Coaching and Feedback in 2025: Why, How, What — and What’s Next?
Imagine a football coach who speaks to their players only once a year, offering a few general comments about their performance, and then disappearing until the next season: “Good luck, lads!”. It’s unthinkable in sport. Yet that’s still how many workplaces handle feedback and development.
In today’s fast-changing world of work, annual reviews and occasional coaching sessions just don’t cut it. Teams move quickly, expectations evolve, and employees — particularly younger generations — want continuous guidance, recognition and opportunities to grow. That’s where a culture of coaching and feedback becomes essential.
Why Coaching And Feedback Matter More Than Ever
Recent data highlights a clear truth: frequent, meaningful feedback drives engagement. According to Gallup’s State of the Global Workplace 2024 report, only 21% of employees globally are engaged — a worrying drop, and one of only two declines in more than a decade. Yet Gallup also finds that engagement soars when employees have regular, strengths-based conversations with their managers.
Feedback isn’t just about performance — it’s about connection. Done well, it tells people you see them, you value their contribution, and you care about their growth. That’s particularly vital in hybrid and remote teams, where moments of informal feedback can easily disappear.
And for organisations, the return is clear: teams with a coaching mindset perform better, adapt faster and retain talent longer. As one HR Director recently put it, “We don’t lose people because of their work. We lose them because of our silence about their work.”
How Coaching And Feedback Have Evolved
Traditional feedback models were often one-directional — managers “telling” employees what to do differently. Modern coaching, by contrast, is conversational and collaborative. It shifts the focus from evaluation to development.
Three key changes define coaching and feedback in 2025:
1. From Event To Habit
Coaching is no longer a formal, scheduled meeting. It’s an ongoing dialogue. Short, frequent check-ins (“How’s that project going?” “What support do you need next?”) build trust and momentum far more effectively than a yearly review.
At LDL, we see the most successful organisations treat feedback as part of the rhythm of work: something everyone participates in, not something reserved for appraisals.
2. From Critique To Curiosity
Great coaches ask questions that invite reflection: “What did you learn from that?” or “What might you try next time?” The aim isn’t to judge but to help people think deeply about their approach. This aligns with what the CIPD calls relational feedback: feedback rooted in trust and two-way conversation.
Managers who adopt this mindset often report that their teams become more proactive and solutions-focused. They take greater ownership of results because they’ve done the thinking themselves.
3. From Individual To Collective
Peer coaching and team feedback are becoming powerful tools for shared learning. Encouraging colleagues to exchange feedback normalises the process and spreads coaching capability across the organisation. In a hybrid world, digital tools can help — from quick post-project surveys to virtual coaching sessions.
On LDL programmes, we consistently see that once a few managers begin using a coaching approach, it quickly spreads. Conversations open up, collaboration strengthens, and team energy rises.
What Effective Coaching And Feedback Look Like
At LDL, we emphasise that effective feedback should develop, not judge. It works best when it’s delivered with clarity, balance and genuine intent to help the individual grow.
Crucially, effective coaching develops both Skill and Will. It’s not just about imparting technical know-how, but also about inspiring confidence, enthusiasm and commitment. Coaching helps people cultivate their own leadership capability, building self-awareness, team spirit and the motivation to take initiative.
When managers coach with Skill+Will™ in mind, they do more than transfer knowledge; they help others want to perform. They create a sense of ownership and purpose that can’t be achieved through instruction alone.
Here are three practical steps to get it right:
1. Start With Purpose
Before giving feedback, ask yourself: What’s my intention? Is it to help the person improve, to recognise good work, or to explore a challenge together? Feedback without purpose risks feeling personal rather than developmental.
2. Use Specific, Balanced Language
Avoid vague comments like “good job” or “needs improvement.” Instead, describe what you observed and its impact:
“When you summarised the client’s concerns at the end of the meeting, it built real trust.”
“Next time, try pausing before responding — it’ll help you gather your thoughts.”
This level of precision makes feedback actionable and credible. It builds Skill through clarity and Will through encouragement.
3. Encourage Reflection And Follow-up
Feedback should spark thinking, not close it down. Ask: “How did that feel for you?” “What might you do differently?” Then, follow up. Continuous coaching means circling back — noticing progress, acknowledging effort, and supporting next steps.
Many leaders tell us that when they introduce short, regular feedback conversations, something shifts. People start supporting one another’s growth, and the manager’s role evolves from controller to catalyst.
What’s Next: Building A Coaching Culture
Embedding a coaching culture requires more than individual skill; it’s about organisational design. Leaders must model curiosity, managers need time and tools to coach, and HR/L&D should reinforce the message that development is everyday work, not an add-on.
A good starting point is to ask three questions across your organisation:
- How often do our people receive feedback that helps them grow?
- Do our managers feel confident and equipped to coach?
- Are we celebrating learning as much as results?
At LDL, we see coaching culture as the foundation of performance culture. When people feel supported and nourished by their organisation, they respond with energy, creativity and commitment. Coaching helps individuals grow in their own way — aligned with business goals but driven by personal ownership and responsibility.
Ultimately, coaching and feedback are not just management techniques. They’re acts of leadership. They signal belief in potential and build the trust that fuels performance.
In Summary
The “Why, How, What” of coaching and feedback remain timeless, but how we bring them to life must evolve with the modern workplace. In 2025, effective feedback is frequent, human, and woven into the rhythm of work. It’s less about formal appraisals, more about continuous dialogue — helping people learn, adapt and flourish.
At LDL, we help managers and teams build these skills through practical, interactive Leadership and Management Training programmes that turn insight into action. Whether it’s through our Coaching for Performance or Introduction to Management & Leadership courses, we develop both Skill and Will — enabling managers to coach confidently and lead with genuine enthusiasm.
If you’re ready to build a coaching culture where feedback drives performance, talk to us.
Get in touch to find out how we can help your managers become confident, capable coaches.
