Like many I have been viewing Wimbledon and more recently
the World Athletics Championships. I have noted the role and responsibility of
coaches towards their athletes and the goals they achieve. I have also noted
that in many cases champions find that at critical points they need to change
the coach and approach.
I have recently read (and highly recommend) Lean In: Women,
Work, and the Will to Lead by Sheryl Sandberg, and Nell Scovell. I note
Sheryl’s view is that mentoring need not be formal, structured or necessarily
agreed, but instead can be as simple as an exchange of views or advice.
This got me thinking about the role, responsibilities and
accountability of coaching and mentoring in a business environment and in
particular in the context of managing change.
COACHING AND
MENTORING – THE DIFFERENCE
Coaching and mentoring use the same skills and approach but
coaching is short term task-based and mentoring is a longer term relationship.
The CIPD differentiates between coaching, mentoring and counselling.
Once the coachee successfully acquires the skills, the coach
is no longer needed. Mentoring is development driven. Its purpose is to develop
the individual not only for the current job, but also for the future. This
distinction differentiates the role of the immediate manager and that of the
mentor.
Factor
|
Coaching
|
Mentoring
|
Key Goals
|
To correct inappropriate behaviour improve performable and
impact skills
|
To support and guide personal growth
|
Initiative
|
The coach directly directs the learning
|
The protégé is in charge of the learning
|
Volunteer
|
Volunteering not necessary (although agreement to
participate is essential)
|
Mentor and Protégé volunteer
|
Focus
|
Immediate problem and opportunities
|
Long-term personal career development
|
Roles
|
Heavy on telling with appropriate feedback
|
Heavy on listening, role modelling, making suggestions and
connecting
|
Duration
|
Short-term as needed
|
Long-term
|
Relationship
|
Coach is often the boss
|
Mentor is rarely the boss
|
See further reading below for references
APPLYING SPORT
COACHING TO BUSINESS CONTEXT
As a sports coach I am used to understanding aims and
methods and breaking these into processes and behaviours which I can analyse,
improve and measure.
Aim and method
Win British Championships by becoming faster, stronger,
better, more stamina, less injured, healthier.
Process and behaviours
May include sleeping, training, eating, resting, stretching,
thinking, planning, learning. I can analyse and measure fitness, power,
strength, efficiency and knowledge (of conditions, equipment, technique) and
much more.
Is it possible to compare business coaching with sport
coaching and hold them accountable for business performance as much as a sport
coach is responsible for athletic, team, national or Olympic performance?
Is it a step too far to hold the
coach accountable for delivering performance? It seems to me some people who
describe themselves as coaches are actually "mentors" or
"therapists”, more interested in the relationship and wellbeing of the
individual and won't think of themselves as responsible for performance
outcomes.
I am wondering if it is unreasonable
to judge a business coach by business performance, or indeed hold a coach
accountable for culture and behaviour of those they support on the basis of
their coaching interventions. This is what appears to happen in sport.
Should we not have the same for
business coaches?
THE CHANGE
MANAGEMENT KPIS OF A BUSINESS COACH
In a business context we may have
critical success factors [CSF] (clearly identified things that make a
difference) and key performance indicators [KPI] (clear measures that can be
applied to monitor and measure progress, improvement and performance).
In a change management environment,
we might look at values and behaviours, skills and competencies all of which
can be applied in a skills matrix which assess current ability and performance
and necessary changes.
Is there a way we can combine CSF and
KPI and matrixes above to form a structured and co-ordinated approach which
aligns people and process, values and behaviours, skills and competencies
sufficient to create the capacity, drive and desire to achieve the planned
changes and business performance?
Feedback and Discussion Welcome.
FURTHER READING
The Differences Between Coaching & Mentoring
http://www.management-mentors.com/resources/coaching-mentoring-differences
Coaching V. Mentoring
https://www.slideshare.net/wooded01/coaching-v-mentoring
6 Ways Of Measuring Coaching Effectiveness
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/6-ways-measure-coaching-effectiveness-ruma-biswas
Evaluating Coaching
https://diane-foster.com/articles-newsletters/025CanCoachingEffectivenessBeMeasuredBacon.pdf
Practical Methods for Evaluating Coaching
http://www.employment-studies.co.uk/system/files/resources/files/430.pdf
I am interested in this topic, if you have materials,
case-studies or references that you feel would be useful please get in contact.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Tim Rogers is a Qualified Change Practitioner and PRINCE2
Project Manager, with an MBA in Management Consultancy. Past projects have
included the incorporation of Ports of Jersey and Operations Change and Sales
Support for RBSI and NatWest. He is a tutor/lecturer for the Chartered
Management Institute.
