Learning Styles

In Short

Tailor development to individual learning preferences
Best for: Learning style assessments
Learning Styles is a structured tool for coaching and facilitation. Tailor development to individual learning preferences. It provides a repeatable framework that can be adapted to individual, team, and leadership development contexts.
Type of tool: Learning style assessments
Expected outcomes:
- Improved ability to tailor development to individual learning preferences
- Improved capacity to the implications for how they learn, and design learning for others
- A concrete action or development plan to take forward from the Learning Styles process

In Detail

Learning Styles is a diagnostic instrument designed to help coaches, leaders, and facilitators tailor development to individual learning preferences. It sits within the category of Learning style assessments, making it particularly useful for practitioners working on capability development, team performance, and individual growth in organisational settings.

In practice, Learning Styles is delivered as a 4-step process. The structured approach ensures that participants move through a consistent experience while leaving room for the facilitator to adapt pacing and depth to the group's needs.

Learning Styles is particularly valuable when objective data is needed to anchor a coaching conversation. Assessments reduce the risk of coaching being driven solely by the coachee's self-perception, introducing external reference points that open up new lines of inquiry and development.

How to Use

General umbrella term. Introduce the specific model that fits the context (Kolb, Honey & Mumford, Fleming/VARK). Have participants self-assess, debrief the implications for how they learn, and design learning for others.

Pros and Cons

Pros	Cons
Provides objective, data-driven insights that reduce reliance on self-perception alone Creates a concrete baseline for measuring development progress over time Gives the coachee language and evidence to discuss development needs with stakeholders	Requires validated instruments and trained practitioners to administer and interpret correctly Results can be threatening or demoralising if not framed carefully by the coach Data reflects a point-in-time snapshot and may become outdated as context changes

Created by Various (Kolb, Honey & Mumford, Fleming)

When to Use

This tool is suited to the following coaching and facilitation contexts:

Context	Relevant
Individual Coaching	✓
Team Coaching
Leadership Development
Facilitation / Workshop	✓
Online / Virtual

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