Kolb’s Learning Cycle in Coaching
Transforming Experience into Deep Learning
This compilation is an educational resource developed by the British School of Coaching. This series is compiled as a foundational resource for coaches in training. Each article introduces a practical coaching tool or model, grounded in theory and supported by real-world application. Whether you’re preparing for ILM coaching qualifications or looking to deepen your understanding of best practice in coaching, this series offers research-informed insights to strengthen your coaching toolkit.
Coaching is not just about helping someone solve a problem—it’s about enabling transformational learning. One of the most widely recognised models for understanding how people learn from experience is Kolb’s Learning Cycle.
Originally developed by David Kolb in 1984, the model presents a four-stage process that individuals move through when learning from their experiences. In coaching, Kolb’s cycle offers a powerful structure for deepening reflection, enhancing learning, and embedding change.
The Four Stages of Kolb’s Learning Cycle
Kolb proposes that learning is a continuous cycle involving four distinct but connected stages:
1. Concrete Experience
Doing or having an experience
The cycle begins with direct experience—something the coachee has done, witnessed, or felt. This could be leading a team meeting, handling a difficult conversation, or trying a new leadership behaviour.
🗣️ Ask:
“Tell me about a recent experience that stood out to you.”
“What happened during that situation?”
2. Reflective Observation
Reviewing and reflecting on the experience
Here, the coachee steps back to analyse what happened. What worked? What didn’t? What did they notice in themselves or others? This reflective stage is where meaning begins to emerge from the raw experience.
🗣️ Ask:
“What did you notice during or after the event?”
“Were there any surprises in your reaction or others’ responses?”
3. Abstract Conceptualisation
Learning from the experience
In this stage, the coachee begins to draw generalisations or principles from the reflection. This could include applying theory, identifying patterns, or redefining assumptions. It’s about creating new understanding.
🗣️ Ask:
“What have you learned from this experience?”
“What insights are you taking away?”
4. Active Experimentation
Trying out what you’ve learned
Finally, the coachee applies their learning in a new context. This might mean trying a different approach, testing a new behaviour, or planning a new strategy. This active stage starts the cycle again—with a new experience.
🗣️ Ask:
“How might you apply what you’ve learned going forward?”
“What will you try next time?”
Why Kolb Matters in Coaching
Kolb’s cycle ensures that coaching is more than a conversation—it becomes a learning intervention. Without it, clients may only describe problems without deepening awareness or applying insights.
💡 Effective coaching uses Kolb to:
- Turn action into insight
- Make reflection habitual
- Connect theory to real-life practice
- Encourage continuous growth
Example in Practice: Writing a Management Report
Let’s apply Kolb’s cycle to a common workplace scenario:
- Concrete Experience: You submit a report, and it’s well received.
- Reflective Observation: You reflect—what made it successful? Was it the tone, content, layout?
- Abstract Conceptualisation: You realise the one-page executive summary and real-life examples strengthened the message.
- Active Experimentation: You incorporate these elements into your next report, improving results even further.
Kolb and Learning Styles
Kolb also proposed that individuals tend to prefer different entry points into the learning cycle:
- Activists enjoy doing
- Reflectors prefer thinking before acting
- Theorists like understanding principles
- Pragmatists focus on applying ideas
Knowing a coachee’s style can help tailor your coaching approach—for example, encouraging action-oriented clients to slow down and reflect, or helping thinkers move towards practical experimentation.
References:
- Kolb, D. A. (1984). Experiential Learning: Experience as the Source of Learning and Development. Prentice Hall.
- Moon, J. A. (2013). Reflection and Employability: Learning from Reflective Practice. Routledge.
- Rogers, J. (2021). Coaching Skills: A Handbook. 5th ed. Open University Press.
- ICF (2023). Core Competencies of Coaching. www.coachingfederation.org
