CIMA E2 Syllabus B. Managing people performance - Coaching, Mentoring and Counselling - Notes ^{15 / 19}

A mentor is someone who guides and supports other employees. 

Mentors are usually role-model for employees, and would be from the same function but NOT be the direct line manager of the employee.

Mentoring is:

1. A career function concerned with enhancement through exposure, visibility and sponsorship.

2. A psychological function deriving from aspects of the relationship that advance competence and effectiveness.

3. A contact function that expects mentees' contacts to provide them with valuable contacts.

4. It covers a broader range of functions, and is not necessarily related to current job performance.

The roles of a mentor include:

1. To guide new employees about the organisational structure and responsibilities of various staff within the departments.

2. To give technical, ethical and general business guidance.

3. Encourage and assist employees to analyse their performance.

4. Encourage new ideas and innovation.

5. Help employees to expand their network of contacts.

Mentoring can lead to faster career progress, improve employee motivation and reduce staff turnover.

Coaching is about improving the performance of someone who is already competent. It is carried out by a more senior person or manager.

Benefits of coaching and mentoring:

1. Coaching/mentoring can enhance the sense of career belonging, thus reducing turnover rates

2. Effective coaching and mentorship can yield operational efficiencies

3. Potentially makes succession planning easier by increasing the likelihood that replacements can be internally recruited

4. When staff members feel valued and are given support in areas of personal interest they are more likely to want to work harder