Claire Moody

New Year’s Eve carries a particular kind of energy. It sits quietly between what has already happened and what feels possible next. In leadership, coaching and training, this moment is often framed around change, goals and resolutions. But that familiar approach isn’t always the most helpful.

For coaches, trainers and leaders, New Year’s Eve offers a different opportunity: reflection without pressure, learning without judgement, and development without urgency.

This article explores how taking a different angle at the year’s end can lead to stronger coaching conversations and more sustainable learning in the year ahead.

In This Article, You Will Learn

• Why New Year’s Eve is a powerful moment for coaching reflection
• How end-of-year pressure can undermine learning and development
• What a healthier coaching focus looks like at this time of year
• How reflection strengthens performance more than rushed goal-setting
• Practical coaching questions to use as the new year begins
• How leaders can support

Training is essential. It builds knowledge, introduces new ideas, and gives people the tools they need to perform better.

Training is essential. It builds knowledge, introduces new ideas, and gives people the tools they need to perform better.
But there’s a hard truth many organisations overlook:

Training alone doesn’t change behaviour.
Coaching does.

People don’t automatically behave differently because they know something.
Behaviour changes when people think differently, take ownership, and apply the learning consistently, and that’s exactly where coaching makes the difference.

This guide explains why training on its own isn’t enough and shows how coaching transforms skills into real-world habits that last.

In This Article, You Will Learn

• Why training often fails to change behaviour
• The difference between learning knowledge and changing habit
• How coaching turns training into daily action
• What happens when organisations combine both
• Practical principles to drive real behaviour change

Coaching is now a core leadership skill, but that doesn’t mean it comes naturally. Many managers want to coach well, yet unintentionally fall into habits that block thinking, reduce ownership or create dependency. These coaching mistakes are common, understandable, and easy to fix, but only when managers know what to look for.
This guide highlights the most common coaching mistakes and shows you how to avoid them, so you can strengthen your coaching conversations immediately.

In This Article, You Will Learn

• The most common coaching mistakes managers make
• Why these mistakes block learning and ownership
• What effective coaching actually looks like
• How small changes improve performance and confidence
• The key principles that prevent coaching from becoming “telling”
• Simple techniques you can use right away

What Do We Mean by “Coaching Mistakes”?

Coaching mistakes are the habits that take a conversation away from genuine coaching and into something else, teaching, advising, directing, fixing,

Coaching is one of the most powerful development tools available in organisations today, yet it is still often misunderstood. Many managers ask “What is coaching?” and confuse it with mentoring, training, problem-solving or simply giving advice. Others think coaching is something you do after training, rather than a core workplace skill in its own right.

These misunderstandings prevent organisations from seeing the full impact of workplace coaching, and they stop managers from using coaching skills confidently, effectively and at the right time.

In This Article, You Will Learn –

• What coaching actually is in the workplace

• Why so many managers misunderstand the coaching definition

• How confusion leads to unhelpful habits

• What coaching is designed to achieve

• Why coaching improves performance, confidence and behaviour change

• How coaching skills fit into day-to-day leadership

What Do We Mean by “Coaching”?

What is coaching?

Coaching is a structured, reflective conversation designed to

Coaching and training are two of the most widely used development tools in organisations today, yet they are still often misunderstood. Many managers think training and coaching are interchangeable, or they treat coaching as simply “training with questions.” Others believe coaching is something you do after training, rather than a powerful development tool in its own right.

These misunderstandings stop organisations from gaining the full benefit of workplace coaching, and prevent managers from using coaching skills confidently, effectively and at the right time.

In This Article, You Will Learn –

• Why so many managers misunderstand the difference between coaching vs training
• How confusion leads to poor use of both tools
• Why using coaching and training together improves performance, confidence and behaviour change
• What each approach is designed to achieve

What Do We Mean by “Coaching vs Training”?

What is training?

Training provides knowledge, skills, tools and techniques. It is structured,

Coaching is one of the most valuable skills in modern organisations, yet coaching is still widely misunderstood. Many managers confuse coaching with mentoring, advice-giving or “fixing” problems. Others believe coaching is simply a softer version of leadership. These misunderstandings stop organisations from benefiting from real, effective workplace coaching and prevent leaders from using coaching skills confidently.

In this Article You will Learn –

• Most managers misunderstand what coaching is and how it differs from mentoring
• Poor understanding leads to ineffective coaching conversations
• When coaching skills are used properly, performance, confidence and decision-making improve dramatically

What Do We Mean by “Coaching”?

What is coaching?

Coaching is a structured, reflective conversation that helps someone think clearly, explore options and take ownership of their next steps.

Unlike mentoring or giving advice, leadership coaching is based on curiosity, listening and asking powerful questions.