Coaching & Mentoring for Better Performance

09 October 2013, Singapore: I would like to share this article that focus on coaching and mentoring for better performance ... aka "performance coaching". This article is written by Amie Martin from Demand Media. The article focus on how small business can benefit from coaching and mentoring but the concept is still applicable from professional managers and team leaders.

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The success of your small business is largely dependent on the talent surrounding you and their loyalty and commitment to your mission. Coaching and mentoring may foster both once you understand the subtle differences between coaching and mentoring and make your own commitment to support either or both efforts.

Annual Performance Evaluations

Both coaching and mentoring go beyond the traditional annual employee evaluation, which is typically given from the top down and may be summarized as follows: Here is what you did well, here is what you didn't do well, here are your goals, and see you next year. The traditional evaluation model leaves an employee with feedback and an entire year to falter or rise on her own. Coaching and mentoring, on the other hand, is more relationship based and involves ongoing or periodic interaction between an employee and her supervisor, coach or mentor --- these roles may overlap --- leading to talent nurturing and growth and preventing an unnecessary time lapse between annual evaluation feedback.

Coaching and Mentoring

Both coaching and mentoring involve one-on-one, active, ongoing participation between the leader and student in a partnership. Though the terms are often used interchangeably, there are differences between coaching and mentoring. Coaching is result- and task/project-oriented; it's often short term and assigned. Mentoring, on the other hand, is a long-term commitment with a broader range, including guidance toward professional education and career choices; the relationship is usually organic. Both have value to business organizations of any size, but mentoring is specifically valuable in small businesses with high and long-term retention, where a subject-matter expert takes a novice under his wing and both guides and inspires him throughout his growth in the business.

Benefits

Talent and knowledge base are keys to small-business success, but they may slip through your fingers if employees meeting these criteria move on to other ventures. Either coaching or mentoring may significantly and positively impact employee retention. Though there are differences between the two roles, both may foster company commitment and loyalty and contribute to the reduction of turnover, recruitment and repetitive training of new employees. The partnership mentality of coaching or mentoring may lead to employees feeling more like teammates in your business, which, in turn, may increase their motivation. Once an employee is personally, as well as professionally, invested in your mission and you can continue to foster it and his growth, it can meld with your business and you can both reap rewards.

Considerations

Coaching and mentoring takes time. If you recognize the potential rewards, allow your potential coaches or mentors within your business the time away from other responsibilities to foster the necessary relationships and cross-training to fulfill the commitment.