COACHING AND MENTORING Bob Thomson Warwick Business School 20 November 2013

Directive and non-directive behaviours   Asking open questions that raise awareness Giving advice Giving feedback Instructing Listening to understand Making suggestions Offering guidance Paraphrasing by rephrasing the client’s words Reflecting back using the client’s own words Summarising an extended piece of conversation

A range of mentoring approaches DIRECTIVE Instructing Giving advice Offering guidance Giving feedback Making suggestions Summarising Paraphrasing Reflecting Asking questions that raise awareness Listening to understand NON-DIRECTIVE PUSH: Solving someone’s problem for them PULL: Helping someone solve their own problem

WHERE DO YOU OPERATE?   On a scale of 1 (completely directive) to 10 (completely non-directive) where do you operate as a mentor on the directive to non-directive spectrum? Share in pairs. 

MOVING ALONG THE SPECTRUM   In groups, consider these questions: Under what circumstances is it helpful to operate at the directive end of the spectrum? Under what circumstances is it helpful to operate at the non-directive end of the spectrum?

DEFINITION OF MENTORING   Mentoring is a long-term relationship that meets a developmental need. A mentor facilitates personal and professional growth in an individual by sharing the knowledge and insights that have been learned through the years. Simply put, mentors are people who help others to succeed.

ALTERNATIVE DEFINITION OF MENTORING   Mentoring is a relationship in which the mentor draws on their experience, expertise and knowledge to support and guide a less experienced person in order to enhance their performance or encourage their development.

DEFINITION OF COACHING   Coaching is a relationship of rapport and trust in which the coach uses their ability to listen, to ask questions and to play back what the client has communicated in order to help the client to clarify what matters to them and to work out what to do to achieve their aspirations.

Awareness + Responsibility = Performance

CLARIFYING PURPOSE AND INTENTION Think of a particular mentee of yours. What is the purpose of your mentoring relationship? What does your mentee need from you as a mentor? What do you do that helps your mentee? What do you do that is less helpful for your mentee? What will you do differently? Share in pairs.

CARL ROGERS’ CORE CONDITIONS Actualising tendency present in every living organism – the tendency to grow, to develop, to realize its full potential… Congruence: being genuine, being real, sharing feelings and attitudes, not hiding behind a facade Unconditional positive regard: non-judgemental acceptance and valuing of the other, in a total not conditional way Empathy: understanding the other’s feelings and experience, and also communicating that understanding  

TRANSACTIONAL ANALYSIS PARENT, ADULT AND CHILD EGO STATES CRITICAL NURTURING PARENT PARENT ADULT ADAPTED FREE CHILD CHILD

TRANSACTIONS

MENTORING IN AN EDUCATIONAL CONTEXT In groups, consider these questions: What is distinctive about mentoring in an educational context? What are the implications for how you act as a mentor?

REFLECTION AND ACTION PLANNING What are the key points you are taking from this session? What will you do differently as a mentor?