Developing Coaching and Mentoring - Essay Example

1 Emmanuel Thomas 5 Developing Coaching and Mentoring 2 Introduction Coaching and Mentoring are indelible hallmarks that serve to be great assets to any professional organization. In the long run, coaching and mentoring is highly beneficial not only to the ‘mentee’ but also to the mentor and the organization at large. Such useful and wholistic programs are developed and conducted by professionals who help novices in the field, to learn and inculcate new skills, by giving them a sense of direction, while keeping in mind the goals and objectives of the organization. In this study, an attempt is being made to examine the various mentoring models and evaluate its usefulness and effectiveness within a talent development framework. To achieve the above objective the report follows the chartered institute of personnel and development (CIPD) assessment activity. Five different models of coaching and mentoring were evaluated. Models assessed include; Boyatzis, iceberg, 5Rsdiagram, RAM model, and wheels of good practices. Boyatzis Model for Intentional Change Richard Boyatzis’ model is based on a formula that he had developed that involved the intention to change stage to a long lasting behavioural change. According to Boyatzis (2008) an individual can achieve sustainable change only if he envisions the ideal self. In fact, the Boyatzis Model necessitates an honest assessment of oneself if it is to prove effective within the organization. This model transforms the behaviour of the individual and in doing so, epitomizes his skills, abilities and vision that would prove indispensable in a professional organization. 3 The Boyatzis Model The above model by Boyatzis has many strengths such as giving individuals a sense of direction and responsibility, developing their skills, abilities and capabilities, helps them conceptualize things and become more proactive and self – confident about their work. The weaknesses, though few, depends upon the individuals themselves. These include, the background they come from, the language they speak, their ability to converse and move with other individuals of different backgrounds, their beliefs and customs etc. 4 However, through coaching and mentoring many changes for the better can be brought about and individuals can prove their high potential in the organization by making necessary changes and adjustments. The Iceberg Model Sigmund Freud’s ‘Iceberg Model’ depicts three levels of human consciousness, where the unconscious mind is the biggest part, but it is repressed. According to Freud, this repressed or hidden part, it is most influential. The second part is the mid section that is influenced to a certain extent by the brain. The third part is the conscious portion that we make use of o a daily basis and this is the portion responsible for all our thoughts and actions. In Freud’s opinion, all our thoughts and actions are influenced by the hidden unconscious mind. 5 Freud’s Iceberg Model can be made use of within an organization to tap the hidden potentialities of individuals through coaching and mentoring and make them more conscious of their knowledge, skills and capabilities and help them to become more skilled, responsible and productive. 5Rs Diagram Model The 5Rs Model is a lifelong learning model that has five important attributes which are - 1)Readiness, 2) Resourcefulness, 3) Resilience, 4) Responsibility and 5) Reflection. The chief premise of this model is to prepare and train young aspirants to keep learning effectively in a lifelong process. Through mentoring and coaching the 5Rs model can be used successfully within the organization to make individuals more resourceful and responsible by preparing them to carry on learning throughout their lives. If such an attitude is developed, they would always be physically and mentally prepared and ready to learn new skills which in turn would serve to make them more resilient and responsible within an organization. It would also help them to reflect on their behaviour and actions and take steps to improve themselves at the workplace. Relevance/Alignment/Measurement (RAM) Model The Relevance/Alignment/Measurement Model is also commonly referred to as the RAM Model and is considered to be an extremely useful tool in the development of learning and skills. Some of the important concepts of the RAM Model are as follows – 6 Relevance: Refers to the ability of designing a model for purposes of solving problems and developing individual capabilities. Alignment: The model should be so aligned, as to meet the specific needs of the organization and its stakeholders. Meaningful measures: The right use of metrics and measures so as to maximize performance within the organization, without just relying on investment returns. The RAM Model would be a great tool and asset within the organization as it serves to develop the abilities, skills and capabilities of those employed and also maximizes the performance of the organization at large through its meaningful and properly aligned metric system. Coaching and Mentoring Core Competencies Employees involved in coaching and mentoring in the organization must have certain core competencies and attributes for them to be effective coaches and mentors. Ennis et al. (2004), states that an effective coach should show maturity, self-confidence, integrity, positive energy, active listening, assertiveness, and interpersonal sensitivity. Moreover the coach and mentor should be goal oriented, shows openness and flexibility, and continuous learning capabilities. Openness and flexibility means that the coach is able to appreciate perspectives different from his own, appreciate different cultures and values, and feel comfortable to deal with high level ambiguity 7 Coaches who belong to the organization as well as those who come from outside should first of all have an impartial attitude to those undergoing training by being fair and giving everyone a fair access to what is being taught. In addition, coaches should have a positive attitude and a willingness to encourage constructive feedback and use it in the future to make his coaching more meaningful and effective. Coaching and Mentoring Supervision Supervision is a very important concept within an organization, and it is referred as a structured formal process, whereby a coaching supervisor is able to improve the quality of the coaching procedures, undertaken by the coaches. Hawkins and Smith (2006) outline three main functions of effective coaching supervision as being: Qualitative, Developmental and Resourcing. Qualitative: Ensures that the specific needs of the organization are taken into consideration and a high standard of coaching and mentoring are set within a framework to be effective and achieve the aims and objectives of the organization. Developmental: Keeping in mind the ethical community, a good support system should be kept in place so that all individuals are encouraged equally and are capable of developing their skills, abilities and capabilities without any hindrance and thereby serve the organization in a more effective and profitable manner. Resourcing: Resourcing is a good idea as this practice supports the exchange of 8 skills and methodology between internal and external coaches who are in a position to share and disseminate their ideas for a more effective learning process. This combined effort on the part of those learning and the coaches would help to reflect a healthy atmosphere within the organization. Wheels of Good Practice CIPD (2006) identified good practices for coaching supervision. According to the wheels of good practice model coaching supervision CIPD (2006): Takes place on a regular basis- to allow coaches to attend satisfactorily to the span and complexity of their training work; Focuses on client, organisation and coach needs-to enhance the coach’s understanding of the dynamics of coach–client system and the client–organisation system; Provides continuous professional development to the coach-assist the coach to link theory with practice; Assures quality coaching-reduces the risk of unethical practice while ensuring that coaches perform to their best for their clients and the organisation; Provides support for the coach-enables the coach to be aware of limits on his capabilities and to keep feelings at bay; therefore serving the client objectively; 9 Generates organisational learning-coaching sessions provide a lot of information about the organization. If this information is harnessed properly, it provides good organizational learning. Manages ethical and confidentiality boundaries-provides for a platform for the client coach and supervisor to increase their ethical development. Balances individual, group and peer supervision-encourages the use of both individual and group sessions to optimize the coaching benefits. The ADDIE model The ADDIE Model is an important instructional design and project management tool consisting of five steps and they are: Analyze- Analyze the different teams within the organizations and its individuals and collect as much information as you can on them. According to Danks (2011) it is necessary that an analysis is conducted at this stage. Following the analysis, talent development programs can be conducted for individuals, units or teams. Design- Identify key learning goals that specifically need to be incorporated for specific skills and knowledge within the talent development program for individuals, units or teams. 10 Ascertain results—Assess the results of specific development programs and make changes in order to suit the skills and capabilities of individuals, so it would be more feasible and effective for the organization. Develop – Developing instructional and strategic programs to suit different individuals or teams while keeping in mind the objectives of the organization as well as its logistics. Implement – Implementing effective training programs by challenging the skills and capacity of the learners. Evaluate – Evaluate the various teaching- learning programs and gauging the same to see if the objectives of the organization are achieved. According to Megginson, (2005) the impact or effectiveness of any program over a given period of time, is based on morale, performance, initiative and innovation of the employees. Supporting my TDP through Talent Development Programs In order that an organization is successful, Talent Development Programs (TDP) prove to be indispensable for the mere fact, that they are effective in producing better employees by developing their skills, abilities and capabilities. TDP also serve to improve the learning capacity of individuals by constantly challenging their knowledge and skills on a regular basis. TDP programs also help to bridge the social gap by providing a healthy platform for interaction with different ethnic groups. 11 Conclusion Mentoring and Coaching within an organization, serves to be beneficial not only to the individual but to the organization itself. Most of the models discussed above have their own strengths and weaknesses. However, most of them can be utilized at different stages of learning depending on the individuals or units who are undergoing training. Any successful organization has to be proactive, creative and have an open mind to change. It is at this juncture, that TDP Programs come to prove useful and effective for training loyal employees who are dedicated and willing to improve their prospects within the organization. 12 References Akrivou, K, Boyatzis, R. E, & McLeod, P. L 2006, The evolving group: Towards a prescriptive theory of intentional group development. Journal of Management Development, 689–709. Boyzatis, R. E 2006, Intentional change theory from a complexity perspective. Journal of Management Development, 25,pp.607–623. http://www.case.edu/provost/ideal/doc/Boyatzis_2006_intentional_change.pdf Boyatzis,R.E 2008, Leadership development from a Complexity Perspective: Consulting Psychology Journal: Practice and Research vol.60,NO.4,pp.298-313. http://insightu.net/content/pdf/leadershipdevelopment.pdf Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development 2004, Coaching and buying services. ,http://www.cipd.co.uk/NR/rdonlyres/ Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development 2006, Coaching Supervision: Maximising the potential of coaching, Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development 2009, Promoting Learning in adversity, Clutterbuck,D and Megginson,D2005, Making Coaching Work ,Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, http://shop.cipd.co.uk/shop/bookshop/media/cms/pdf/bookstorepdfs/making-Coaching-\work---sample-chapter.pdf Danks,S 2011 The ADDIE Model: Designing, Evaluating, Instructional Coach Effectiveness ,ASQ Primary and Secondary Education Brief vol.4,NO.5. https://asq.org/edu/2011/09/process-management/the-addie-model-designing-evaluating-instructional-coach-effectiveness.pdf Ennis et al.2005 Core Competencies of the Executive Coach. http://www.instituteofcoaching.org/images/articles/model905.pdf Hawkins, P and Smith, N 2006, Coaching, mentoring and organizational consultancy: supervision and development, Open University Press, Maidenhead. Spencer, L.M. Jr., Spencer, S 1993, Competence at work: Models for superior performance, John Wiley &Sons, Inc. http://www.campaignforlearning.org.uk/c fl/assets/documents/Research/5Rs%20Diagram. MHS Psychology Blog: Freud’s Iceberg Theory. Retrieved from web from: www.mhspsychology.blogspot.co.uk/2005/12/freuds-iceberg-theory.html   The 5Rs of Lifelong Learning – Campaign for Learning. Retrieved from web from: www.campaign-for-learning.org.uk/cfl/learninginschools/l2l/5rs. Read More