Coaching and Mentoring Assignment 2 PDF

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Coaching and Mentoring 1

Mentoring and coaching in Education and Training Context Mentoring and coaching are highly valuable activities that are being adopted by organizations to aid in career and personal development. Mentoring has many different definitions. In a professional working environment, mentoring can be defined as the unique relationship that exists between a more experienced member of a profession or a mentor, and a junior member of the same profession. The relationship involves the mentor acting as the advisor, counselor, and guide to the mentee. In an organizational setup, a mentor is often a senior person in the organizational ranks. On the other hand, the mentee also known as a protégé is often a junior staff. The mentor offers psychological and career support with the aim of developing skills that will help the mentee to advance in their career. The protégé follows in the ways and the behavior of their mentor. Mentoring and coaching are sometimes used interchangeably because they use the same approach and require almost similar skills (Connor & Pakora 2007 Pg. 44). However, coaching is more formally structured and is based on a shorter time-frame as mentoring is a long-term mutual relationship. Mentoring is far much broader than coaching, in the sense that it focuses on all the areas of a person’s life and career development to achieve a long-term change, while coaching focuses on a specific developmental issue at work to achieve immediate results. Coaching can be considered a form of mentoring. Coaching and mentorship are applied in organizations in a situation where there is a need to enhance the skills and potential of employees. Coaching and Mentorship are also useful in helping a new employee to settle in the internal environment of the organization. The role of Coaching and Mentoring is to give advice and support to the protégé. The mentor or a coach acts as a role model and motivator who can be emulated by their mentee. A coach or a mentor must possess certain skills for the process to be successful. A good mentor should be reliable, ethical,

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approachable, altruistic, and professional and must possess extensive knowledge and experience in their fielded mentorship (McKimm et al. 2017 Pg. 56). Other valuable skills for a coach or a mentor include the ability to build and maintain a relationship of trust and have unconditional positive regard for the protégé. Mentoring and Coaching are beneficial not only to the mentee but also the mentor and the organization (Ghosh & Reio Pg. 110). The benefits of mentoring depend largely on the quality of the relationship between the mentor and the mentee (MacCallum et al. 2017Pg 256). Every successful mentorship or coaching program has their own unique model of implementation, which provides value in the most impactful way. Coaching and Mentoring Models Mentoring models represent the systematic and implied process that will take place throughout the process. They help to build the conversation that will take place between the mentor and the mentee, dictating the level of interaction and the structure of the entire mentoring journey (Roston 2014 Pg. 24). There are many valuable and useful methods of coaching. The choice of the method to use depends on the creativity and thoughtfulness of the coach. Several models of coaching can be integrated to develop flexibility so that the process of mentoring is not prescriptive and rigid. Models of mentoring include GROW Model, Zachary Model, Achieve Model, Apprenticeship Model, and Competence Model among others. The GROW Model The GROW model was constructed by Graham Alexandra, Alan Fine, and John Whitmore in the 1980s. The Initials GROW stands for Goal, Reality, Options, and Will. The first step in this coaching model is to help the mentee to identify the goals that they would wish to achieve (Whitmore 2009). The second phase of the model is to identify the current reality in relation to the goals that the mentee intends to achieve. After examining the reality, the mentee

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should explore the various options that they can take to steer them towards achieving their goal. The final phase of the GROW Model is to establish the will and motivation for achieving the goals. The GROW Model requires that the coach acts as a facilitator who does not have experience in the subject at hand. The role of the coach is to help the mentee to pick the best solutions for their problems rather than offer them a solution The grow model has a useful structure that can be applied in a wide variety of situations to help in improving performance. The four stages help an individual to set the goals that they would like to achieve, asses their current reality, explore the options available for achieving the desired outcomes, and outline the actions that they will take to reach their goals. Part of the GROW Model requires that the mentee explores their options in order to move forward from a certain situation, which contrasts with the type of coaching aimed at helping them to obtain clarity in their values or beliefs. Such type of mentoring does not require a mentee to explore their options. The GROW model is suitable for formal one on one type of coaching. Performance appraisals are one area where the GROW Model can be applied. Instead of the appraiser dictating the terms, the employee can assist in developing their goals, assessing their current achievements and skills, exploring their options on the course of action and coming up with a plan on how their goals can be achieved. The GROW model can also be applied in meetings. The model is useful in keeping the mentee on track and also acquiring the commitment and involvement of the people in following through the agendas of the meeting to completion. The main attraction to the GROW Model is its simplicity as good coaching does not need to be complex for it to be effective. The GROW model was easy and quite effective especially at the beginning of a coaching session. The model provides the coach with a basic structure of the flow of conversation. The mentee is challenged to think about their goals and the current reality

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and therefore have a different perspective on the problem at hand. However, the simplicity of this model sometimes acts as its drawback. Some researchers argue that the model is too simplified, and therefore, does not give enough depth to the mentoring process (Wang et al. 2016). Another limitation of this model is its failure to give enough validity to the reasons behind the goals and objectives of the mentee. The model does not give a clear and precise understanding of the performance gap between the present reality and the anticipated outcome. The options phase of the GROW Model lacks exploration and creative brainstorming to explore a wide range of available alternatives. The mentee ends up exploring only a narrow range of traditional options. Another major limitation of the GROW Model is that it does not allow for enough time to check on the mentee and provide motivation during and after the mentoring journey. Motivation is what drives a person to work towards their desired goals. A mentor should be able to stir intrinsic motivation to the mentee so that they may develop self-confidence and belief in their own abilities to achieve their goals (Humbered & Roose, 2016). The Achieve Model The Achieve model is a logical progression from the GROW model. It outlines seven systematic steps to be followed in the coaching process. The first step is to assess the current situation of the mentee. The importance of this step is to build a rapport between the coach and the mentee in other to establish trust and openness. The next step is the brainstorming of the possible alternatives for the situation. The coach asks the mentee some question to help them to open up and view the situation from a different perspective. The third step is to establish goals that are specific, measurable, achievable, and realistic and time-bound – SMART Goals. It is only possible to establish clear goals after analyzing the truth of the current reality (Whitmore 2009 Pg. 183). The next step after the honing of goals is to help the mentee initiate the various

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alternatives for goal achievement. It is important for the coach to take a back seat and allow the client to arrive at the alternatives by themselves. After the initiation process, the coach helps the mentee to evaluate the various options before taking a valid action plan through the program design. The final Phase of the Achieve Model is a continuous process where the coach encourages the mentee and helps them to keep on track. It is important for the coach to keep in touch with the mentee and encourage and challenge them in ways that will help them to achieve the desired outcomes. The Achieve Model has some advantages that can be associated with its use. The first step in the model is assessment which enables the coach to gain insight into the client’s point of view. Understanding the mentee helps the coach to create a safe environment where they can openly express themselves and be able to view their situation objectively. Egan’s Skilled Helper Theory outlines three stages that a coach should use, and the first stage is to create a safe environment for the mentee (Long 2015 Pg. 874). The Achieve Model implements this step and therefore the coaching starts off at a good place. The GROW Model also allows the mentee to explore a wide range of alternatives during the brainstorming session. Another major advantage of the Achieve model is that it allows for the mentor to encourage momentum throughout the process and at the end of the coaching. In today’s business world, a company can obtain a competitive advantage over the others by developing an efficient Human Resource System, which has the appropriate skills and is properly motivated (Dougherty and Dreher, 2007 Pg. 53). Managers often apply the Achieve Model in determining the causes of performance problems and coming up with change strategies to solve the problems. The Achieve Model is made up of seven performance variables, which are related to performance management. The seven variables include ability, clarity, incentive, help,

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evaluation, validation, and environment. The manager assesses how each of the variables could affect the performance of a worker in a given task, or even a group of workers. The manager can take the necessary steps for every performance problem. Ability. The first variable refers to the employee’s knowledge and skills that enable them to perform a given task. In the assessment of ability, the question to consider is whether the employees have the necessary skills and knowledge required for the task. The solution to this may range from training, coaching, or a reassignment of the task depending on the effectiveness of each. Clarity. The second variable refers to the level of understanding of an employee's understanding of their job. Is the employee aware of how each task is performed? Are they aware of the objectives and goals of the task? The solution to this may involve ensuring that all the goals and objectives of a job are clearly documented in orders of priority. Verbal engagement with the employee may not be sufficient. Help. Help refers to the organizational support that an employee should receive to be able to complete their task successfully. The help could be in form of adequate budget, equipment, and adequate manpower among other. If the organization is not able to provide the required help, the manager should assess where the problem is emanating from and make arrangements to acquire the material in a cost-effective manner. If not, the objectives for performing the task should be revised to accommodate the shortcomings. Incentive. Incentive refers to the rewards offered to employees as a motivation tool when a task is completed successfully. Most people tend to work hard when they know that a reward is being offered at the end (Miner 2015 Pg. 312). In case there is a problem, the managers should

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asses the organization's rewards and punishment system. Intangible rewards such as recognition could also be incorporated as incentives (Miner 2015 Pg. 312). Evaluation. Evaluation involves the formal periodic reviews as well as the informal day to day feedback. Most of the performance-related problems arise due to lack of necessary coaching and feedback. Evaluation enables employees to know their day to day progress before their periodic review. Validation. Validity refers to the appropriateness or legality of decisions made by the managers regarding human beings. The decisions need to be justified on the basis of performance of the employees. Environment. Environment refers to the external conditions that may influence the performance of an employee. Aspects of the environment include competition, government legislation, and changing market conditions among others. Proper assessment of the environment is necessary to ensure that it supports the optimal performance of the individual employees. Zachary’s Model The Zachary’s Model of coaching mainly focuses on nurturing and the development of an organizational culture (Zachary 2000 Pg. 58). The Zachary’s model takes place in four phases. The first phase involves mentor preparation. Zachary likens this phase to tilling land before planting the seed as it involves assessing the mentor’s skills and motivation. The stage involves clarifying the roles and expectations of the mentor and assessing the level of viability of the mentorship relationship. The preparation step involves both the mentor and the mentee. The second phase of this model is like planting the seed and involves negotiating and planning for the details of the coaching process. The coach and the client need to agree on the goals, content, details of the meetings, criteria for measuring success, and methods of concluding the

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relationship (Santa 2015 Pg. 263). The importance of this stage is that it ensures free-flowing conversation between the mentors and the mentees. The stage also helps in establishing boundaries of interaction between the parties involved. After the negotiation phase, the next step is to implement the learning process of professional development and offering feedback. This phase is likened to watering seeds to nurture them where after the implementation phase, the couch and the mentee work on the employment of the action plan. The mentor receives feedback from the mentee over the course of action. Change may occur in the action plan if there is a need. The mentor coaches the mentee by using examples which are appropriate and inspiring. The final phase is the closure. This step is like bearing fruit to the plant. A mentoring relationship is not continuous and therefore must come to an end. The closure involves analyzing the successes and failures of the process. Zachary (2000 Pg. 52) advised that it is good to celebrate the success of a successful mentoring journey. The mentor also offers support and encouragement to the mentee where a follow-up plan for the future is also implemented. The closure stage prepares a mentee to be independent. Overdependence on the mentor can be detrimental to the mentees career progression. According to Kram’s theory, separation may cause anxiety and depression to either of the two parties (Anderson et al 2016 Pg. 421). After the closure, the relationship is no longer needed. However, the relationship may evolve into the redefining stage and become a peer friendship which is informal. The closure phase is very critical to avoid a situation where the mentee in over-dependent on the mentor. Case Study Rachel and Dot (2011 Pg. 412) conducted a case study on the various models of mentoring. Rachel was a tutor and Dot was a student in Rachel’s class who wanted to find a

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mentor. Rachel and Dot carried out a research on the models of mentoring with the aim of identifying the one that would be most effective for their mentoring process. In their research, they came across two dominant methods of research that included the traditional model and the reciprocal model. The Traditional Model According to Rachel and Dot (2011 pg. 408), the traditional conceptualization of mentoring is characterized by an exclusive relationship between a mentor and a protégé. The mentor is often someone who is older and more experienced than the mentee. In this relationship, knowledge, information and support flow from the mentor to the protégé in a hierarchical manner (Haggard et al. 2011 Pg. 287). In an organizational set–up, the mentor will often be a senior person and the mentee will be a junior employee. Due to the nature of this relation, the mentor holds more power to influence the direction of the relationship, makes decisions, and facilitate the process of career progression. The mentor benefits by having more satisfaction in their career. The way that the balance of power is set up in the traditional method, the benefits are mostly accrued by the protégé. The protégé has the benefit of association with a higher person in the organization and they also gain career guidance and psychosocial development, which are the primary goals of the mentoring relationship. The Reciprocal Model The Reciprocal Model has been developed in the recent years (Rachel and Dot 2011 Pg. 416). The model is a reverse of the Traditional Model. Unlike the Traditional Method where there in a one-way flow of information, the reciprocal method is based on collaborative bidirectional flow. The relationship between the mentor and the protégé is that of mutual respect and rapport. The emphasis of this model is the bond between the mentor and the mentee where

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the two parties share the aspect of oneself, which is considered private in the traditional method. The Reciprocal Method is based on equity of power between the stakeholders. Researchers have agreed that the imbalance of power in the Traditional Method of mentoring is a limitation and hence re-conceptualization of power in the reciprocal method (Haggard et al. 2011 Pg. 286). In the reciprocal model, the mentor is no longer perceived to be the power holder, rather, both parties take part in decision making. The model shifts from the traditional hierarchical nature to a flatter structure where the mentor and the protégé relate at the same level. The nature of this model allows both the mentor and the protégé to gain benefits from the mentoring process. Participants gain benefits due to the exchange of information and ideas by both parties and not just a top-down flow of information. At the end of the research on the available literature on mentoring, Rachel and dot settled on the reciprocal model. The model suited their nature of relationships because they established an emotional connection at the start of their mentoring journey. Both parties shared responsibly and power in the relation. Decisions were made collaboratively and exchanged life stories. Their relationship did not fit the typical traditional model because of its hierarchical nature. Furthermore, the mentor was younger than the mentee, which is contrary to the Traditional Model. The mentoring relationship was initiated by the protégé in her search of overcoming the challenges she faced in her academic work. Rachel was a junior staff at the institution, and therefore, she did not possess much power. However, she had the much-needed experience in academia works and thus the reciprocal model suited their relationship. Other Models The Mentoring and Coaching fields continue to evolve and increase in co...