Coaching & Mentoring 101  
What to expect when working with a coach or mentor

There is no shortage of professional development opportunities to learn just about any topic you want in support of your organization's goals. The problem is that absorbing all that new information and really taking action specific to your situation can be tricky. Let's face it: DIY ("do-it-yourself") has a time and place, but sometimes you need a learning environment that is customized to your specific needs. That's where coaching and mentoring come in.
 

Shorten Your Learning Curve

Even if you're quite adept at gleaning information through books and workshops, when you're facing a steep learning curve, working with a coach or mentor can decrease that curve from 3 years to 6 months, for example. That means an earlier return on your investment, faster results, and a competitive edge.

Clients of mine in both my coaching and mentoring programs approach situations with greater confidence, clarity, and enthusiasm for behavior that previously made them uncomfortable or nervous. One client, for example, told me recently that when we began working together, she was "clueless" about how she'd develop a corporate sponsorship program, rating herself a "1" on a scale of 10. By the end of six months, she graded herself a "6" and felt confident moving forward on a clear path ahead.
 

10 Considerations

If you're curious about whether coaching or mentoring might be appropriate for you, here are 10 considerations based on my experiences both coaching or mentoring clients and being the coached/mentored.

1. Empathy. You want to work with someone who understands where you're coming from, not just intellectually but emotionally as well. However, you want the person to challenge, inspire, and support you during your learning and growing, not get caught up in your challenges. Sometimes, you may also need the person to put her foot down so you get a clear message that changing the particular behavior is necessary.
2. Credentials. You want someone who's 'been there, done that.' For example, if you need coaching assistance selling sponsorship, you want to know that your coach has sold sponsorship for years - not just read about it - and can help you navigate the ins and outs and quickly apply her expertise to your situation.
3. Confidence. You want someone who is confident about the road ahead, not wishy-washy; someone who will ask good questions and answer yours with pithy, useful, relevant information that you can act on immediately.
4. Trust.  You must feel you can trust the person to have your best interests at heart at all times. Your coach may not tell you what you want to hear - if they did, why would you hire a coach or mentor? ­­- but you must be able to trust that the recommendation is aligned with your best interests. Of course you are free to accept or reject the advice.
5. Reliable. Coupled with trust is reliability. You want someone you can count on to return your calls in a reasonable amount of time, respond to emails rapidly, review materials and support your navigation through negotiations, strategizing, material development, and other timely issues.
6. Receptivity. You must be open to feedback, to new ideas, to making change to your behavior, and to trying new things. Otherwise what's the point?
7. Action. You have to apply your new learning and take action to integrate the knowledge.
8. Commitment. Make a commitment to yourself. That's what you're doing when you invest in coaching. You're enhancing your own skills and competencies which serve you in your present situation and ongoing in your life and career.
9. Financial investment. Tied to that is the financial investment. Some coaches charge by the hour, others through a single investment. If you're paying by the hour, you're always wondering if you're really getting your money's worth, whether your question is really worth the money. With a single investment and unlimited access to your coach or mentor, you seek out the assistance and guidance more fervently because you don't have to question the value. That means more demonstrable results for you.
10. Start where you are. Identify what your needs are, what you need assistance with, what you'd like to focus on. Then, make a plan with your coach or mentor to get the wheels in motion. Mentoring tends to be more self-directed, so you learn what you need. Coaching is both self-directed and also guided by your coach and your mutual agreement on the outcomes you'd like to experience.
     

How would you benefit from coaching or mentoring? Who do you turn to for advice on sponsorship, strategic, or branding issues? Who can you confide in about your uncertainties or doubts about moving through a challenge ahead?

Please consider me a resource.

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Guest Article

Meet my friend and colleague Roberta Chinsky Matuson, a prolific writer, executive coach, and consultant, specializing in HR. In celebration of her new book, Suddently in Charge: Managing Up, Managing Down, Succeeding All Around, Roberta offers some great ideas on building staff skills.

It's Time to Put Training Back on the Menu

Click to download a bonus chapter. Select "Read" next to the book image.

It's been a tough few years for many organizations, but even more so for non-profits who rely on the goodwill of others to survive. It's no surprise that training and development in this sector has come to a grinding halt. Thankfully, we are seeing signs of light at the end of the tunnel. Now is the time to consider what is needed in order to move your organization forward again. Here are some ideas to get you started.

Less is more

I've always been a huge proponent of less is more. I prefer to leave a restaurant slightly full, not overstuffed. Organizations that sell training programs have you believing that you have to have the whole enchilada in order to be satisfied. I say, begin with a bite and see how you feel.

Lunch and learns are the perfect way to whet people's appetites. These are sessions where speakers are brought in to discuss the latest trends or to provide skill-based training to a group of people who have expressed interest in a particular topic.

Here's an off-the-menu item that you probably didn't know existed. Many experts, who are authors, will reduce or waive their speaker fees in return for an organization purchasing a minimum number of books. This is a great way to stretch your budget while filling people's hunger for knowledge.

Start your own book club

If Oprah can do it, so can you! Ask people in your company to recommend their favorite business books. Select a book a month and host a session where people can share their findings. For those who are eco-friendly, consider purchasing Kindles for participants, as this will cut down on the cost of purchasing books as well as what winds up in our landfills.

The communal table

Perhaps you don't have enough people to start a learning and development program. Nor can you afford to have your staff for off-site meetings that last for days. Consider pooling your resources. Here's an example of how this might work. Suppose you know of several Directors at other non-profits who, like yourself, have people who have just been promoted into management. You could suggest to your contemporaries the idea of setting up a program that will rotate between your locations. Your people benefit from being able to exchange ideas with like-minded people while you get the benefit of workers who are ready and able to try out their new skills.

Feed your star performers

Most organizations tend to provide training and development to those whose skills are lacking. Sometimes this strategy works, but in most cases, it's simply throwing good money after employees who will never shine. Now imagine what would happen if you made your best employee better!

World-class organizations provide executive coaching to a select group of people who are their stars. They recognize this investment will have a much larger payoff than if they were to take this money and divide it evenly.

Look around your organization. Who are your star performers? Has it been a while since you nourished them? Find an executive coach who can help them beef up their performance.

Studies show that one of the key drivers of employee engagement and retention is an employee's perception regarding their organization's willingness to invest in them. If it's been a while since you've fed your people's souls, this is indeed the perfect time to serve up an order of learning and development that can put a boost back into your organization's performance.

The economy is turning around and people are beginning to review their satisfaction levels with their current employers. Now would be an excellent time to remind your employees why a seat at your table is indeed the best seat in town.

© 2011 Human Resource Solutions. All rights reserved.

Roberta Chinsky Matuson is the President of Human Resource Solutions (www.yourhrexperts.com) and author of the highly acclaimed book Suddenly in Charge: Managing Up, Managing Down, Succeeding All Around,  Sign up to receive a complimentary subscription to Roberta's monthly newsletter, HR Matters.

As companies reorganize and reengineer, thousands of people are finding themselves tossed into management every day. The key to success is managing effectively both up and down the line of the organization. And Suddenly in Charge provides this unique approach with two books in one: read it one direction and you'll find all the tips and tools you need to manage down and establish credibility with your team; flip the book over and you'll find success strategies for managing up, the key to managing your reputation and your career. With a foreword by Alan Weiss, bestselling author of Million-Dollar Consulting, this handy little book is a must-have resource to help the new manager truly shine from day one.  

8 Common Marketing Communications Mistakes and How to Avoid Them. Wed., February 23, 2011, 1-4 p.m. Carlisle Area Health & Wellness Foundation. Info.