ADVANCED PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Advanced Professional Development



Advanced Professional Development

Task 1

Describe the similarities of coaching and mentoring.

Mentoring- is known as the transfer of wisdom and has a protégé or mentee that takes an interest in their career path. The protégé is guided and advised by the mentor who has worn the same shoes and traveled the same path, usually someone older and wiser. The mentor guides, persuades, and encourages a person to reach their full potential in life, in a position in an organization or in a career.

Mentors who may be immediate superiors are helpful in career developments of the individual, and in some cases guidance is provided by executives or managers higher up in the organization. The higher level superiors guide, advise, and encourage employees of a lesser rank in these situations.

On the other hand coaching is more specific for teaching of skills to the coachee or trainee. It is a transfer of skills and a one on one development of the trainee's own knowledge and thought process. It also emphasizes the development of individual and team skills, and creates a supportive environment which encourages and motivates the coachee. Coaching is on a personal level and illustrates persistently until success is achieved. The personal qualities of the coachee are developed and facilitated.

Mentor

1) A mentor needs a level of experience to reach or achieve the individual/team's goal and need to know what the mentee is experiencing to have a level of mutual understanding between each other. This allows a better level of measurement of the mentee as they can comprehend the 'experience' of the mentor which will build confidence performance levels for the mentee. For example, if a mentee needs a mentor's help in a crisis the mentee will know that they have someone there to help and not feel uncomfortable or intimidated to ask for guidance or advice.

2) Generally, a mentor is older and wiser than the mentee, and to be a good mentor means that they have the experience and knowledge to help develop the individual/team's skills. This represents the mentor's status or position in the organization. If the mentor seems too young, the mentee may feel intimidated and feel unsuited to the whole mentoring situation.

3) A good mentor must be supportive to the individual/team through 'thick and thin' situations. A mentor that doesn't care about the mentee or their goals and tasks will not have a successful relationship. Encouragement and support is needed to instill confidence and build character in the individual/team. The mentor must believe in their protégé and the protégé must be aware that the mentor believes in them.

Coach

1) To understand the goal of the individual/team will determine whether the coach is good. The coach must understand and know why and what they are needed for, therefore clarification is essential in knowing the need and goal of their job. This may prove especially important when using an external coach to the organization. The task at hand must be understood by both coaches internally and externally to the ...