Use of Coaching, Mentoring and shadowing

Overview

A mentor is someone who shares their knowledge, skills and experience to help another to develop and grow. Mentoring is often directed with the mentor taking the lead and guiding the individual with their learning. Mentors are often in the same work area as yourself (but may be higher up in the structure or could be a “peer”).  As you learn to develop in your role, you may wish to seek out a mentor to learn more.  The mentor may be someone who you respect or aspire to.  A mentor may also stay with you as you move roles or change careers as the relationship you have built will be based on similar skills and experience.

Coaching is someone who can provide guidance to a person on their goals and helps them to reach their full potential. They will ask questions, build trust and confidence for you to share concerns or ambitions. The coach will help you find a solution, rather than provide it for you

Shadowing is an effective learning tool when you want to find out about someone’s role, skill set or area of work.  It is often short term. Shadowing is often useful when you want to find out about other career or job opportunities or what it feels like to work in another organisation.

Why is this important

Mentoring and coaching are two different things, but both can be useful, and powerful in their own right.  They can both be effective learning techniques and often lead to an individual’s increased motivation and engagement.

Supporting an employee to find a mentor or encourage the individual to take the opportunity of coaching often aids retention of the employee.

Coaching can often assist when considering changing roles, or facing uncertainty or providing an external point of contact for discussion.

Work shadowing is a common way for people to learn.  Shadowing, as with coaching and mentoring, are additional learning techniques and are not governed by grade or status within an organisation.

Skills Review

Having completed this sub-topic I will understand the importance of these skills.

• I will consider whether and how a coach or mentor may assist with my personal development and seek out opportunities to shadow other members of the team/organisation.