High performing professionals seek a variety of resources to accelerate their growth and advancement in the workplace. Oftentimes these resources also benefit the personal life, mental health and other aspects of a professional’s life and career. This is important as people rise in responsibility as it gets lonelier at the top.
While developing your career and business path, the phrase “It takes a village…” is applicable here. In my work, I think of it as surrounding yourself with a team—and I encourage all my clients to identify their “chosen team” at every step throughout their life and career or business development. These resources are sometimes provided by your organization or company. And some you need to contract them on your own. Sometimes they are short-term or episodic relationships, and some can be very long term relationships spanning over many years. It’s possible to have all three at the same time if the feedback or learning is not in conflict, and if time allows.
Since there is a lot of overlap between three main resources, 1) mentoring, 2) training and 3) coaching, let’s break out the core differences you should consider when working with these resources.
1) Mentoring
Mentoring can be a short or long-term relationship. A typical mentor is typically someone further along in your field. An example of short-term mentorship is often in the on-boarding process within a company. A new professional or someone new to a role may be partnered with someone who can “show them the ropes.”
More robust mentorship is for professional advice, guidance and sometimes even sponsorship along a career development path. The best mentorships I’ve witnessed are a relationship developed with a high-level professional who is in another business unit or another company altogether. That way when you need advice on how to manage your manager or colleagues, you feel safe discussing the situation knowing the mentor relationship is confidential and private/non-conflictual. Some mentorships last for many years as you grow in your leadership. A mentor may also introduce you to a new position, role or opportunity.
2) Training
Just as with mentoring, training comes in a variety of forms. It can be a training module to onboard or advance skills provided by your company. You might also be encouraged to seek a variety of trainings (certifications, advanced degrees, etc.) which your company may pay for if it benefits your contribution.
A more advanced form of training within a larger company may include group/team education along with an in-house developmental coaching program. This is sometimes designed by the HR Head or department, sometimes with outside consultants. Providing such training helps an organization ensure the integration of company culture, values and attributes they wish to develop in their leadership team, who then role model and disseminate on down throughout the organization. Such training programs are typically very advanced and promote both business acumen as well as emotional intelligence/relational skills.
3) Coaching
I am going to speak to Career Development Coaching and Business Development Coaching specifically since that is the coaching and consulting area I work in. In general, coaching defined by the International Coaching Federation, a major coaching training program is “partnering with clients in a thought-provoking and creative process that inspires them to maximize their personal and professional potential.”
Career Coaching in my approach is a) uncovering a client’s strengths and characteristics, b) helping them clarify what they wish to achieve in their career development, c) outlining a step-by-step path to achieve their career aspirations and d) guiding them to attainment of those goals—be it acquiring next level education, landing a new position or upleveling within their current company.
Career coaching can begin any time from undergraduate level on. For high performers who wish to excel in a business or organization this coaching becomes leadership development, matching high-level interpersonal skills and business capabilities with actionable outcomes.
Leaders, Business Owners and C-Suite Executives may have a long-term working partnership with a coach/business consultant who guides their growth and that of the business over many years as they achieve their aspirations. These long-term relationships often transition to a Trusted Advisor role as the Leader or Executive succeeds in the role they aspire to and the business growth success desired, and begins to look to life beyond as they plan an exit in the imminent or distant future.
As an executive, career professional or business owner, having a supportive, strategic coach and consultant who empowers you to confidently clarify and achieve your desired outcomes is invaluable. Coaching helps you work more productively and lead more effectively.
While Dr. Hoistad cannot promise to remove outside demands, she can help you prioritize, set goals and strategies so you and your team function at peak performance.
♦ Executive Coaching, Leadership Coaching, and Business Consulting. Develop awareness of how your decisions affect other areas, your people and your future goals. Fully aligned, make decisions for best possible outcomes.
♦ Partnership Coaching for business owners, partners, teams, entrepreneurs, dual-career couples and couples in business together. Become fully aligned so you work together better, achieving business objectives.
♦ Career Coaching for individual professionals and dual-career couples. At all stages of development; during times of transition; when considering a relocation; when desiring to integrate personal life goals with your career.
With her unique “Big Picture” perspective, Dr. Jan partners with you as you transition through choice points in your career and business life. Her focus is on helping you clarify what you want, identify what’s in the way, and strategize a step-by-step plan so you achieve your goals.
Dr. Jan brings her expertise in human development, system dynamics, entrepreneurship, business growth, partnering, communication and creativity to her clients who become catalysts for change in their businesses, careers, and personal lives. She has helped numerous professionals, business owners, and teams achieve ambitious career and business goals, healthy relationships, and a greater quality of work and life.
“When an experienced professional incorporates Dr. Jan’s coaching and consulting solutions, you can almost feel their body relax. They become excited again. More hopeful, they remember what they love about their work as, together, we turn burdens into doable strategies that achieve their future goals.”
-Dr. Jan Hoistad