• Workplace Performance Coaching (sometimes referred to as “Executive coaching”) is suitable for individuals in leadership, professional and para-professional roles.

• It is a working partnership entered in to for the purpose of identifying and removing interference that limits personal and professional development.

• The coaching environment provides a neutral space to explore required outcomes in relation to perceived problems.

• Coaching is achieved through one or more conversations between the coach and coaching counterpart.

• Through self-reflection and self-evaluation, the coaching counterpart will gain greater insight into themselves and their professional and personal environments.

• The coaching counterpart will be constructively challenged towards suitable action, through gentle questioning.

• The coach will not ‘tell’ or ‘advise’ the counterpart. Rather, the counterpart will discover the solutions, and thus have greater commitment to implement changes

• Solution focused goals are drawn from these conversations which are then developed into sustainable personal and organisational change.

• Professional mentoring is the process of developing and maintaining a trusting partnership between the mentee and mentor, such that the mentee can self-develop over the medium to long term.

• The focus of conversations is on the whole of the mentee’s situation – personal and professional – to develop the mentee as a holistic individual within the framework of their career.

• The mentee develops a range of career-oriented goals and timeframe for achievement.

• The mentor/mentee partnership works through a range of strategies, interspersed with the mentor’s own life experiences and knowledge, to develop goal realisation actions, and manage to them.

• At certain times, the mentor may adopt workplace performance coaching strategies. At other times, the mentor may act as a direct trainer or assessor, to ensure the mentee’s development is progressed.

• At all times, the mentee has the responsibility for continuing the relationship, and for setting/varying the goals to be achieved.

• Targeted personal development seeks to identify and address shortcomings in an individual’s workplace capabilities.

• The shortcomings may comprise:

- Technical skills or aptitudes
- Interpersonal techniques, including communications
- Industry or professional knowledge

• The relationship is built between the Personal Developer, the employee and their leader. The Personal Developer is usually engaged by the employee’s leader.

• Conversations are conducted between the individual and their leader to determine the complete scope or ‘target’ for development, goals set and strategies agreed.

• The Personal Developer and the employee undertake planning and review style conversations where specific development events are scheduled (conducted either by the Personal Developer or a 3rd party), and learning outcomes reviewed, issues discussed, and employee commitments made.

• In some situations, the Personal Developer may arrange for the employee to gain further experiential learning, including ‘practice’ sessions and peer workshops.

• Where required, the Personal Developer will formally assess the employee’s capabilities against defined Job Role or other (e.g. industry) competencies, and make determinations for communication to the employee & their leader.