| The current trend is for an increase in coaching and | | | | have are equally true for good coaches and |
| mentoring in the workplace.Coaching and mentoring, | | | | mentors:Maintains confidentiality |
| whether on an executive level or for overall staff, are | | | | Excellent listening and responding skills |
| increasingly being recognised as important in employee | | | | Non-judgemental |
| development. It is acknowledged by senior | | | | Objective outlook |
| management in many organisations that their company | | | | Advises rather than tells |
| will thrive if they offer some form of coaching and | | | | Has the 'mentee's' best interests at heartCoaching |
| mentoring to their staff.We are particularly aware at | | | | and Mentoring DevelopmentCoaching and Mentoring |
| how much this trend for coaching and mentoring has | | | | TrainingAs we said earlier, the list is endless when it |
| grown in the UK, as this is where most of our clients | | | | comes to 'stuff' around coaching and mentoring. There |
| are based.We work with companies who | | | | are stacks of training courses, programmes, |
| automatically assign a mentor to new employees, | | | | qualifications, certificates and workshops all claiming to |
| some who leave it up to the employee to seek out a | | | | provide you with the skills needed to become a coach |
| coach for themselves, some who don't or won't see | | | | and/or mentor.We can't say which of these is any |
| the advantage of having coaches for their people and | | | | good. There are some essentials to look for when |
| just about everything in between.Fortunately, many | | | | finding the right training for you.No promises about |
| more companies are giving their people an | | | | outcomes |
| understanding of the benefits of coaching and | | | | It shouldn't cost the earth |
| mentoring, of which there are many, and more people | | | | It needs to have a high degree of integrity |
| are training and acquiring qualifications in coaching and | | | | It should be practical and experiential |
| mentoring than ever before.What Coaching and | | | | You should feel a compatibility with the people running |
| Mentoring Training is available?People can get a | | | | it |
| professional qualification in coaching and mentoring, a | | | | You should be given lots of individual suggestions on |
| certificate in coaching and mentoring; there are many | | | | how to develop yourself as a coach/mentor |
| courses offering training in coaching development, | | | | Trust your tummy! Meet up before you sign up and |
| creative mentoring, career coaching, face to face | | | | ask lots of questions.An example of someone who's |
| training, on-line training, workplace mentoring, becoming | | | | 'doing it'We can, however, give you an insight into one |
| a coaching and mentoring consultant, building a | | | | of the people within Impact Factory who is a coach |
| coaching network, business approaches to coaching | | | | and mentor and the range of skills she has which help |
| and mentoring, distance learning, management | | | | her do the job.Jo Ellen Grzyb, one of the founding |
| mentoring, staff coaching, in house training courses, 'out' | | | | partners, has an eclectic background, which we believe |
| house training courses. There are basic courses and | | | | is a good place to start when thinking about training to |
| advanced coaching and mentoring training and | | | | become a coach and mentor.We say this because |
| qualifications.The list truly is endless!It seems as though | | | | the more experience you have, obviously, the more |
| everyone from business schools to the corner shop is | | | | you bring to the job.Jo Ellen has worked in the |
| getting on the coaching and mentoring bandwagon.This | | | | business and arts communities in one form or another, |
| isn't a bad thing.How do I know what to do?The only | | | | and on both sides of the Atlantic, for 30 years. She |
| problem is that for someone who has never used a | | | | trained as a psychotherapist and ran career |
| coach or mentor before, it can all be very | | | | development courses for a number of years before |
| confusing.For those who want to train to become a | | | | founding Impact Factory with Robin Chandler 14 years |
| coach or mentor, the choices can seem daunting: | | | | ago.She has had years of personal psychotherapy |
| 'Where do I begin?'For companies who want to initiate | | | | and has a monthly session with her own supervisor. |
| a coaching and mentoring programme, they want | | | | She has also changed careers a number of times and |
| reassurance of the tangible benefits and return on their | | | | has real insight into how to 'take the plunge' and move |
| investment.What we aim to do here is to give you a | | | | one when something isn't working well.She writes, |
| brief overview, understanding and insight into just | | | | appears on radio and telly.She's a brilliant networker |
| exactly what coaching and mentoring means, some | | | | and isn't particularly self-deprecating about what she |
| coaching and mentoring theory and to give our view | | | | can offer people.Through all her years of experience, |
| on what it takes to be a good coach or | | | | one consistent theme has been her focus on enabling |
| mentor.Coaching and Mentoring overviewIs there a | | | | other people to do their work better.Most importantly, |
| difference between Coaching and Mentoring?We're | | | | she has never sat around waiting for someone else to |
| going to cop out here and say there probably can't be | | | | make it happen for her - she's just gone and done it, |
| a definitive answer to this. The two terms seem to be | | | | success or failure being far less important than the |
| increasingly linked and are often used | | | | doing.All of that makes her excellent in her role as a |
| interchangeably.These happen to be our definitions, but | | | | coach and mentor.So what's the point?Why we've |
| we're sure you'll find a bunch of others if you look | | | | given you that thumbnail sketch is that we get lots of |
| around.Coaching: we see a business, corporate or | | | | enquiries from people wanting to become coaches |
| executive coach in much the way we see a sports | | | | and mentors who are looking for someone else to |
| coach. This person sets specific goals and objectives, | | | | make it happen for them.That ain't going to work.If you |
| sees what you need to do to achieve them and | | | | want to train as a coach and mentor, you need to |
| works with you on target setting, professional and | | | | take a good, impartial look at yourself to see if you've |
| personal development, expansion of your skills base | | | | got what it takes.Remember earlier we said that |
| and offers practical and relevant advice and | | | | everyone seems to getting on the coaching and |
| guidance.Mentoring: a mentor can almost be seen as a | | | | mentoring bandwagon? Well, we feel pretty strongly |
| wise, experienced friend or favourite aunt or uncle | | | | that a lot of them should get off. Having said that, the |
| type person. A mentor leads by example and is a role | | | | profession is open for good, committed people.You |
| model. They might be very good at helping you see | | | | may be one of them.Using a Coach or MentorHow do |
| the big picture and understand the politics of the | | | | I get one?As we can see there's no shortage of |
| organisation you work for.A coach can be a mentor | | | | people wanting to become coaches and mentors. But |
| and a mentor can be a coach, or the role can be rolled | | | | what if you want to use one. Where do you begin?Of |
| into one. The key is that whatever term you use, the | | | | course, the best place to look is your workplace. If |
| person being coached or mentored gets unbiased | | | | they already have a corporate coaching and |
| support and guidance.Benefits of Coaching and | | | | mentoring programme that you aren't accessing, get |
| MentoringWhen you work with a coach or mentor you | | | | yourself to HR ASAP and ask to be assigned |
| will benefit in many ways:Have a safe place to offload | | | | one.You could also look around your company and |
| | | | identify someone you think would make an excellent |
| Develop skills you already have | | | | coach or mentor and ask them if they'd be willing.Using |
| Learn new skills | | | | either a formal or informal approach is equally |
| Gain insight into yourself and the people you work | | | | effective. The key is working with someone you like, |
| with | | | | admire and with whom you feel comfortable.Anything |
| Get unbiased, confidential support | | | | else I should be aware of?There are a few important |
| Gain fresh perspectives on your issues | | | | things that will help you make the most of your coach |
| Get advice, suggestions and optionsCoaching and | | | | or mentor.Meet with them on a regular basis - whether |
| Mentoring TheoryWe're probably the wrong company | | | | fortnightly, monthly, quarterly, etc |
| to ask about coaching and mentoring theory. As a | | | | Set clear objectives |
| matter of fact, we're not too hot on theory since we | | | | Rely on them for guidance, not answers |
| believe that you can't pigeonhole people and impose a | | | | Be honest |
| template of how coaching and mentoring should | | | | A mentor isn't a dumping groundUsing a coach or |
| look.On one level, we suppose that you could say that | | | | mentor is one of the best ways to develop yourself |
| having a counselling skill is a good 'theoretical' place to | | | | and is a great way not to have to go it alone. |
| start. The principles that a good counsellor needs to | | | | |