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COACHING VS MENTORING

Too often, coaching and mentoring are used synonymously. This creates a space where coaches are expected to use mentoring strategies to help develop a person. Conversely, on the mentoring side, people are expecting to be taught or told, more like a manager or boss. Both these ideas are misplaced and need to be corrected.

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coaching

Definition: The International Coach Federation (https://coachfederation.org) defines coaching as “Partnering with clients in a thought-provoking and creative process that inspires them to maximize their personal and professional potential.”

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When to Use a Coach

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  1. Develop raw talent with a specific new skill

  2. Enhance the experienced professional with a new or refreshed skill

  3. Help individuals who are not meeting expectations or goals

  4. Assist leaders in coping with large-scale change through a merger or acquisition, like managing new “blended” work teams and adapting to the merging of company cultures

  5. Prepare a professional for advancement in the organization

  6. Improve behavior in a short period of time, like coaching an executive to address the media on a specific topic

  7. Work one-on-one with leaders who prefer working with a coach rather than attending “public” training programs

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mentoring

Definition: A simple, broad definition of mentor is “an experienced and trusted advisor.” BusinessDictionary.com (http://www.businessdictionary.com) defines mentoring as an “Employee training system under which a senior or more experienced individual (the mentor) is assigned to act as an advisor, counselor, or guide to a junior or trainee. The mentor is responsible for providing support to, and feedback on, the individual in his or her charge.” One note of clarification: While many organizations offer in-house mentoring programs, often as part of a leadership training program, it is common for mentees to work with mentors outside their organization.

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When to Use a Mentor

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  1. Motivate talented professionals to focus on their career/life development

  2. Inspire individuals to see what is possible in their career/life

  3. Enhance the professional’s leadership development

  4. Transfer knowledge from senior to junior professionals

  5. Broaden intercultural or cross-cultural ties within the organization

  6. Use the mentoring process as an entrée to succession planning

Side-by-side

Side-By-Side Comparison

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