ILM Level 5 Certificate in Coaching and Mentoring
Preparatory material for Workshop One – Days 1 & 2
Wherever possible and where it is appropriate, we will aim to follow the ILM Level 5 Coaching and Mentoring indicative content so that you can see what you have covered. Much of the pre work will be about reading and capturing your understanding about the subject matter. Having completed the reading and preparatory learning, at the workshop you can discuss and share your learning with other participants and add learning points in your workbook under the relevant section.
You will be given your workbook on Day 1 of the workshop, it is loose-leafed to make it flexible and easy to use, and so that you can adapt it to your own learning style and ways of recording information. It also allows you to add additional materials, hand outs and articles that can be inserted as you go through the programme learning.You will also receive copies of your 2 recommended books: The Internal Coach – the Inside Story by Katharine St John-Brooks and the Little Book of BIG CoachingModels by Bob Bates.
Your preparatory work should take no more than 4 hours to complete.
Once you have completed the pre-work materials, please print off the document and bring it with you to workshop one so that you can insert it into your programme manual.
What you need to do
Please read the Welcome Pack and refer to your Webinar Briefing slides.
On the morning of Day 1 we will go through the ILM programme requirements so please come along with any questions or queries you have about the programme so that you are clear about what is expected.
Questions I have about the ILM programme
Please now complete the pre-work activities included in this document
- Understanding the similarities and differences between coaching and mentoring
- Exploring the different models of coaching and mentoring
- Consider the knowledge, skills and behaviour required of an effective coach/mentor
- Completing the coaching diagnostic
- Read about learning styles and complete the learning styles questionnaire
- Thinking of a particular issue or challenge you would like to be coached or mentored on at the first workshop
- What is the difference between coaching and mentoring?
To start the learning process we need to have a clear understanding about what we mean by coaching and mentoring and other developmental methods and what we use them for.
Here are 2 coaching definitions
“Coaching is unlocking a person’s potential to maximise their own performance. It is helping them to learn rather than teaching them.”
Timothy Gallwey, 'The Inner Game of Tennis'
“The manager or coach must think of his people in terms of their potential not of their performance….to get the best out of people we have to believe the best is in there.”
John Whitmore, Coaching for Performance.
Here are 2 mentoring definitions
"Mentoring is a supportive learning relationship between a caring individual who shares knowledge, experience and wisdom with another individual who is ready and willing to benefit from this exchange, to enrich their professional journey".
Suzanne Faure
“A confidential, one to one relationship in which an individual uses a more experienced, usually more senior person as a sounding board and for guidance. It is a protected, non-judgmental relationship, which facilitates a wide range of learning, experimentation and development.”
Industrial Society (now the Work Foundation)
Having considered the definitions for coaching and mentoring- take a look on the internet and find some definitions for yourself.
Make a note below of what these definitions are:
Summarise the similarities and differences between coaching and mentoring so that you can share these with your colleagues at the workshop
Having explored the differences between coaching and mentoring - what benefits will both these developmental approaches offer you, your colleagues and the organisation you work for?
2. Exploring the different models of coaching and mentoring
There are numerous coaching and mentoring models and approaches available to you as a coaching and mentoring practitioner. To help you get started here are 2 models:
The GROW Modelfor coaching
This is deservedly one of the best known and widely used coaching models. It provides a simple yet powerful framework for navigating a route through a coaching session, as well as providing a means of finding your way when you get lost in the process.
It is described in a number of coaching books, including John Whitmore’s “Coaching for Performance" book. GROW is an acronym for Goal, current Reality, Options and Will – which are seen as the four key elements of a coaching session.
The four stages of GROW
Firstly, a session must have a Goal or outcome to be achieved. The goal should be as specific as possible and it must be possible to measure whether it has been achieved. So, having identified the goal, questions like "How will you know that you have achieved that goal?" are useful here.
As well as knowing where you are trying to get to, you need to know where you are starting from - the current Reality. It is surprising how often this is the key part of a coaching session and that by just seeing clearly the situation (rather than what was thought or imagined to be the situation), the resolution becomes obvious and straightforward.
Once you know where you are and where you want to go, the next step is to explore what Options you have for getting there. A useful metaphor for GROW is a map: once you know where you are going (the goal) and where you are (current reality), you can explore possible ways of making the journey (options) and choose the best.
But this in itself is not enough - you must also have the motivation or Will to make the journey. The "W" is often taken to stand for a number of other elements of a session, all of which are important. Myles Downey in his book "Effective Coaching" suggests it stands for "Wrap-up"; others have it standing for What, Where, Why, When and How. But whatever is emphasised, the desired outcome from this stage is a commitment to action.
The GROW process has been presented sequentially here. In practice, it is a much less linear process which may start anywhere and revisit each of the stages several times. Often when I have lost my way in a session or got stuck, I turn to The GROW Model to check out where I need to put my attention.
The GROW Model illustrated:
GROW Model ‘Tips’
- Use more ask than tell
- Use open questions
- Beware of using WHY? as this has been shown to put people on the defensive
- Elicit ideas
- Think creatively – not just systematically
- Illustrate and check understanding
- Cite own experiences
- Follow up, review, identify what worked well
- Continue round the cycle if needs be
Rolfe’s Mentoring model and process
What Do Mentors Do?
Develop insight
Identify development needs
Expand possibilities
Support and affirm
Stimulate thinking
Build independence
Build rapport/trust
Listen/question
Offer another perspective
Give/receive feedback
Share wisdom
Empower
The Mentoring Process
The role of the mentor is to build rapport, ask questions, listen and elicit the mentee’s own wisdom. The mentoring conversation invites the mentee to reflect on their own experience with a situation, issue or problem, then gather information from a variety of sources (perhaps including the mentor), sort through options and decide on a course action, plan and implement it.
Reviewing the results continues the learning cycle. When mentoring is approached in this way, it is the mentor’s questioning skills that extend and enhance the mentee’s thinking processes. The mentee does not become dependent; they develop independent critical thinking. The mentee is empowered, having come up with his or her own answers. They also take responsibility for their actions. Having explored possible consequences of actions, they are less vulnerable.
The Mentoring Mindset
Traditional mentoring grew from the concept of the older and wiser guiding the young and aspiring. Masters and apprentices, patrons and protégés and mastermind (expert/novice) mentoring continue this paradigm.
Contemporary mentoring has many forms and frequently people regard each other as partners, colleagues or peers, ignoring age, status or power. This more egalitarian approach suits today's generation and has much to offer.
Contrasting the Traditional Mentoring Paradigm with Contemporary Thinking
Traditional Paradigm / Contemporary Thinking- The mentor picks a protégé
- A mentor is someone more senior
- You should have a lot in common with your mentor
- Mentoring is for young people
- You have one mentor
- Mentoring is one-to-one
- Mentors tell you what to do
- Mentors gives advice
- Mentors assist your decision-making and problem-solving
- You are a mentor or a mentee
- You need a mentor
- You look for mentors
- A mentor is someone you can learn from regardless of age or position
- Difference provides potential for greater discovery, challenge and growth
- You may have mentors for different aspects of life and career
- Many ways to mentor - individual, group and mentoring circles
- A mentor is a sounding board
- Mentors assist your decision-making and problem-solving
- You are both mentor and mentee
- A mentoring mindset enables you to gain insight by interacting with others with or without formal relationships
Watch a film clip
To give you an overview of the GROW coaching model we will introduce and practice at the workshop, please view the short uTube clip by pressing your contol key and clicking in the following link:
This film will help to either refresh or give you an understanding of the approach used in GROW and outlines its key principles.
3. The knowledge, skills and behaviour required of an effective coach/mentor
What behaviouralqualities are needed in a good coaching and mentoring relationship?
Trust - Competency and personal trust in the ability and intention of the Coach/Mentor
Commitment - The Coach/ Mentor’s commitment to the person and relationship needs to be through keeping regular meetings, offering resources and believing in the person.
Respect - You earn respect when you know what you’re on about. You give respect as an indication of how you value someone and their relationship with you. Both the Coach/Mentor and the coachee/mentee are earning respect within their relationship
Confidentiality - Both parties are being entrusted with the confidence of the other. The process and relationship will be effective where personal confidentiality is maintained
Benefit - Openness, motivation to learn and apply knowledge and ideas and a teachable spirit are necessary for the coachee/mentee to gain benefit from the process. The Coach/Mentor benefits by seeing experiences and ideas used; having a positive influence and developing a strong relationship
Rapport - This is a necessary starting point in the relationship. An arranged relationship between a Coach/Mentor and coachee/mentee is usually less effective than a relationship based on mutual rapport. Skills, experiences, values, character, knowledge come into play here
Presence - This involves both the Coach/Mentor and the coachee/mentee relating to each other in terms of physical space, mental presence and emotional connectedness
N.B. The exception to confidentiality is when there are criminal, legal or security implications of something the coachee/mentee has done, said or plans to do; or there has been a serious breach of the employer’s rules.
What knowledge is required to be an effective coach/mentor?
All effective coach and mentors should be able to demonstrate:
Strong verbal communication skills - ability to listen, good presentation skills, ability to summarise information, experience of giving feedback
Good written communication skills - ability to write business documents and summarise briefs
A working knowledge of mentoring and coaching topics - for example, assertiveness, conflict resolution, leadership, managing difficult people, negotiation, presentation skills
Previous experience in being a team leader, manager, running training, mentoring or coaching sessions - for example, leading a team, presenting new ideas, encouraging colleagues to speak, managing disagreements, experience of change
What are some key skills to support effective coaching and mentoring practice?
Listening
When growing up we received formal education on reading and writing but not how to listen. Yet when it comes to business, listening is probably one of the most important skills to have. If as a manager you take on the role of coach or mentor, you need to learn to listen with real focus, suspending all of your judgments and opinions. You also need to be listening not just to the words but also to the non-verbal signals such as body language.
Questioning
Most of us can ask questions. When coaching, you need to use powerful questions; questions that:
- Are short, typically 7 words or less
- Are open rather than closed
- Deepen the learning of the person being coached
- Move the person forward towards a goal
Examples include: What do you want? What’s important? What’s the first step?
Constructively Challenging
Challenging constructively is about not holding back but at the same time not destroying the relationship. Many people associate coaching with helping, which clearly it is. At the same time if the coaching never rocks the boat it just becomes another nice chat. Playing back contradictions is a great way of constructively challenging. E.g. I hear you want to get your MBA but you don’t seem to be making the time for assignments.
Holding to account
Accountability is one of the most powerful aspects of coaching. It has been suggested that people have a 95% chance of achieving an objective when they have accountability in place. When someone gives a commitment to doing something and they know that they will be held to account, it drives them forward. How effective are you at holding people to account as a manager?
Seeing different perspectives
Have you ever found yourself in a situation where it feels like you are pinned into a corner and there is nowhere to go? If so, the chances are you were stuck in a perspective. When coaching, you need to be able to help your client to explore different perspectives, so that they can choose those that are most powerful.
Encouraging and supporting
Encouraging and supporting when coaching can be the difference between someone keeping going or giving up. Acknowledging another person is an incredibly powerful way of keeping them motivated.
Trusting and using intuition
We all have a hunch about something from time to time. The chances are that you have probably started to analyse it and make it logical or not. When coaching, your intuition is a powerful tool. Throw it out if it might be of benefit. The worst that can happen is that it is off the mark.
Keeping the focus on your client
When you are in the role of coach or mentor, your focus needs to be 100% on your client and their agenda. What this means is putting all of the attention on the client and keeping your agenda out of the way.
Listening skills
Listening is important because:
- The focus is on the coachee/mentee. You need to understand them, their needs and their concerns. You need to listen hard to him or her to identify underlying concerns, issues and motivation
- It is a good way of building the relationship; listening attentively shows someone we value them
- Showing someone we value them builds their confidence and self-esteem.
Do we really listen?...... Some food for thought:
“People around here don’t listen – they reload”
“Are you listening with the intention to understand?” or …
“Are you listening with the intention to respond?”
When we listen attentively and are engaged we can actually hear far more than the words: we can also hear the emotion and intent, as well as the facts.
Why is active listening necessary?
It is generally recognised by a wide range of academic research that good managers need to spend between 40% and 65% of their day listening. It is crucial, therefore, that this is done well. By contrast, much of the research demonstrates that we all overestimate our ability as listeners, often well over 50% in terms of our understanding and retention of information.
Why is listening difficult?
Nature and nurture - As a baby, making a noise brings attention; being quiet does not. The extrovert and noisy tend to be leaders and innovators in childhood. The education system favours those who push themselves forward vocally. As a result, listening is seen as passive, inattentive, introverted and having no contribution to make. This continues in adult life. Talking gains attention; listening loses it.
Centre of the universe - Most of us feel that we have a great deal to contribute that is important and that others should value. Talking allows us to make this contribution and assert our value. Listening, on the other hand, means paying attention to others and allowing them to contribute their unique value.
Speed of thought - We can think much faster than we or others can talk. So our thoughts tend to wander in the “gaps” when other people are speaking.
Personal baggage - Experience gives us attitudes, beliefs and assumptions. These can help us to understand situations, but may also cloud our ability to listen properly. This is particularly so when the conversation relates to our area of expertise where, again, we all tend to be strongly biased towards our own views. We filter out, often unconsciously, ideas and views that are different from what we believe or want.