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