Workplace Coaching and Mentoring
Exploring the Key Differences To Maximise Personal Development
The use of coaching and mentoring is becoming increasingly popular within the workplace, but there are some subtle differences which will impact on the outcomes achieved.
Recent CIPD (Chartered Institute of Development) surveys have reported that the use of coaching and mentoring as development tools are on the increase within organisations. According to those who responded, 72% use formal mentoring schemes and 63% undertake coaching activities as part of their wider Human Resource Strategy.
The adoption of these critical personal development tools within organisations is an encouraging sign and demonstrates corporate maturity.
Coaching and mentoring are both ‘helping’ activities, employed either as distinct interventions or together as part of a package of personal development. The differences in the application of these processes are naturally reflected in the outcomes.
Coaching
A coach is a person who teaches and directs another person via encouragement and advice. The use of the term coaching (as in the art of coaching people) has its origins in English traditional university “cramming” in the mid 19th Century. In the US, most college sports team employed coaches as well as managers and by the 20th Century, non-sporting coaches were emerging.
Mentoring
Mentoring, on the other hand, refers to a developmental relationship with a more experienced ‘expert’ and a less experienced (and usually younger) protégé. The term ‘mentor’ has been around for centuries, originally derived from a character in Homer’s Odyssey, who guides a young boy through a difficult time.
Both of these activities have developed with the demands of a modern society. Coaching, in particular, is one of the fastest emerging industries of the past decade specifically within the United States, Australia and the UK.
Three Key Differences
Both processes enable individuals (and therefore organisations) to achieve their full potential and therefore share many similarities. However, there are three key differences, which influence choosing the most appropriate intervention.
1. Qualifications and Experience
Coaches do not need any specialist experience within the area in which their client requires support and as such, do not offer ‘advice’. They are skilled in questioning and listening (as are many mentors) but it is the coach’s role to enable individuals to find answers within themselves.
Mentors are usually experts within a particular field and have a wide-ranging and recognised wealth of experience within the field in which they are advising and supporting others. Nonetheless, mentors should be skilled and experienced in managing relationships and communication processes.
2. Focus
Coaching intends to improve and develop work-related skills and knowledge, which are often performance related. It concentrates on specific issues (goals) with clear outcomes. It is the coaches’ role to enable the individuals to find answers within themselves and is dependent upon each individual's motivation to succeed.
The focus of a mentoring relationship is more on developing individual and work-related capability and talent. It often forms part of management or career development programmes. It has a structure but less ‘defined’ outcomes than specified for coaching. The mentor supports and guides the individual as part of a development path, which ‘opens doors, shares experiences and widens networking systems’.
3. Timing
Coaching is usually a ‘time bound’ relationship with a defined duration to meet the specific goal identified. Individuals will often use the same coach to support them with different issues.
Mentoring relationships can go on for a long time, seeing progress through many stages and often survive through numerous relocation and career changes.
However, the success of either of these interventions is dependent upon the skills of the provider, often left to managers according the CIPD survey, who may not have the capacity or the ability to deliver.
References
CIPD Learning and Development Annual Survey Report 2007. London, CIPD, 2007
Clutterbuck, D. Everyone needs a mentor; fostering talent in your organisation. 4th Edition, London. CIPD, 2004
