As the business world evolves, development tools evolve to fit the needs of today’s learners. For example, the traditional mentoring relationship with a rigid meeting structure now looks much different, as mentoring occurs virtually and just-in-time. Certainly the traditional mentoring structure is still applicable in some scenarios.

As mentoring has evolved, it is also increasingly confused with other development activities, such as coaching. The challenge with confusing these two disciplines is that when used inappropriately, we miss opportunities to leverage their full potential. Human resources professionals and managers must understand the purpose and desired outcomes for both mentoring and coaching to ensure they are used in the most effective way.

The visual below shows the different focus of mentoring and coaching. Notice that mentoring is more directive—its purpose is knowledge transfer from the mentor to the protégée, so key activities within the mentoring relationship include sharing expertise and offering advice. Coaching is more non-directive, with a focus on eliciting ideas and thoughts from the participant, hence, the focus on asking questions. 

I am currently in the midst of a coaching engagement, focused on helping a person transition from individual contributor to leader of a new team within her organization. Specifically, I am coaching her to develop a vision for her team and create a structure that best supports their direction. The essence of the engagement is asking key questions to help her identify what she needs to do; it’s an empowering process. My colleague, Jennifer Rufatto, wrote in a blog about demystifying coaching, “the essence of coaching is helping someone learn to think better.”

Because this manager has the management skills (from previous positions) necessary to lead this group of people, coaching is the most effective development opportunity for her; she is getting what she needs to support her success, and ultimately the organization’s success.

Andrea Moore is Senior Consulting Manager at FlashPoint; Andrea focuses on leadership development, training and performance improvement solutions, and one-on-one coaching.

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In part one, I shared that I often meet frustrated employees who wonder when normalcy will return to the post-recession workplace. My reply is simple: Cuts your company made to stay in business won’t be restored. This is the new reality. I tell them that it’s ultimately up to them to get things moving.

If we viewed our careers as the baton in a relay race, passing through many hands, we would work hard to cultivate relationships—to ensure that the baton doesn’t drop and that we have strong hands to carry us forward. Here’s an idea on how to put the relay back in your career.

List your top 50 relationships. Rank the depth of each relationship on a scale of one to five and do three tasks: 

1. Identify five people with whom you want to deepen your relationship—how will you do this?
2. Identify who is not on the list but should be as you consider your next career steps.
3. Determine if there are negative relationships on your list and decrease the time you spend with these individuals.

The next time you complain about your company, stop. Instead, spend that time cultivating your key relationships. By spending your energy on building your relay team, you’ll advance farther and faster than if you focus your attention on the company you work for and what it can or cannot do for you.

I don’t absolve employers of their responsibility to foster a great culture. To achieve excellence, companies must build systems and programs that connect their people, customers, and community. At FlashPoint I emphasize that organizations can build systems that foster communication, heighten performance, and much more. Balance can be achieved when employees work hard to build strong relationships and when companies do the same.

Krista Skidmore is cofounder and principal of FlashPoint.

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Recent economic challenges have caused many employers to make tough decisions regarding wage cuts, hiring freezes, cost-sharing in employee benefits, and more. As I help organizations make post-recession tweaks to compensation and performance systems, I meet frustrated employees who wonder when normalcy will return. My reply is simple: Cuts your company made to stay in business won’t be restored. This is the new reality.

These experiences have led me to ponder the employer-employee relationship—and, in particular, what professionals should expect of their employers. I’ve decided that people put too much emphasis on their employers and not enough time on their co-workers.

How many times have we heard our friends and family (and maybe even ourselves) lament about how much they dislike their company? A company is nothing more than an inanimate legal shell, so why do we spend so much energy on it, instead of focusing on the relationships we can build? The reason is because it’s easier to focus on the corporation or the boss than it is to focus on what we can control.

When I look at my career, I see that all my successes and opportunities have grown from the relationships I’ve developed. What if we viewed our careers as the baton in a relay race? Our careers pass through many hands. In order to ensure the baton doesn’t drop, we need to cultivate our relationships—to be sure we have strong hands to carry us forward. It’s about the people with whom we surround ourselves.

In part two, I’ll share three thought-provoking tasks to help cultivate relationships. I’ll also share what role the employer must play in creating a culture where talented people want to work.

Meanwhile, what do you think about placing emphasis on your relationships versus on your company?

Krista Skidmore is cofounder and principal of FlashPoint.

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