guide
  4. Performance gap diagnosis worksheet
  5. SMART development plan template
  6. Coaching observation checklist

Who should attend

  • Line Managers — improve performance through structured one-to-one coaching
  • Team Leaders — build capability while maintaining delivery standards
  • HR Business Partners — support managers with consistent performance conversations
  • Learning and Development Professionals — embed manager coaching within development programmes
  • Programme Managers — develop staff through changing priorities and complex delivery demands
  • Technical Specialists — guide colleagues without relying solely on subject expertise

Skills and tools covered

Performance coachingActive listeningFeedback deliveryGoal settingPerformance diagnosisDevelopment planning

Tools and standards

GROW model, SBI feedback model, SMART criteria, DESC framework

How the course runs

Training methodology

The course uses short briefings to introduce coaching models, performance concepts and conversation techniques. Participants analyse realistic cases, practise structured coaching discussions in pairs and small groups, and receive feedback against observation criteria. Simulations address feedback, underperformance, development planning and resistant employees. Instructor demonstrations show how questioning, listening and challenge work together in a time-bound conversation. Application planning connects the methods to participants' own one-to-one meetings, team priorities and organisational performance processes.

Requirements and prerequisites

Participants should have experience managing, supervising, advising or developing other people, ideally through regular one-to-ones, performance reviews or project discussions. They should understand their organisation's basic performance management process and be prepared to discuss realistic workplace situations without disclosing sensitive personal information. No previous coaching qualification, psychology background or formal HR certification is required. The course does not assume authority to make disciplinary decisions, and it is suitable for both people managers and internal professionals who coach managers or colleagues.

A typical training day

08:30 – 10:30First session
10:30 – 10:45Refreshment break
10:45 – 12:30Second session
12:30 – 13:30Lunch and networking
13:30 – 15:00Third session
15:00 – 15:15Refreshment break
15:15 – 16:30Workshop and daily review

Live online deliveries follow the same structure in East Africa Time, with shorter screen blocks and longer breaks.

What the fee includes

  • Instruction by a practitioner facilitator
  • Full course workbook and materials
  • Exercise files, templates and case studies
  • Refreshments and lunch on classroom deliveries
  • Certificate of completion
  • Post-course application plan

Frequently asked questions

Participants should have some responsibility for managing, advising or developing others. Previous coaching training is not required, but familiarity with one-to-ones or performance discussions will help participants apply the methods quickly.

Bring examples of non-sensitive performance or development situations that you want to handle more effectively. Participants should not bring confidential employee records, personal case files or information that identifies individuals.

It is designed primarily for line managers, team leaders, HR business partners and L&D professionals. Technical specialists who guide colleagues and project managers who develop team members will also benefit.

Performance management courses usually focus on setting objectives, appraisal processes, ratings and formal capability action. This course concentrates on the interpersonal skills and structured conversations that help employees improve and develop between formal review points.

Participants can use the GROW planner, feedback guide and diagnosis worksheet in their next one-to-one meeting. The methods help managers clarify expectations, identify barriers and agree actions with documented follow-up.

Each day runs from 08:30 to 16:30 and provides about 6.5 contact hours. Time is divided across ten modules covering coaching foundations, communication, feedback, performance diagnosis, development, difficult conversations and sustained application.

Questions about this course?

Ask about dates, fees, group bookings or running it for your team. Our training team replies by email.

Ask on WhatsApp info@skillsetdevelopment.com

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