COACHING COUNSELLING
& MENTORING
COACHING
COACHING is an interactive process
through which managers and
supervisors aim to solve performance
problems or develop employee
capabilities, Cclose performance gaps,
teach skills, impart knowledge and
inculcate values and desirable work
behaviors
COACHING
THE PROCESS RELIES ON COLLABORATION &
HAS 3 COMPONENTS;
Technical help
Personal support
Individual challenge
These 3 elements are held together by
an emotional bond between manager,
coach and subordinate
Elements of successful Coaching
Technical help
Personal Support Individual challenge
Coaching can
Rekindle motivation and help in:
Closing performance gaps
Overcoming personal obstacles
Achieving new skills and competencies
Preparing themselves for new responsibilities
Becoming more motivated
Managing themselves more effectively
Coaching as management
Managing focuses Coaching focuses
on; on:
Telling Exploring
Directing Facilitating
Authority Partnership
Immediate needs Long Term
Specific outcome improvement
Many possible
outcomes
Direct versus Supportive
Coaching
Direct Supportive
Developing skills Facilitating problem
Providing answers solving
instructing Building self
confidence
Encouraging others
to learn on their
own
COACHING- When?
How do I identify Coaching
opportunities?
When would it work-when not?
Timing?
Who should Coach??
COACHING
EXAMPLES of coaching
interventions
X a newly appointed supervisor is overbearing in his dealings
with subordinates. X lacks supervisory experience & thinks it
is the only way to get people to do their jobs.
Y is an accomplished researcher-superb technical skills-but
has few organisational skills. Prefers to work by himself on the
computer than in meetings. As a result his own inputs as a
researcher are not always incorporated in plans and his
career is going nowhere.
Z has managerial potential-a fast learner, works well with
people, understands org goals – you plan and want to
promote Z but Z is uncomfortable due to reluctance to
confront difficult and argumentative people.
COACHING- steps
PREPARATION
DISCUSSION
ACTIVE COACHING
FOLLOW UP
COACHING STEPS
PREPARATION
Preparing to coach
Observe
Avoid premature judgements
While participating in a team meeting noted the way Y one of his subordinates,
interacted with the group. She had something to say about everything. That was a
positive trait, but Y repeatedly interrupted others- a negative. Y’s behavior in X ‘s
estimation , prevented others from expressing their views.
A less observant manager would have passed a judgement that Y is not a good team
player. But this general judgement would not have isolated Harriet’s specific
problem: knowing when to speak up and when to listen to what others have to say-
a problem amenable to coaching.
AS YOU PREPARE , DON’T APPROACH THE COACHING SITUATION
WITH PREINFORMED JUDGEMENTS. ONE OR TWO
OBSERVATIONS MAY LEAD TO AN ERRONEOUS CONCLUSION.
Observe for Performance gaps &
Skill deficiencies
Performance gap is the difference between a
subordinate’s current performance and what is
required by the job
X a researcher is generally effective in his role but his written
reports are poorly organised and often fail to clearly state
conclusions
Skill Deficiency is also a gap – between a person’s
current capabilities and those needed to take on
another job
Sales executive to team leader
Create & test your own hypothesis
Observation will eventually lead you to some
hypothesis about the performance gap and its
amenability to improvement though coaching
But your hypothesis may not be valid if your
perspective is flawed or limited
To test your hypothesis, ask a few others what they
think
Listen carefully
Just as you watch for problems, listen for
signals that your help and intervention is
needed.
These signals are not always obvious or
direct
Estimate the probability of
improvement – Difficult cases
Coaching a person who cannot or will not be helped would be a huge waste of
time
A employee who denies his problem or blames it on others cannot be helped,
unless you succeed in convincing him/her of his /her error
A person who is so competitive that he must always be best his peers
The manager who must always act “boss’ even as a team member
manager who insists on solving every problem instead of allowing
subordinates to do so
Definitions / Assumptions
Emphasis on performance coaching
Effective coaching practice involves the
overseeing, planning and delivering of appropriate
sport performance
[Effective behaviours may mean successful
coaching. Experts are by definition – effective over
time]
Having the capacity to be effective may not mean
that it is displayed all the time!
What is a behaviour?
Antecedents
Intentions
Recipients
Context
Decision making
Observable (versus cognitive behaviour)
Means to an end
Yes, we can identify behaviours through systematic
observation but significant limitations
Research / conceptual challenges
Behaviour/practice needs to be related to
outputs: difficult because of variability,
complexity and inter-relatedness
Isolating behaviours is difficult
Tendency towards ‘intervention
behaviour’
Research / conceptual challenges
There is a question of ideology over what
are effective behaviours (assumption of
person centred, job involvement, not
authoritarian)
For example: leadership behaviour has very
mixed findings, little useful, really a
question of preferred ‘style’, since all can
be effective.
IS COACHING THE ANSWER-ASSESSING LIKELIHOOD OF
CHANGE
FREQUENT Very difficult to
change
How frequent is the behavior
Very easy to
change
INFREQUENT
How deeply entrenched is the behavior
Ask the employee to prepare
To what extent have you achieved your
goals?
Which if any goals have you exceeded?
Are there particular goals with which you are
currently struggling
What is inhibiting your progress?
COACHING STEPS
DISCUSSION
Discuss your Observations
Target observed behavior, not supposed
personal attitudes or motives
In the workplace , why people do things is
usually less important than what they do.
Never lose sight of the fact that coaching is
a two way process. Once you’ve had your
say give the person an opportunity to
respond
Ask Probing questions
Offer propositions Is it …..
Open ended and closed questions
Be an Active Listener
Maintain eye contact
Smiling at appropriate moments
Avoiding distractions
Taking notes only when necessary
Be sensitive to body language
Listen first and evaluate later
Never interrupt except to ask for
clarifications
Occasionally repeat what was said….
Listen to the emotions behind
the words
Positive strokes that build up the person’s
self confidence
Guarantees that reduce the person’s fear of
failure
Assurances that progress is seldom made
without some conflict
Move discussion to Causes
Encourage the employee to articulate points
of disagreement
Avoid generalisations
Be selective- stick to issues that really
matter
Give authentic praise as well as meaningful
criticism
Orient feedback toward problem solving and
action
COACHING STEPS
ACTIVE COACHING
Obtain agreement on goals
Inquiring into & advocating different
perspectives
Presenting proposals
Checking for understanding
Checking for agreement
When agreement is in question revisit
step 1…..
Create an action Plan
Statement of current situation
Specify goals
Timeline
Action steps
Expected outcomes
Coach’s role
Begin Coaching
Describe situation in a neutral way
State your opinion & interpretation
Share your experiences if they help
Encourage person to provide his/her
perspective
BEGIN
Begin Coaching
Focus on improving performance
Keep focus of feedback on the future
Timely feedback
Focus on behavior not character, attitudes
personality
Avoid generalisations
Be sincere
Be realistic
DIRECTIVE versus SUPPORTIVE
COACHING
DIRECTIVE Developing skills expertise
Providing answers Why to do
Instructing How to do
SUPPORTIVE Facilitate problem Inspire-Pull
solving
Building self Encourage -push
confidence
Serving as a resource Providing information
to others
Always follow up
Set a date for follow up discussion
Check progress made
Continue to observe
Ask others opinion
Identify modifications
ask what worked & what could be improved in
coaching session
What are the key elements of
coaching practice?
Planning
Decision making
Technical knowledge
practice
Competition management
Communication
Meta analysis
Modelling
Regulating progress
Monitoring
3 sets of ideas
Meaningful practice
Accept that many effective behaviours
towards same objective
Interaction tools for education: simulations,
case studies
Hard work
Expert
Commitment
Coach Effective
Technical immersion
Assistant
Learning culture
Supportive community
Research / conceptual challenges
Discrete Practice Outputs Outcomes
Behaviours
Coaching Behaviour Technical Changes Standards
Tactical Changes Medals
Results
Coaching Roles
Aspiration
Performance Coaching
Development Coaching
Coaching
Boundary Participation
Markers Coaching
Preparation Intensity
Competitions Involvement
Performance Standard
The relationship between forms of coach and boundary criteria (Lyle, 2002)
PERFORMANCE
Short duration Intensity high
Limited non-
intervention contact Stable
performance group
Short-term
objectives Competition
focus
Limited control of Attempted control
variable of variables
Participation Longer-term
focus objectives
Extensive intervention
Large, variable and interpersonal
numbers contact
Intensity low Long duration
PARTICIPATION
A diagrammatic representation of the balance of performance and participation coaching roles (Lyle, 2002)
Coaching Styles
Autocratic Coaching Practice
Negative Directive Coach-led Task-centred Performance
Feedback Communication Decision Role Goal
taking orientation orientation
Positive Interactive Performer-led Person-centred Process
Democratic Coaching Practice
The distinctions between autocratic and democratic coaching practice (Lyle, 2002)
Authoritarian Power sharing Humanistic approach
COACH/SUBORDINATE SUBORDINATE
COACH CONTROL CONTROL CONTROL
• Empowerment
• Early experiencing • Developing and collaborating
• Coach dependence • Athlete/coach dependence • Athlete independence
(+ accountability)
Teaching skills Opportunities Personal AUTONOMY in:
Safety and security self management Self-responsibility
Procedure and routines self determination Training / competitive intensity
Guidance in learning Shared decision making and Performance routines
sense of control Strategies
Partnership Between coach and
Subordinates
Illustration of a shift in coaching paradigms (Hogg, 1995)
subordinate COACH
TALENT EXPERTISE
QUALITY OF
TRAINING
PREPARATION KNOWLEDGE AND PERSONALITY
INTELLECT TECHNICAL TACTICAL PSYCHOLOGICAL
The coachee-coach relationship (adpated from Bompa, 1983)
Successful coach needs to mix art
with science on their coaching
(Pyke, 1999)
Qualities of Coach
(Sabock, 1973)
Coaches should maintain high moral and ethical values.
Coaches must be completely honest with all those with whom their deals.
Coaches must maintain a true and lasting concern for all
Coaches must earn the respect of staff and the community.
Coaches must be able to motivate
Coaches must be dedicated
Coaches must be a strong disciplinarian.
Coaches must have obvious enthusiasm.
Coaches should possess a strong desire to win.
Coaches needs to be a good evaluator of talent.
Coaches must be knowledgeable about their subject.
Coaches should have a good sense of humor.
Coaches must be willing to work long hours.
Successful coaches are those who
can learn new skills, who are
flexible enough to change old ways
when change is needed, who can
accept constructive criticism, and
who can critically evaluate
themselves.
Leadership in Coaching
(Martens, 2004)
Leaders provide direction; they set goals by having a vision of the
future.
Leaders build a psychological and social environment that is
conducive to achieving the team’s goal.
Leaders instill values, in part by sharing their philosophy of life.
Leaders motivate members of their group to pursue the goals of
the group.
Leaders confront members of the organization when problems
arise, and they resolve conflicts.
Leaders communicate.
Management and Monitoring
during coaching
A. Positive Discipline
coach with tolerance, encouragement,
praise, fairness, consistency, and respect, but without
criticism, hostility, ridicule, and shame.
B. Preventive Discipline
Step 6:
Catch them doing
good
Step 5:
Conduct exciting practices
Step 3: Step 4:
Develop rules Create routines
Step 2:
Hold meetings
Step 1:
Create the right culture
The steps of preventive discipline (Martens, 2004)
A mediocre coach tells,
A good coach explains,
A superior coach demonstrates,
But the great coach inspires
(Martens, 2004)
Becoming a better coach
Be very judicious in time allocated to
coaching-delegate if possible to an
expert
Pay attention to psychological climate
Avoid talking too much, failing to listen,
losing control of emotions
Improvise with practice
Executive Coaching
Diagnosis & development approach-
diagnosis, self awareness, development plan and
implementation
Prescriptive Approach- shadowing observed
behavior & prescribe new ways of acting
MENTORING
MENTOR
A mentor, basically, is someone who
serves as a counselor, a guide or
coach. Being asked to serve as a
mentor is an honor. It indicates that
the company has faith in the person's
abilities and trusts him or her to have a
positive impact on the situation.
WHO SHOULD BE A MENTOR?
Mentors often are volunteers. Forcing
someone who does not want to serve
as a mentor to do so can quickly
create problems.
Someone with a negative attitude, who
might encourage a new employee to
gripe and complain, should not serve
as a mentor.
MENTORING
Maybe
informal,short-term situation or
more formal, long-term assignment.
In an informal mentoring program, the
mentor usually helps the new employee for
a limited period of time. Advice from the
mentor may include the most basic of
information about everyday routines
including tips about "do's and don'ts"
MENTORING
A more formal version of mentoring occurs
when an organization either appoints an
employee or brings someone from the outside
with extensive knowledge and experience to
serve as a mentor for people the company feels
has excellent potential for growth.
The mentor's role usually lasts for an extended
period of time. This relationship usually lasts for
months or until the person mentored reaches a
certain level.
Mentoring vs Coaching
Key goals Correct inappropriate Support & guide
behavior personal growth
Initiative Coach directs learning & Mentee in charge of
instruction learning
Volunteerism Not necessarily voluntaryVoluntary
Focus Immediate problem & Long term personal
learning opportunities career development
Roles Heavy on telling with Heavy on listening
appropriate feedback making suggestions &
corrections
Duration Short term needs Long term needs
Relationship Coach is coachee’s boss Not in chain of command
MENTORING -Ground rules
The mentor's role is to teach and advise the
new employee.
The mentor does not interfere with the
supervisor or manager's decisions.
The new employee, while expected to seek
the mentor's advice, particularly on critical
issues, is not bound to accept that advice.
MENTORING TIPS
Confidentiality is important. Both parties need to feel
confident that discussions remain between them--not
immediately relayed to a supervisor or manager.
Certain areas may be considered off-limits. The mentor
needs to outline these areas at the beginning.
Decide in advance (again, particularly with long-term
mentoring) how you will communicate. Will you have
regularly scheduled meetings? Will discussion be face-to-
face, over the telephone or even via e-mail communication?
Both parties need to make their preferences known at the
beginning and reach an acceptable compromise if the
preferences are different.
MENTORING TIPS
Discuss time limits. If the mentoring period has a
time limit (example, the first thirty days) the mentor
should state that at the beginning.
Discuss time commitments. Again, this may be more
critical for the long-term, formal mentoring. The
mentor must expect to give the new employee
adequate time, but the newcomer should not expect
excessive amounts of time. Setting a schedule at
the beginning (example: meet once a week the first
month, then once a month after that) avoids irritating
misunderstandings later.
MENTORING TIPS
Openness and respect: Both the mentor and the person being mentored need
to be open and honest, yet respect the other. A mentor who withholds
important information or comments does not contribute to the other person's
success. However, such comments should be delivered with tact and
courtesy--and (even if somewhat hurtful) received with an open mind.
Most often the role of mentor is associated with serving as advisor to a new
employee. However, persons interested in changing career fields might seek
out a mentor or a business coach to help them evaluate their decision and offer
guidance. Or, an employee with concerns about advancement within the
company might seek out a mentor to assist in his or her professional growth.
MENTORING: benefits
Develops human assets of org
Helps transfer important tacit knowledge
from one set of employees to another
It aids in retention of valued employees
Not everyone benefits from mentoring-only those who are
career oriented 9 as opposed to job oriented), are self aware,
eager to learn, and highly ambitous.
MENTORING: costs
Time commitment made by executives
to mentoring at the cost of regular
duties
MENTORING-right match
Mentor characteristics-mutual respect, logical
fit, no political agenda, compatible
temperament and commitment
Not in chain of command but takes personal
interest
Initiate must come from mentee-protégé
Good match revealed over time in attitudes &
behavior
Factors in Selecting a Mentor
?good at what he does?
?good teacher?
?good motivator?
?responsive to my needs/goals?
?what are mentor’s needs and goals?
?how does organization judge the mentor?
?Is the mentor getting support?
?How powerful is the mentor?
?Is the mentor secure in his own position?
Characteristics of Effective
Mentors
Set high standards
Make themselves available
Orchestrate developmental experiences
Respected people
Demonstrate good people skills
Have access to information & people
Candid in dealings
Sordidly linked to organisation
How to mentor well
Walk the talk
Give actionable advice & feedback
Resist the temptation to solve protégé’s problem
Criticise the behavior not the person
Challenge the protégé to develop a plan for success
Create a foundation of support
Don’t allow the protégé to become dependent on
you
Know when to say goodbye
Mentoring in the Work
Place
Mentoring assists protégés on a
Transitional Journey by:
Support
Challenge
Vision
SUPPORT
Support affirms the validity of
the protégé’s present experience.
Transition requires a trusting
relationship for courage to
“take a leap”.
Factors continued
?how does organization judge the
mentor?
?Is the mentor getting support?
?How powerful is the mentor?
?Is the mentor secure in his own
position?
Methods of Support
Listening, Hearing, Understanding
Providing structure
Expressing positive expectation
Serving as an advocate
Sharing him/herself
Challenge: To “open the gap” between
protégé and environment.
Engaging in Constructing
discussions that competing
perturb the hypotheses
protégé’s Setting high
assumptions standards
Heating up Setting tasks
dichotomies—
present black and
white choices
Vision: helping protégé apprehend a
different reality
Keeping tradition Suggesting a
new language
Modeling
Providing a
Offering a map or “mirror” to extend
developmental self-awareness
schema
The Hierarchy of Mentoring
Level Mentor Activity Protégé Mentor Invest.
Benefit
I Teaching Organ. Skills, Time
inside info.
II Counseling/Support Enhanced Self
sense of Emotion
self/confi-
dence
Hierarcy continued
Level Mentor Activity Protégé Benefit Mentor Invest.
III Organiza. Intervent. Intercedes on Organ. Relations/
protégé’s behalf Reputation
IV Sponsoring Recommend. Reputation/
Responsibility/ Career
promote.
Level I-Teaching “the job”
Imparts a feel for the job, knowledge o skills needed and
info on trends.
Shows best methods for managing people in the
organization
Draws organizational map: transfers info about politics,
personalities, presentation of self. Transmit info. About
classified data.
Career Guidance: provides picture of career paths available
inside and outside the corp.
Redirecting: realistically looking at skill, skill potential and
suitability.
Level II—Personal Support
Psychological Support: To overcome
pressures/strains accompanying transition to
positions of greater responsibility. Accentuates
positive factors/new position. Imparts perspective.
Confidence Building: Through various attitude and
behavioral methods
Assistance with personal life: Deal with family
pressures, personal Dilemmas, and conflicts that
interfere with job performance.
Level III—Organizational Intervention
Protection: intervening in conflicts and situations that
endanger organizational advancements. Protégé’s careers are
often negatively affected by weak or threatened supervisors/
staff requiring mentor intervention. Mitigate negative career
effects of reorganization/merger.
Market the Candidate: advertises protégé’s good qualities
and skills to senior management. Helps gain visibility at in-
house interfaces and outside meetings. Protégé does not
seem self-promoting.
Access to resources: Mentor uses his position to access
resources, supply and communication lines that would
ordinarily be unavailable.
Level IV—Sponsoring
Direct: Increase title, expansion of
function, manipulation of political
factors.
Indirect: Admission to in-house
training, programs; key management
programs; obtain appointments, seat
on boards, etc.
Comparison of Mentored vs.
Unmentored Groups
Category Mentored Unmentored
Managerial Position More likely to have an lack of control over
authority position/closer to personnel, budget or
central control resources
Organizational High recog. re-quire to Mystified about
Awareness climb promotion/
advancement
Comparison Continued
Career Planning Clear objectives & No career map; vague
goals goals
Optimism High Lower career
expectations
Strategies Employed to
Attract a Mentor
Competence-possessed/demonstrated
Achieving visibility
Getting key assignments
Showing a desire to learn
Taking advantage of key interfaces
Willingness to help mentor accomplish his goal
Taking the initiative
Making self accessible
Ability to express the need
What Mentors Look For…….
Intelligence
Ambition
Loyalty
Ability to perform the mentor’s job
Similar perception of work and organization
Commitment of organization
Organizational Savvy
Positive perception of the protégé by the organization
Ability to establish alliances
Ability to express need/goals of mentorship
Mentoring is not limited to
novice workers. Mentoring
is lifelong growth: as a
mentor or mentee.
