The Evaluation Of Coaching And Mentoring Strategies Management Essay

2. Coaching

Coaching involves working with organisational members, typically managers and executives, on a regular basis to help them clarify their goals, deal with potential stumbling blocks and improve their performance. This intervention is highly personal and it involves a one on one relationship between the manager and the subordinates. Any manager in the organisation can develop the skills for coaching their subordinates, they just have to use the guided inquiry, active listening, reframing and other techniques to help them understand the new possibilities and direct them to their efforts to what matters to the subordinates. Coaching improves personal productivity and builds capacity in individuals to lead more effectively.

Coaching is a process of providing one on one guidance and instruction to improve knowledge, skills and work performance. The term coaching is widely used for an outside consultant who assists the upper level manager to perform certain task in the organisation. The coaching provided at the upper level and lower level differs in their functioning. Coaching is usually given to those employees who have the KSA deficiencies (Knowledge, skills and attitude), simultaneously it can be used a motivational tool for the employee who perform adequately.

The role of a coach can be performed by anyone who is capable of directing the employee to the right path and direction. In an team based organisation, a co worker an act as a coach to its team member but usually a superior acts as a coach. In an analysis it was analysed that in the past times on an average 10% of the superiors time was spent to coach the subordinate but in the present times 50 % of the time of used to coach the subordinates.

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In coaching the superior continues to analyse the performance of the subordinates and together plan for the action which are acceptable to them for the improvement, provides support and motivate the subordinates to progress. An effective coaching requires a relationship between the superior and the employee where they feel free to contact the superiors to develop their performance. The superior must change their attitude from controlling to collaborating with the trainees.

Coaching mostly explains the goals such as assisting an executive to more effectively execute some transition, such as merger integration or downsizing, addressing a performance problem or behavioural skills as a part of leadership development program. In most of the cases, coaching approaches are confused with the therapy. Both coaching and therapy focus on the personal development of the employee. Coaching is mostly focusing on the future and action oriented whereas the therapeutic models are focusing on the past of the employees. Coaching help the individual understand behaviour and its effect on the current situation. Unfortunately these understandings are difficult to be achieved. Therefore it must be acknowledged that the coach’s skills and abilities are limited.

3. Type of coaching

Performance coaching: these coaching are provided so as to improve the performance of the employee in the organisation. Their current role at work can be improved. Increasing the efficiency and effectiveness in their work

Career coaching: this coaching is given so that the candidate is able to choose the right career path for them

Skills coaching: this coaching is provided to the employee so as to acquire new skills to perform in a new project. Here the employee develops a new skills focusing on a new project.

Business coaching: this coaching is conducted with the constraints placed for an individual or group.

4. Coaching Process

Establish the principle of the relationship: the first and foremost phase of the coaching process is to establish a goal and parameters of the relationships. These can be the schedules, resources and considerations etc.

Conduct of assessment: this process can be either a personal or a systematic assessment. In a personal assessment, the employee are guided with a interview questions that brings out the development opportunities or with the personal instruments like Big , Myers-briggs type indicator etc can be used with extensive training and certifications. In the systematic assessment, this assessment is done through the process where all the peers and team around the employee are involved. This process includes a 360 degree of the assessment feedback.

Debrief the results: after the assessment, the coach and the employee agree upon the diagnosis. The major purpose of the feedback session is to let the employee understand the situation and move into action. This session helps the coach the revise and refines the goal if necessary.

Development of an action plan: the activities of the coach and employee are set, which includes the new action plans that lead to the achievement of their set goals. Development of the action plan for the employee is most difficult part of the process. They should be able to see possibilities with the result of the assessment.

Implementing the action plans: the action plans which are developed for the employee are implemented in this stage. The coach supports and encourages the employees to act upon the set goals.

Assess the results: the results of the employees actions are evaluated at frequent intervals and based on which the further actions of the goals are reviewed.

4.1 Effective use of Coaching

For the effective use of coaching, a need assessment should be conducted by the superior. In which the basic questions should be outlined that a superior should ask to their employees. Then it is to be decided with the discussion whether the coaching is required or not. Once the decision is made on the providing the coaching, the process of coaching should be followed. The coach should be able to communicate and coordinate with the employee in such a way that the employee seeks help from the coach. The basic skills which the coach requires are good questioning techniques, good listening skills and active feedback skills. An effective coach is equivalent to a effective trainer in an organisation.

5. Mentoring

Mentoring is considered to be a form of coaching in which an ongoing relationship is developed between the senior and junior employees. Mentoring provides the more junior employee with guidance and a clear understanding of how the organisation goes about its business and how the person being mentored can be effective. Generally mentoring is conducted only for the management-level employees, though in some cases it is applied to the lower levels. In the past, mentoring was mostly informal, but now days organisations have formalised the process.

At the core of the mentoring process is individual responsibility for learning. The mentoring provides insight and guidance, but the person being mentored must accept personal responsibility for setting objectives, developing strategies for learning and evaluating the outcomes. These are shared with the mentor and discussed.

Mentoring is a relationship where the pioneer objective lies on the mentor providing friendship, support and guidance for the mentees. Both the parties have equal participation in the relationship, but the relationship is surely one sided since only the mentor is experienced here and the mentee is here to acquire the knowledge and benefit from it.

6. Type of Mentoring

Informal Mentoring: a relationship which is created informally without any assistance from the organisation. This relationship is based on the mutually of the superior and the subordinates. Here the initiative is taken from the part of the mentor and mentee who are interested in forming a relationship. Another way in which the relationship can be formed is through the mentee approaches the mentor with the intention of creating a relationship.

Advantage of informal mentoring

A relationship of trust and respect is created

High degree of compatibility between the individuals

Relationship is flexible and personalised

Disadvantage of informal mentoring

These relationship with members are very rare

Risk of tension when change in the relation

Formal mentoring: this relationship is formed with the initiative of the organisation where the top management form relationship with the mentor and mentee. Here the organisation seeks the benefit of the employee, which indirectly benefits the organisation.

Advantage of formal mentoring

Access to more people

Support and recognition from the organisation

Clarification in the roles and responsibility

Disadvantages of formal mentoring

Risk of poor pairing

Less flexible

Large number of pairing

7. Mentoring Process

Match or initiation phase: where the mentor and the mentee share a similar characteristics and interest, when they both are ready to come together in a relationship. In the initiation phase, the mentor or the mentee approaches the other person for the phase.

Beginning the relationship: the mentoring relationship begins when the mentor and mentee come together and set the boundaries of the relationship. Like any other relationship, this will be little difficult to start with and slowly it will come to a normal situation. During this stage the mentor and mentoee have to deal with the following:

Building trust

Overcoming barriers

Listening

Finding directions

Living the relationship: the time period is agreed upon by the mentor and mentee while they enter into the relations. It may last for months or lifetime. This phase focus on maintaining a relationship, transmitting knowledge or developing skills.

Termination or transformation: this is the phase where the relationship comes to an end or change. This stage occurs when the agreed time period comes to an end or when the relationship terminates early due certain reasons.

7.1 Effective use of mentoring

There are several characteristics of successful mentoring program. All these features should be used or employed for effective mentoring:

Support from top management

Integration with the career development process

Involving voluntarily

Assignment of mentors or mentees

Relative phases to the program

Monitoring the process

In any organisational intervention, the support from the top management is always required. Allowing the mentoring activities in the company and valuing the mentoring behaviour. Mentoring needs integration of the career development process. It is helpful to assign mentors to mentees. Most formal mentor programs require a nominating procedure. Mentees are nominated by their superiors and matched by the director of training to a mentor. It is a good idea to allow for switching, particularly if a match does not seem to be working. For an executive, being a mentor is an important developmental tool from which he can learn a great deal. By dealing with different mentees, the executive is given an opportunity to grow professionally by honing leadership skills and learning how to work with various personality types and backgrounds.

For managers who are potential executive material, being mentored is a valuable method for preparing them to be future executives. This is one on one interaction allows the mentor to determine what is required to improve the mentees effectiveness. Once the mentor identifies an area or competency that requires work, she can suggest relevant training.

8. Difference between the Coaching and Mentoring

Coaching is task oriented whereas mentoring is relationship oriented:

Coaching focus on the tangible issues like managing activities, speaking effectively or learning to think strategically. This requires the services coach to help the employees develop these skills. Whereas mentoring focus on the issues such as factors that affect the individuals in their success. For which goals and competencies are created. Here the focus is given beyond the work life, self perception and on the influence of personal life over professional life.

Coaching is short term whereas mentoring is long term:

Coaching given to an employee is for a specific purpose and usually is of shorter period or duration. The coaching sometimes last for long depending upon the purpose of the coaching been given to the employees. Whereas mentoring is of long term nature, both the partners have to devote their time for the task to be successful. They have to build a trust so that they can share the real issues with the mentor.

Coaching is performance based whereas mentoring is based on development:

Coaching is provided to an employee for helping them in their current job with improving their existing skills or helps them acquire new skills. Once the skill is acquired then the coaching is no longer needed for the employee. Whereas the mentoring focus on the long term development of the employee, that’s it look into the future.

Coaching doesn’t require a design phase whereas mentoring requires a design phase:

Coaching can be provided to the individuals on any given topic. Providing coaching to a large of people does require the designing part for competency area, expertise and assessment tools but it doesn’t require much time for the implementation. Whereas mentoring determines the strategic purpose and concentrate on the mentoring models and components that will guide the process.

Coach is directly involved whereas mentor is indirectly involved:

The coachee provides the information to the coach about the need and the coach guides them with the required help. Whereas in mentoring, though the manager are provided with the information but they are not indirectly linked to the mentor.

When to consider coaching

To develop the employee competencies with performance management tool.

To improve the existing employee to meet higher expectations

To acquire new skill for an new projects

To increase the competency of the group in specific areas

While introducing new program in the organisation.

When to consider mentoring

For the development of the managers for the succession planning

For the employees to balance between the professional and personal life

To develop the employee to overcome from their barriers to success

For retaining the internal expertise and experience from residing the new generations

9. Skill of a coach

Listening: The coach should learn to listen their subordinates without any prior opinion or judgement. The coach should be able to study the body language of the subordinate so that he is able to understand the subordinate which are not communicated through words.

Questioning: questions asked by the coach should be powerful and effective in such a way that the subordinate should be able to provide all the information to the coach. The coach should take care of the emotions of the subordinates. These questions should be open rather than closed.

Holding to account: making the subordinates accountable for the activities. Holding accountability encourage the subordinates to move forward. Once the subordinates commit on the activities then they know that they are made accountable.

Seeing different perspectives: the coaching should be able to help the subordinates explore the different perspective available for them so that they can choose any one of the following so as to improve their skills.

Encouraging and supporting: the coach should be able to support and encourage the subordinates so that they are able to move forward and develop themselves and improves the skill to achieve the current task.

Trusting and using intuition: the coach should trust the subordinates with the information provided by them. He must use his intuition while coaching which is the powerful tool for him.

Keeping the focus: the coach focus on the subordinates and the agenda which is to be followed. The coaching should be made suitable for the subordinate who are involved in the coaching process.

10. Skills of a mentor

Approachable: the mentor should be a approachable to the mentee so that they can bring their problems to the manager. The manager should not be with the head weight making them unapproachable to the subordinates.

Listening: the mentor must be a good listener and understand the need of the subordinates and acts to the needs of the mentees. This helps the mentor to develop a good relation with them.

Communication: the manager should have good communication skills so that they can communicate well with the subordinates and help them understand the activities.

Motivating and encouraging: the mentor should be motivating and encouraging in the mentee so that the mentees develop their skills and knowledge for a long term. Encouraging a mentee help them boost their confidence and help them move forwarded to work in their personal and professional life.

Trustworthy: the mentee should be able to trust the mentor for any personal matter so that the mentee is able to add a personal comfort to the work in the organisation. The mentor should hold the personal matters of the mentee to themselves and handle the matter without hurting them personally.

Observation: though the mentor doesn’t deal directly all the time the mentor keeps an eye on the activities of the subordinates and analyse them with their behaviour and attitude in the organisation.

Openness: the mentor should be frank and open to the mentee regarding the mentoring the subordinate, they shouldn’t shy or introvert that they don’t feel free to express their thoughts to the mentees.

11. Barriers to coaching

Manager in the organisation are trying to coach the subordinates so as to attain good results, but coach the employee is not so easy for all the managers. Few managers take up the action and some give up. Therefore there are some barriers to coaching:

Used to control: the managers have a myth of controlling the job of the subordinate, but the job can be done without their doing so. But the managers find it difficult to accept the fact.

One size fits all: the management style which was used at the time of the manager, they believe it to work for the whole organisation or the solution which worked for one program should work for the other programs also.

Wrong priorities: the managers make themselves very busy that they find no time to coach their subordinates regarding the work. They give priorities to other work which are not so important.

Too much or too little: the managers go extremes for sharing the responsibilities or contributions. Either they involve too much or don’t even bother for their contribution for the development of the subordinates

Solving problems themselves: solving the problems are very critical for the success of the manager in the organisation therefore the manager solves the problems in the organisations without giving the subordinates a chance to learn from them.

Coach centred rather than coachee: in the entire program the coach focus on their activities rather than taking care for the activities if the coachee.

Unstructured approach: as the managers have to take care of the day to day activities, they adopt an unstructured approach for coaching so that they can complete their usual activities.

12. Barriers to Mentoring

Relationship building: a relationship between the mentor and mentee cannot be forced; they have felt comfortable with each other and form a relationship for the development. Relationship building is a culture where the following aspects are brought in trusting environment, shared work and responsibility, understanding etc.

Lack of support: the support from the top management should be given to the relationship so that the mentor and mentee are able to work in the relationship with the support of the management.

Lack of suitable mentors: Some mentors are not willingly to form a relationship with certain mentee which create a problem of not encouraging the mentee to perform well in the organisation.

Lack of experience: there are some mentors who are ready to provide their help but due lack of experience they are not able to provide an effective mentoring to the subordinates.

Lack of opportunities to obtain a mentor: the organisation sometime doesn’t allow the subordinates to form relationship of mentor and mentee. This creates a lack of opportunity to the subordinates.

13. Coaching Strategies

Dealing with difficult trainees: there are many subordinate who are difficult to handle or are uncooperative, the coach have to bring out the best from them. The coach should know the reason why they acting in such a manner and motivate them to act towards their goals.

Know exactly what your client wants: before the coaching program, the coach need to know the needs of the subordinates and employee who have come for the training. The coach have to talk to them in person so that he can understand their requirements

Goal setting: set the goals of coaching program before even the start of the program so that the objective of the program is met. The coach will be able chart out the program based on the requirements.

Create an action plan: action plans must to create to help the clients understand the situation and also the coach to understand where they want to reach. Knowing the goal will help the coach to set the programs accordingly

Put everything in action: the goals which are chart out to be achieved by the client should be put into the action so that the coach is able to make the best use of the goals.

14. Mentoring strategies

Keep an open mind: a mentor with good experience should also be careful while dealing with the mentee because no two mentee are same. Therefore the mentor should never underestimate them.

Discuss the expectation: the mentor and mentee should discuss their expectation with each other so that they are clear of their task to be achieved.

Set goals for personal improvement: this help the mentor and mentee to build a personal accountability for each other.

Show appreciation: both the parties should shoe appreciation and respect towards together so that they have a bonding within them

Have fun together: always work and no play makes the relationship dull and the interest to work goes away. Therefore some fun factor could be introduced to the relationship.

15. TASK 2 – Individual Critical Reflection on Essay and Learning Outcomes

Coaching and mentoring plays an important role in the organisation where the employee need to be given coaching and mentoring for their personal and professional benefit which would indirectly benefit the organisation and its performance. As a human resource manager, I will include the coaching and mentoring in the policies of the organisation so that it wouldn’t be avoid by any of the member fro the organisation. The employees joining the organisation will be given clearly instruction of being a mentee under a mentor when they join the company so that they will be able to understand the work culture of the organisation. The mentor given to each mentee will be based on their qualification and also of the same department so that the employee will be able to learn new topic of the department.

The research conducted for the assignment on the coaching and mentoring has helped me gain the knowledge on the concepts of both the term and detailed knowledge has been gained with distinction on both the terms. Though the both the term were used interchangeably but the difference was known after conducting the study. Though with the slight difference in the meaning but it contributes vastly to the organisation.

While starting with the module, I was aware of the topic on coaching and mentoring and expected these topics to be simply as they seem to be but after completing the module I understood the exact difference between both the terms and the right context where they are used in the human resources area in the organisation.

The experience which I have gained after the study is the right usage of both the term in the organisation and the process that it undergoes in the organisation and the knowledge and skills that is required by the coach and mentor. With the clear understanding and knowledge of the concepts and context in which they are used in the organisation is important to be understood.

The topic was searched in the book of the human resources and usage and internet for the search of the case studies related to these topics were studied. The study gave ne a detailed knowledge on the topic and in depth understanding on topic and its usage for the organisation in the future. As a human resources manager will be able to implement the coaching and mentoring process and differentiate the meaning in their usage and the context.

Prior to the start of this module, I was just aware of the two words coaching and mentoring, I never knew the correct the meaning and difference of the two words. The skills which are been gained now is the knowing the process, on how the coaching and mentoring process are conducted in the organisation and the skills that are required by the coach and mentor in the organisation before they conduct the activities.

After the study, changes in my attitude and confidence in the dealing with the topic. The study has given me the confidence in dealing with the topic and gained in depth knowledge and will be able to handle any case regarding the topic.

While studying on the topic, I felt and understood the importance of the coaching and mentoring in an organisation and the changes that may occur in the attitude of the employees. The benefit that the organisation will receive once the process of coaching and mentoring are being implemented in the organisation.

Coaching and mentoring helps the employee develop new skills and knowledge which they will be able to implement in the organisation. The coach and mentor in the organisation should be well experience and should the right knowledge of the topic and attitude to deal with the employee in the organisation. The employee should be able to feel free with them so that the employee will be able to express their problems and difficulties to their coach or mentor. Coaching has shorter meetings

After completing the study, the question that arises in my mind is the about the duration of the coaching and mentoring period that the employee have to follow and the topic which they have to deal with in the organisation. The solution to the questions is that the time period for the coaching and mentoring will be decided by the organisation and also the coach and mentor so that will be knowing better about the required time for completing the training and developing the employee in the organisations. Coaching and mentoring are useful ways to help employees advance in their career. This involves establishing a close link between a manager or someone more experienced and another organisation member who is less experienced.

Coaching and mentoring are different in that mentoring is generally more of an ongoing relationship and coaching is often for a shorter, more specific length of time. Also meetings between a coach and the employee are generally more structured and regular then mentoring. For the executive, being a mentor is an important developmental tool from which he can learn a great deal. By dealing with different mentees, the executives is given opportunities to grow professionally by honouring leadership skills and learning how to work with various personality types and backgrounds.

While making the study the clarity in the concepts, process and skills of the topic and basic methods that are followed were understood and the development of the skills through the process will be effective enough to implement as a human resource manager.

The study has helped me understand the detailed concept of coaching and mentoring and helped me understand the need of coaching and mentoring in the organisation. The detailed study of the topic has given me the confidence in the topic and made me more confident in dealing the topic.

16. Conclusion

In an organisation coaching and mentoring are important factors. Though mentoring done indirectly and conducted for a long term period, it develops the employee with a long term view. These developments would of a personal level and even for the professional level. Coaching also plays important roles in the organisation. Coaching helps the employees to acquire knowledge or skills which are developed for a particular program. These factors benefit the organisation which makes the employee apt for the new programs and projects and also for the longer term scenario.  Coaching helps the employees understand how their behaviours are contributing to the current situation. Whereas mentoring helps the employee develops the attitude for the future. Therefore the coaching and mentoring process are implemented in the organisation policies and are to be made compulsory to all the employee so as to train the employee for the self development and also for the organisation development.