Global

Giving effective feedback and holding coaching conversations: A course for trainers, mentors and educators

A ready-made course you customise for your organisation, with a live session deck and two surveys. You only add the 9 details that are specific to your organisation.

See the live deckSee the full outline
Try the coursePreview the survey
Length
35 min
Lessons
6 lessons
Frequency
Before a peer observation or mentoring programme starts
Last reviewed
21 Oct 2026
Grey areas: defensive reactions and mixed messages
What would you do?

You watched a head of department's training and saw learners lose focus

Try it: this is one of 19 interactive activities in the course.

What's included

Three pieces that work together

Copy once, get everything. Learners prepare on their own, you answer questions live, and the surveys tell you what stuck.

Self-paced course

Short lessons with real workplace scenarios, not walls of text.

  • 6 lessons, about 35 minutes
  • Process, scenario, sorting activity, tabs and quizzes

Live session deck

An AhaSlides presentation to run after the course, in person or online.

  • 10 slides
  • Quiz, word cloud, ranking, poll slides
  • A closing slide for your contacts

Two surveys

Find out what landed, and whether people use it on the job.

  • Post-course feedback, about 2 minutes
  • 30-day check-in
  • Anonymous by default
  • Results feed your next refresher

Learning objectives

At the end of this course, learners can

Each objective and the lesson that covers it.

IDObjectiveSourceWhere it's covered
TO 407.0Achieve ≥ 80% on the final assessmentn/aWhole course
SO 407.1Explain why feedback works or fails: its purpose, timing and toneBest practiceWhole course
SO 407.2Rewrite a deficit-based comment into specific, strength-based language that keeps the pointBest practiceWhole course
SO 407.3Give feedback after an observation that starts from evidence, not judgement, and ends in one next stepBest practiceWhole course
SO 407.4Hold a coaching conversation using the GROW model and choose between coaching, mentoring and direct adviceGROW model (see verification list)Whole course
SO 407.5Handle a defensive reaction or a concern that feedback reveals, and follow up + your infoOrganisation's policies; best practiceWhole course

Your part: what a template can't do for you

  • Your workplace details: fill in the 9 highlighted fields so the course describes your own policies, contacts and locations.
  • Records: record completion in your own LMS or record system.

Course outline

6 lessons, about 35 minutes

Minutes per lesson are an estimate, shared out by page count.

ContentInteractiveVideoYou customise
1

Why the same feedback lands so differently

3 pages

7 min
Before you beginNoteList
Two conversationsTextImage
What made the second one work?ChecklistKey factQuiz
2

Purpose, timing, tone and strength-based language

3 pages

6 min
Four parts of good feedbackAccordion
Rewrite the commentSorting activity
CheckFlashcardsMatching quiz
3

Two conversation routes: feedback and GROW

3 pages

6 min
Feedback after an observationProcess
A coaching conversation with GROWProcessNote
Which route?Sorting activityQuiz
4

Grey areas: defensive reactions and mixed messages

3 pages

6 min
When the person bristlesTabs
Feedback to a more senior colleagueScenarioQuiz
Praise that hides a pointScenarioMatching quiz
5

Mentoring conversations, follow-up and when to escalate

3 pages

6 min
Listening and questioningTabs
When feedback reveals a concernScenarioYour infoQuiz
Following up and recordingChecklistYour infoNote
6

Your next conversation and final assessment

2 pages

4 min
Apply itProcessYour infoNoteYour infoYour infoYour info
PracticeQuizKey factNoteButtonYour info

Live deck and surveys

10 slides to run live, two surveys to close the loop

Pink slides are interactive. Both surveys are anonymous; pink questions are written for this course.

ContentTitle, agenda, "feedback helps when the person can use it
Word cloudOne piece of feedback you still remember, in a word
RankingOrder these comments from most deficit-based to most strength-based
ContentFeedback after an observation in five steps and GROW in four
QuizWhich comment is specific and strength-based? "Great job" · "Your example from the client call made the step clear" ✔ · "You are a natural" · "Nice energy
QuizA colleague bristles in a debrief. Your best next move: (Ask which part feels unfair and restate the evidence ✔)
PollWhich is hardest for you?
ScaleHow confident are you holding a coaching conversation with GROW?
Open-ended / Q&AA comment you will rewrite after today
Content · customiseClosing {{LD_CONTACT}}, {{SURVEY_2_URL}}, {{COURSE_URL}}
Post-course feedback: 11 questions, about 2 min
  1. Overall rating 5 stars
  2. Relevant, realistic, right length, helpful activities agree/disagree grid
  3. What was most useful? multi-select
  4. Confidence before this course, and now 1-5 scale
  5. What do you usually start with? multiple choice
  6. I can tell the difference between evidence and an opinion in my own comments. 1-5 scale
  7. Have you used a coaching model such as GROW? multiple choice
  8. I would welcome honest feedback on my own training. 1-5 scale
  9. One thing we should change or add open text
  10. Would you recommend this course? NPS
30-day check-in
  1. Have you used what you learned since the course? multiple choice
  2. How confident are you today? Compare with day 1 1-5 scale
  3. Do you know where to find the feedback and training standards? yes / no / not sure
  4. A moment where the training helped, or where you weren't sure open text
  5. Which topics should the next refresher focus on? ranking

Results show whether people use the training on the job, not just whether they finished it.

Make it yours

9 fields to fill in, and you're ready

Everything else is done. These are the details only your organisation knows; each one is highlighted inside the course.

  • Ld contact{{LD_CONTACT}}
  • Training standards link{{TRAINING_STANDARDS_LINK}}
  • Concern route{{CONCERN_ROUTE}}
  • Feedback record rule{{FEEDBACK_RECORD_RULE}}
  • LMS or record system{{LMS_OR_RECORD_SYSTEM}}
  • Next course link{{NEXT_COURSE_LINK}}
Show all 9 fields
  • Survey 1 URL{{SURVEY_1_URL}}
  • Survey 2 URL{{SURVEY_2_URL}}
  • Course URL{{COURSE_URL}}

FAQ

Common questions

Can I run giving effective feedback and holding coaching conversations: A course for trainers, mentors and educators training online?

Yes. The course is self-paced and online, and the live deck lets you add a live session in the room or online.

How often is this training needed?

Before a peer observation or mentoring programme starts, when a trainer first gives feedback to a colleague, and as an annual refresher for observers and mentors.

Who needs this training?

Trainers, facilitators, mentors, session observers, team leaders and line managers who give feedback to learners and colleagues; run by the head of L&D, a training academy lead or a staff-development lead.

What records should I keep?

Record completion in your own LMS or record system, so you can show who finished the course and when.

Can I edit the content?

Yes, everything. Change the wording, swap scenarios for ones from your workplace, add your logo, or remove parts that don't apply.

Related templates

Often taught together

All Trainer skills templates →
Global

Train the trainer: Core delivery and facilitation skills for new trainers

New and early-career corporate trainers and subject-matter experts becoming trainers · Trainer skills

40 min
Global

Language teacher training: Communicative methods, CLIL and bilingual programme design for trainers

Language teachers · Trainer skills

40 min
Global

Engaging learners: Active learning, questioning and group facilitation for trainers

Corporate trainers · Trainer skills

35 min
Global

Peer observation, learning walks and professional learning communities for trainers and educators

Trainers · Trainer skills

30 min
Last reviewed: 21 October 2026Templates are a starting point, not legal advice.

Ready to run it?

Open the live deck to see how the session runs alongside the course and both surveys.

See the live deck