Page 209 - Retaining Top Employees

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Mentoring and Coaching Programs 197

Below are three checklists of phrases that are positioned
along a continuum between coaching and mentoring. The phras-
es and their position along the continuum will vary from organi-
zation to organization. Use the lists to form your own opinion as
to what a mentor or a coach will do in your organization.
Remember: it’s your internal definition that counts, nothing else.
List 1 places some of the words we used to describe a protégé
on a continuum between being coached and being mentored.

COACH COACH
BEGINNING ❏ QUALIFIED ❏
UNQUALIFIED ❏ DISPASSIONATE ❏
NEW ❏ CRITICAL ❏
JUNIOR ❏ AUTHORITATIVE ❏
INEXPERIENCED ❏ INDEPENDENT ❏
TEACHABLE ❏ FIRM ❏
PROMISING ❏ CHALLENGING ❏
LEARNER ❏ TEACHER ❏
ENTHUSIASTIC ❏ EXPERIENCED ❏
EFFECTIVE ❏ INVOLVED ❏
RELECTIVE ❏ SUPPORTIVE ❏
INVOLVED ❏ NON-COMPETITIVE ❏
GROWING ❏ ASPIRATIONAL ❏
QUESTIONING ❏ NON-JUDGMENTAL ❏
ASPIRATIONAL ❏ NURTURING ❏
MENTOR MENTOR

Figure 11-1. Continuum for Figure 11-2. Continuum for
describing a protégé of a coach describing a coach or a mentor
or a mentor
List 2 places some of the words we used to describe a
coach or a mentor on the same continuum.
Finally, List 3 places phrases regularly used to describe what
a mentor does on the same continuum.
The lists can cause some debate, particularly when reviewed