The demand for mentors and coaches has grown significantly in recent years. The driving forces behind this are: executives, managers and other specialists are increasingly expected to demonstrate that they are undertaking significant professional development; the work environment and the work environment in business becomes even more competitive; the influence of emerging industrial countries is forcing radical changes in the skill mix required of managers and other professionals in developed countries; the diversity of personal and professional skills, knowledge and expertise needed to succeed in today's global business environment. As this demand increased, so did the variety of roles and the range of services offered. In fact, there are so many variations and combinations of mentoring and coaching that it is becoming increasingly difficult to distinguish between them and almost impossible to categorize the options available.
Despite appearances, workplace mentoring is a structured, organized element of an organization's training and development activities. However, it is usually completely separate from the organized training activities and from the formal evaluation process carried out by the line manager. This formal, hierarchical relationship that exists between a person and their immediate supervisor is not usually an appropriate vehicle for a mentoring relationship. Mentoring generally takes the form of a confidential one-to-one relationship in which a senior person, at least one position above the mentee's line manager, helps a junior to progress, usually as part of a planned development program such as management acceleration, preparation for a senior position, or stage management in a workplace such as a project. A mentor offers guidance and advice in a supportive and non-threatening manner, but in a format and style that is designed and subsequently monitored by the organization's human resources department. The aim is to provide support to the recipient to enable them to move forward with confidence and achieve their personal goals in the workplace as well as the goals set for them by the organization.
In organizational settings, coaching has traditionally been part of a supervisory role performed by line managers or more experienced employees who show less experienced colleagues how to perform an activity or set of activities competently. This is normally part of the cyclical process of developing the individual's skills, evaluating his performance, evaluating his progress, which is carried out by the line manager. If the line manager is not doing the coaching personally, he will arrange for an experienced employee to coach, usually in the same team as the person being coached. In this context, coaching is actually teaching a skill until the skill is learned and can be consistently performed independently at the desired level. Although most of this type of coaching is provided by more experienced people, it is not always the case that they are older. Often, because the coach is explaining or demonstrating a skill or process, the coach may be a younger person, but someone who is able to pass on the skills to others who are less experienced in the activity.
Today, the traditional roles of mentors and coaches can still be seen in action. However, there have been significant changes in many organizations and especially in most business sectors apart from heavy industry and manufacturing. The main changes consisted in expanding the range of coaching approaches and merging mentoring and coaching into one approach, generally under the name Coaching. Despite the best efforts of some academics and management gurus, senior managers in some organizations and HR purists, the terms mentor and coaching and the roles are now used interchangeably in many business sectors. The main reason is that individuals are demanding and expect their mentor-coach to have a wide range of skills that include the best qualities of both categories. Many organizations also implement mentor-coaching systems that also combine the best practices of both. As a result, the terms are increasingly de facto synonymous, and what one individual or organization calls a mentor, another calls a coach.
Many individuals also arrange to work with a personal coach, whose role is a combination of mentor and coach. It is similar to the relationship between an athlete, for example an athlete, and their personal trainer and between individuals and their personal fitness trainer. In the world of business and professional development, the result is a hybrid of mentoring and coaching that most people today refer to as personal coaching.
The ideal mentor is a person who has been trained in mentoring techniques and has a combination of relevant work experience, qualifications and general business knowledge that can be used to guide and advise a particular mentee. In addition, it is very important that the mentor is someone who is enthusiastic, if not passionate, about helping others develop, reach their potential, and achieve their goals and those of the organization.
The ideal coach is a person who has been trained in coaching techniques, has a wide range of experience and expertise, has knowledge and understanding of current business activities and trends, and understands how an individual's career and professional development should be tailored to help that person, to be successful in achieving its development goals.
As can be seen, there are great similarities in both roles and as a result the differences are practically indistinguishable and are now often combined. Both are expected to have appropriate knowledge and experience, both must be able to: listen actively; communication techniques; the ability to understand the work and personal environment of the coaches; relationship building and relationship development; asking appropriate questions; directing the coaches to other sources of help when appropriate; identifying, agreeing and setting goals; assistance in designing action plans to achieve goals; assistance in tracking and modifying plans; and finally knowing when it is time to end the relationship.
A coach works with individuals and organizations to help them achieve higher levels of performance and specific goals. A coach will necessarily take past performance and events into account, but focus on actions and goals for the future. This approach is action-oriented, focusing on where the client is now, where they want to be in the future, and how best to get them there. Those involved in strategic planning or project management are familiar with this framework.
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