A systemic approach to use teaching, coaching and mentoring in globally distributed teams
One of the common questions I receive from participants in my coaching section is – What is the difference between coaching, teaching and mentoring? As a practitioner coach, I put his skills under soft skills and interpersonal skill umbrella.
It would require a separate article to discuss, why soft skills are gaining prominence. In this article; I am specifically discussing the differences between teaching, mentoring and coaching.
In my coaching career, I have observed people using these words interchangeably, without understanding that these skills are different, have a specific purpose and should be used in appropriate context. Subject matter experts and practitioners have talked about these skills in various forums, still, people tend to confuse when dealing with these three skills.
Let me simplify things for you, so you can understand the difference and talk with more confidence when this topic is up for discussion. More importantly, after getting the clarity you need, you should be able to apply them appropriately at workplace.
As a practitioner coach, I define these terms as follows. Let’s get started with the definitions and then discussing each one of them in greater detail.
Teaching
Coaching
Mentoring
Teaching
This skill is simple to understand and perhaps the hardest to practice. Let’s understand the specifics with a simple example. All of us have been to school and learnt alphabets and numbers. Do you remember the teacher who taught you alphabets and numbers and the pains the teacher took while ensuring that you get the sleeping line and standing line right! This is “teaching”
The purpose of teaching is transferring your skills to someone else. In this particular example the school teacher who knows how to write alphabets “teaches” students to write alphabets. The school is engaged in the act of transferring the skills to the students so that they can also write the alphabets the way teacher can write.
In my experience, I have found this is the hardest of the three.
Let’s put this skill into perspective with an example from the workplace.
Consider that you know how to write an effective user story and know how to use it to appropriately elaborate a feature or functionality. As a coach of the team who is new to the concept of the user story, you perhaps need to act as a teacher so you transfer this skill to the team members engaged in the act of writing user stories. The beauty of this technique is; your mentees will remember you for a long time; perhaps throughout their life, because they learnt something new for the first time from you.
This also brings us to a very important point of defining what is a good training intervention or a good training program. As a practitioner coach, I view a training program effective, if the skills taught in the program are effectively transferred to the learners. If this basic purpose is not served, then it’s not appropriate to call the training program as an effective training program. I will close this discussion with a tip for you, which you can use in your training programs.
While discussing any topic which the learners are familiar with, ask these simple questions
Do you remember the name of the training program where you learnt about this topic for the first time?
Do you remember the name of the trainer you facilitated the training program?
If the audience in the class, remembers the name of the training program and more specifically if they remember the name of trainer who taught them the concept, it’s a confirmation that the topic was taught well. A student remembering the teacher for the skills he/she received from the teacher, is an indication that the teacher did justice to the art of “teaching”
In summary, to be a good teacher, learn and master the art of transferring your skills to your mentees. Remember your job is not done until your mentee has mastered the task.
Coaching
Coaching is difficult to understand and perhaps difficult to practice. Let me give you an example to understand what coaching means. Read this illustrative conversation between a father and son
Son – I am feeling confused today. I need to decide to choose a college in next 15 days. Last week I received admit letters from 3 colleges. I wish someone can help me to make a decision!
Father – So what’s bothering you?
Son – I am not able to decide which college should I go!
Father – While making an application, did you make any choices about the college you want to study!
Son – Not really dad. I choose a few colleges considering my test scores and the possibility of getting an admission. Now that I got the admission the real challenge is which one to choose?
Father – Ok! Now that you have received admit letters from three colleges, you have to make a decision. Do you have any criteria which are most important to you while choosing the college you wanted to get in?
Son – Well yes! I want to go to a college which allows me to enrol in a dual degree program.
Father – So any of the colleges who offered you a seat offers the dual degree program?
Son – I need to check.
Father – Go ahead and check the details.
Son – I see, all the three colleges are offering the dual degree program!
Father – OK, any other criteria you want to consider to make your mind?
Son – Well, I want to major in sociology and minor in political science?
Father – Does any of the three options you have at hand, offer this combination.
Son – Actually yes. The college in our neighbourhood offers exactly the combination I am looking for.
Father – So what’s the big deal! You can make your choice right away!
Son – But the fees are twice as compared to the fees of the other two options I have.
Father – What matters most to you, the education you want to seek or the cost of education.
Son – The education of course! But the fees also matter.
Father – Do you think you can recover the cost even after choosing the college which has higher fees
Son – I think yes. I can make good money once I come out of college.
Father – So, are you still confused or have you made up your mind
Son – I think its much clearer to me now. I will choose the college which is offering me a dual degree I want, despite its higher fees structure. Let me freeze on this. I will sign the acceptance letter and send to the college admission letter today!
This is one of the classical cases of coaching. Thought the act of asking questions and probing the father has helped the son to make a decision. You will come across such several situations at the workplace where individuals and teams are stuck and not able to move forward.
Enabling people to find out solutions to their problems is at the core of coaching. As a coach, you need to have a neutral stand. While you can lead a conversation, you should not attempt to drive it to a particular direction. As a practitioner coach, I strongly believe that everyone knows answers to their problems, the challenges is making them aware that they can find solutions to their problems.
Coaching is thus, more of engagement and less of instructions. Remember as a coach you need to enlighten your mentee and help the mentee to bring the best out of him. The underlying assumption is very simple, people own the decision they make. As a coach, you need to let people find solutions to their problems so they would own it.
Mentoring
Mentoring is easy to understand but being a mentor may not be easy.
Consider this case below to understand what mentoring is.
Son – I am feeling confused today. I need to decide to choose a college in next 15 days. Last week I received admit letters from 3 colleges. I wish someone can help me to make a decision!
Father – So what’s bothering you?
Son – I am not able to decide which college should I go!
Father – While making an application, did you make any choices about the college you want to study!
Son – Not really dad. I choose a few colleges considering my test scores and the possibility of getting an admission. Now that I got the admission the real challenge is which one to choose?
Father – Well, I can understand the situation you are going through. Let me share with some tips which might help you make a decision.
You can choose to opt for a college which offers you a specialisation in a particular subject and it’s well known in the field of study you have chosen
Another option you can pursue is to choose a college that offers a dual degree, which can help you in future to choose several career paths.
You may also want to consider choosing a college which has industry endorsed course curriculum and placements are guaranteed.
If you are confused at this stage then keeping a dual degree program may best work for you.
Son – That sounds good and convincing. The college in our neighbourhood offers a dual degree program. I do need time to think about my career choices and the option you have suggested seems good.
In this case, the father helped the son with directions which helped him make a decision. To be an effective mentor, you need to be aware of the positive and negative sides of option and be able to put them across in a convincing manner. Through such directions, you can help the mentee succeed.
Mentoring is thus providing directions or in some cases providing solutions to the problems at hand.