Coach or mentor employees

This standard is about coaching or mentoring employees, either in your own team or from another work group, to develop and maintain their performance. This standard also covers helping employees address problems affecting their performance. You understand the difference between mentoring and coaching. You help employees improve their performance by coaching them to identify their strengths and how they can use these most effectively. You support employees to analyse their performance and identify, develop, test and refine new skills and alternative behaviours as a coach. As a mentor, you provide information and advice to employees and facilitate their access to the resources they need to develop and progress.

This standard is for all managers and leaders.

1. help employees identify their needs and expectations for coaching or mentoring
2. ensure that employees' coaching or mentoring needs and expectations are in accordance with your organisation's objectives
3. define your own expectations of the coaching or mentoring process
4. agree coaching or mentoring contracts covering the specific area(s) for performance development, the gaps between current and required performance, and employees' motivations
5. outline the support that employees can expect from you, and the commitment you expect from them
6. provide opportunities for employees to approach you, as a mentor or a coach, with problems affecting their performance
7. identify performance issues and bring these to the attention of the employees concerned
8. identify obstacles to performance and support employees to overcome them
9. agree revisions to planned actions when required
10. maintain confidential records of your discussions with employees about problems affecting their performance
11. agree coaching or mentoring arrangements with employees including what you will provide, timescales, the location, frequency and duration of meetings
12. agree points when progress will be reviewed and how this will be measured and assessed
13. explore the skills employees need to develop and the behaviours for change to meet the desired standard of performance during coaching conversations
14. explore obstacles which could hinder employees' progress and how to remove these obstacles
15. plan with employees how they can develop new skills and behaviours in a logical step-by-step sequence
16. provide opportunities for employees to develop new skills and experiment with alternative behaviours
17. encourage employees to identify and seize opportunities to apply their newly developed skills and behaviours to their work
18. explore with employees any risks involved in applying their newly developed skills and behaviours to their work
19. plan how to reduce any risks to levels acceptable to employees and the organisation
20. identify and facilitate employees' access to the resources, information and advice they require for their development
21. provide advice to employees based on your own knowledge and experience during mentoring conversations
22. encourage and empower employees to take responsibility for developing and maintaining their own self-awareness, performance and impact
23. encourage employees to reflect on their progress and clarify their thoughts and feelings about it
24. monitor employees' progress in a systematic way, keeping records as required by your organisation
25. provide specific feedback designed to improve employees' skills, reinforce effective behaviours and enhance their motivation to achieve the desired standard of performance
26. agree with employees when they have achieved the desired standard of performance, or when they no longer require coaching or mentoring
27. follow the legal, organisational, codes of practice and policies relevant to coaching or mentoring employees

General knowledge and understanding

1.      the differences between coaching or mentoring and the features and benefits of each approach

2.      the range of coaching or mentoring models, tools and techniques available, and how to select and apply these

3.      the skills effective coaches and mentors require, and how to apply these skills

4.      how to establish a formal and informal coaching contract with employees and what the contract should cover, including ethical considerations

5.      the importance in giving employees opportunities to discuss problems affecting their performance

6.      the importance of identifying performance issues and bringing these to the attention of the employees concerned

7.      the importance of discussing performance with employees

8.      the different communication approaches that can be used to raise and discuss individual performance with employees

9.      the coaching or mentoring communication techniques used to help employees identify the skills they need to develop and the behaviours they need to change

10.   the types of obstacles that could hinder employees' progress and how to remove them

11.   how to help employees prepare a plan to develop their skills and adapt their behaviours

12.   how to help employees try out new skills and behaviours in safe environments

13.   the importance of helping employees identify and seize opportunities to apply their newly developed skills and behaviours in their work

14.   how to help employees assess and manage risks associated with new skills and behaviours

15.   the importance of monitoring employees' progress in developing new skills and behaviours and how to do this

16.   how to give employees specific feedback designed to improve their skills, reinforce effective behaviours and enhance their motivation

17.   how to establish a mentoring contract with employees and what the contract should cover

18.   how to facilitate employees' access to the information, people and resources they require

19.   the importance of employees reflecting on their progress and how to help them do this

20.   the importance of recognising when employees have achieved their development objectives

21.   how to empower employees to take responsibility for their own development

Industry and sector specific knowledge and understanding

22.   the legal, organisational, codes of practice and policies relevant to coaching or mentoring employees

Context specific knowledge and understanding

23.   the employees in your area of work, their roles, responsibilities, competences and potential

24.   your organisation's objectives and culture for embedding coaching or mentoring practices through leadership and management

25.   the types of coaching or mentoring contracts that your organisation requires

26.   the documents and records that are used to support coaching or mentoring and how these are stored

27.   the sources of information, resources and advice in your organisation that can support employees and you as a coach and mentor

1. Coaching
2. Communicating
3. Demonstrating
4. Empathising
5. Empowering
6. Evaluating
7. Influencing
8. Information management
9. Inspiring
10. Leading by example
11. Learning
12. Monitoring
13. Motivating
14. Networking
15. Obtaining feedback
16. Planning
17. Presenting information
18. Problem solving
19. Providing feedback
20. Questioning
21. Reflecting
22. Reviewing
23. Thinking systematically
24. Valuing and supporting members of staff