Teaching vs. Telling: How to Actually Develop Interns
You’ve probably heard it (or said it) before:
“They should already know this.”
Whether it’s how to set up a warm-up, how to cue a hinge pattern, or how to speak with an athlete. You expect your interns to execute. But when they fall short, what happens next defines the culture of your program.
You either tell them what they did wrong…
Or you teach them what to do next.
And those two choices lead to very different results.
The Telling Trap
Telling is efficient.
Telling feels in control.
Telling gets the job done… in the moment.
But telling isn’t teaching.
Telling says:
“Put the cones here.”
“Just watch what I do.”
“Don’t ask questions right now.”
It’s one-way communication. It creates robots, not coaches.
You get compliance, but not understanding.
Execution, but no ownership.
I’ve been guilty of this, especially when things get busy. When the weight room is packed and the clock is ticking, telling is the fastest fix. But every time I choose to tell instead of teach, I miss an opportunity to build autonomy, context, and actual coaching development.
Teaching Takes More. And It’s Worth It!
Teaching takes longer. It’s less convenient.
You have to stop and explain why you do what you do.
You have to invite questions. You have to let interns make mistakes.
You have to be patient while they figure things out.
And you have to give feedback without ego.
But teaching turns interns into problem-solvers.
It gives them a framework for thinking, not just a to-do list.
It prepares them to lead when no one is watching.
In a great internship, teaching sounds like this:
“Why do you think we’re using this progression today?”
“What would you change if we had 10 more minutes?”
“I noticed how you cued that squat. What were you hoping to see?”
The Environment You Create Matters
You can’t teach without psychological safety. Interns have to know they can try, mess up, and get coached without being embarrassed. That’s on you.
If your program is built around fear, perfection, and trying to impress you, you’re not developing coaches. You’re building performers. And those performers will leave your program having learned how to stay quiet, nod along, and blend in.
But if your program is built around curiosity, growth, and trust?
Now you’re developing leaders.
Let Them Coach
Here’s the hard truth:
If your interns never get to coach, they’ll never learn how to.
Watching from the sideline is not coaching.
Following you around is not coaching.
Setting up equipment is not coaching.
Yes, they’ll need to observe.
Yes, they’ll need to shadow.
Yes, they’ll need to prove they’re prepared.
But at some point, they need to stand in front of a group, command a room, give a cue, adapt on the fly, and reflect on how it went. That’s coaching. And if you’re not giving them that shot, then you’re not really teaching them anything that matters.
Feedback That Builds, Not Breaks
The best feedback:
Is timely
Is specific
Is actionable
Doesn’t attack character
Opens a two-way conversation
You’re not just correcting. You’re coaching the coach.
Be as intentional with your intern feedback as you are with your athletes.
The Real Goal
You’re not trying to create carbon copies of yourself.
You’re trying to develop confident, competent professionals who can thrive in any setting.
That means:
Explaining the why behind your program
Asking thoughtful questions
Encouraging mistakes
Coaching them like you coach athletes
If you want interns who show initiative, take ownership, and make your room better, not just your job easier, then choose to teach.
Because telling gets you helpers.
Teaching builds coaches.
