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Mentoring and Coaching Programs 203

on examinations. In contrast, a mentor is unlikely to get
involved in on-the-job or skills-related training—unless, for
example, a persistent inability to progress in this area is causing
a personal or career development issue for the protégé.

Two More Possibilities
In a chapter devoted to mentoring and coaching, it seems
appropriate to discuss, at least briefly, two related types of
assistance, the “buddy” program and executive coaching.

“Buddy” Program
A relatively recent development in the “mentoring” arena is the
growth of so-called “buddy” programs.
I’ve put “mentoring” in quotes because buddy programs
aren’t really mentoring in its purest sense, in that the buddy
relationship involves no or very little personal or career devel-
opment. A buddy program is most frequently designed for new
hires: a new employee is matched with another employee, often
someone with only a few months’ more experience than the
new arrival.
A “buddy” may do no
more than show the new Buddy program A pro-
employee the ropes—how gram in which each new
things work in the organi- hire is assigned a more
zation, where to go to get experienced employee who will pro-
vide guidance,especially during the
supplies, how to submit
first few months,helping the new
forms or report an acci-
employee become acquainted with
dent, and so on. the policies,procedures,and culture
Sometimes the relationship of the organization.
involves some low-level Buddy programs are not to be con-
supervision. Most buddy fused with mentoring programs.The
relationships include some experienced buddy is not usually
“unofficial mentoring” in expected to provide personal or
that the experienced career development for the other,but
simply to make it easier for the other
employee will share politi-
employee to become acclimated.
cal information—who’s in,