How Coaching and Mentoring Works: The Benefits of Using a Coach or Mentor (Part 3)

Part 3 of 3:

Coaching and Mentoring Development

Coaching and Mentoring Training

As we said earlier, the list is endless when it comes to 'stuff' around coaching and mentoring. There are stacks of training courses, programmes, qualifications, certificates and workshops all claiming to provide you with the skills needed to become a coach and/or mentor.

We can't say which of these is any good. There are some essentials to look for when finding the right training for you.

No promises about outcomes It shouldn't cost the earth It needs to have a high degree of integrity It should be practical and experiential You should feel a compatibility with the people running it You should be given lots of individual suggestions on how to develop yourself as a coach/mentor Trust your tummy! Meet up before you sign up and ask lots of questions.

An example of someone who's 'doing it'

We can, however, give you an insight into one of the people within Impact Factory who is a coach and mentor and the range of skills she has which help her do the job.

Jo Ellen Grzyb, one of the founding partners, has an eclectic background, which we believe is a good place to start when thinking about training to become a coach and mentor.

We say this because the more experience you have, obviously, the more you bring to the job.

Jo Ellen has worked in the business and arts communities in one form or another, and on both sides of the Atlantic, for 30 years. She trained as a psychotherapist and ran career development courses for a number of years before founding Impact Factory with Robin Chandler 14 years ago.

She has had years of personal psychotherapy and has a monthly session with her own supervisor. She has also changed careers a number of times and has real insight into how to 'take the plunge' and move one when something isn't working well.

She writes, appears on radio and telly.

She's a brilliant networker and isn't particularly self-deprecating about what she can offer people.

Through all her years of experience, one consistent theme has been her focus on enabling other people to do their work better.

Most importantly, she has never sat around waiting for someone else to make it happen for her - she's just gone and done it, success or failure being far less important than the doing.

All of that makes her excellent in her role as a coach and mentor.

So what's the point?

Why we've given you that thumbnail sketch is that we get lots of enquiries from people wanting to become coaches and mentors who are looking for someone else to make it happen for them.

That ain't going to work.

If you want to train as a coach and mentor, you need to take a good, impartial look at yourself to see if you've got what it takes.

Remember earlier we said that everyone seems to getting on the coaching and mentoring bandwagon? Well, we feel pretty strongly that a lot of them should get off. Having said that, the profession is open for good, committed people.

You may be one of them.

Using a Coach or Mentor

How do I get one?

As we can see there's no shortage of people wanting to become coaches and mentors. But what if you want to use one. Where do you begin?

Of course, the best place to look is your workplace. If they already have a corporate coaching and mentoring programme that you aren't accessing, get yourself to HR ASAP and ask to be assigned one.

You could also look around your company and identify someone you think would make an excellent coach or mentor and ask them if they'd be willing.

Using either a formal or informal approach is equally effective. The key is working with someone you like, admire and with whom you feel comfortable.

Anything else I should be aware of?

There are a few important things that will help you make the most of your coach or mentor.

Meet with them on a regular basis - whether fortnightly, monthly, quarterly, etc Set clear objectives Rely on them for guidance, not answers Be honest A mentor isn't a dumping ground

Using a coach or mentor is one of the best ways to develop yourself and is a great way not to have to go it alone.

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About the Author

Jo Ellen and Robin run Impact Factory a training company who provide Coaching and Mentoring, Public Speaking, Presentation Skills, Communications Training, Leadership Development and Executive Coaching for Individuals.

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