According to Whetton and Cameron (2016), coaching is the "interpersonal communication used by managers to pass along advice and information or to set standards for subordinates." (p. 196) If I am going to be a leader or manager, I also am going to need to learn how to coach. So what is the best way to learn how to coach? To be coached.
When you think of mentorship, coaching or learning from those that are wiser you may get a mental image of Mr. Miyagi from The Karate Kid. You may think of Rocky Balboa's coach, Mickey. When I think of a coach and mentor, I think of my husband. He knows me better than anyone else on this earth. He knows when I am having a good day. He knows when I am having a bad day. More importantly, he knows how to help me achieve my best.
When it comes to providing mentorship to employees, I will need to use the same techniques my husband utilizes to help me succeed. I will need to employ compassion without compromising my values. I will need to show mutual respect and regard to teach employees how best to manage their own behaviors when they hopefully become leaders one day.
Without mentorship and coaching there is a great potential for stagnation in personal development and career development. By having someone there along the way helping you set and reach your goals, telling you to get back up and fight harder for your dreams, you are providing a level of accountability for yourself that surpasses any personal efforts for attainment.
When researching the impact of mentoring relationships I found there is a division in thinking. Some feel that the mentor relationship stifles upward movement for the protege, while others believe it is a necessary stepping stone to leadership. An anonymous, but very wise author noted, "However mentorship is perceived and utilized, it remains an essential component of effective knowledge transfer, well-planned career development and professional networking." (Anonymous, 2010)
The greatest lesson I have learned about mentorship is that we are all on a journey. At times we may be on an upward climb. Other times we may feel we are backsliding. It is the mentor that is a support during both the climb and the fall. By having someone there with you there is a greater sense of safety and an understanding that you are never alone.
Anonymous (2010). The importance of mentoring for individuals and organizations. Development and Learning in Organizations, 24(3), 27-30. doi:http://dx.doi.org.ezproxy.libproxy.db.erau.edu/10.1108/14777281011037281
Whetten, D. A., Cameron, K. S. (2016), Developing management skills (Ninth edition). Pearson Education, Inc.
No comments:
Post a Comment