Mentoring, coaching and shadowing

There can sometimes be confusion about the similarities and differences between mentoring, coaching and shadowing partnerships. It is important to understand what each approach aims to achieve in developing staff, and how these activities may overlap. Deakin encourages the undertaking of any or all of these activities in the appropriate context, but managers and staff need to understand what each activity is about to select the most appropriate approach for your development.

Mentoring

Mentoring refers to a process whereby a staff member partners with a (typically) more senior, or longer serving member of staff to seek advice, council, opinion, knowledge, perspective or development in one or a number of topics, or for a number of reasons. The focus of a mentoring partnership is very much centred around developing the mentee according to their needs and goals.

The mentor's role is to provide guidance, knowledge, expertise and, if appropriate, training that works towards achieving the learning goals of the mentee. Mentees may seek a mentor for a number of reasons ranging from a desire to learn more about an organisation upon induction, through to guidance about achieving desired career paths.

Mentoring partnerships often exist for a determined period of time, but with the agreement of both mentor and mentee can continue over an extended period of time. Some mentoring partnerships may cease when the mentee feels they have achieved their goals, but be revived again later if the mentee feels that they could be developed in another area by the same mentor.

Coaching

Coaching is a more structured partnership that aims to develop a staff member in a very specific skill or task.

Where a mentor may be engaged by a staff member to assist with a range of topics, a coach is engaged as an expert and teacher to develop a staff member in a skill that is necessary for the effective undertaking of their current or future role. Development is focused on the individual, but is used to meet both a personal and organisational need.

A coaching partnership lasts for a very specific length of time, and is not usually an ongoing relationship. A coach can also be engaged to identify and work towards some specific and achievable goals designed to stretch you in an area that you may already have some knowledge and experience, but in which you wish to advance even further. Once an official coaching relationship has ceased, the partnership may, at the agreement of the staff member and the coach, take on the form of a mentoring relationship. The coach can then serve as a mentor to the staff member in the implementation, practice and use of the new skill they have been coached in.

Shadowing

Shadowing is a far less formal partnership than either mentoring or coaching.

Shadowing involves ‘walking in a person’s shoes’ for a particular length of time whether it be a single day, a week or several days or weeks spread over the course of a year. The idea behind shadowing another member of staff is to gain an understanding of what that particular person does, what issues they face, how their work is constructed, and how the work and demands of other areas impact their day to day operation and that of their business area.

There should be an agreement and understanding in the partnership about appropriate days, activities and events that are appropriate for a shadow to attend. Similarly, there will also need to be agreement about what information can be disclosed in that relationship.

For further information about any of the above please contact Ann Madigan, Senior Consultant, Staff Development, phone 68116.