Question

Discuss how we should use the terms coaching, mentoring, and psychology of learning and how these three terms overlap.

Answer 1

The complexity of work has increased with the forces of a globalised and diversified market while career paths have become less obvious due to the flattening of organisational structures. As a result, the skill set and knowledge of the past are constantly in need of being updated.  Managers and executives are having continually to acquire new skills, be it in IT or organisational strategy. The traditional method of one time on-ground instruction designed to last a lifetime has been superseded by the concept of lifelong learning of an individual both as an independent employee as well as a part of larger skilled group or department.

Thus, one can witness the growing need for the emergence of coaching and mentoring programmes in many companies alongside the more traditional training methods. These models are directed towards gearing the organisation towards newer and more adaptive learning strategies to increase the motivation and performance of the employees. Thus, modern day organisations present an amalgamation of the three distinct fields of coaching, mentoring and learning.