This is an intensive process which aims to facilitate professional and personal learning and encourages self-care. It provides ways of reflecting on, and developing effectiveness and excellence at work and in living, and to prevent burn-out.

The process is called developmental coaching & mentoring, and is both challenging, instructive and supportive. It focuses on an individual within their professional context. The function of coaching & mentoring is to be proactive and to safeguard quality, continued excellence in service delivery, continued well-being and enjoyment at work.

THE REWARDS OF COACHING AND MENTORING INCLUDE:

Higher standards of professional practice
Greater effectiveness as a person and better functioning of teams
Improved overall health and wellness
Enhanced management skills and profitability
Prevention of unnecessary stress and burn-out

THE FOCUS OF ONE-TO-ONE COACHING AND MENTORING INCLUDES:

The impact of the work situation in general, including workload, competencies and skills
Specific issues relating to one's work
Reviewing attitudes, beliefs, behaviours and feelings towards work and one's self as a professional
Management and communication skills and related issues, one-to-one and/or one-to-group
Developing further awareness and understanding of individual, team and/or organisational dynamics and their effects on the individual
Raising awareness of how work affects one's personal life and vice versa, and developing strategies to manage this
Vision building, setting goals, problem-solving, decision-making, time and change management
Being mindful of one's well-being including mental, physical, emotional and spiritual functioning
Strategies for managing too much or too little stress

THE ROLE OF THE COACH AND MENTOR:

To uphold confidentiality and engender trust by modelling and maintaining integrity
To be guardian of time boundaries and session management
To honour the experience and expertise individuals and teams bring by working co-operatively
To challenge, support, facilitate emotions, inform, coach and generally enable the mentoring process in consultation with the individual and/or the team
To inspire, empower, teach and encourage while keeping overall focus

TIMING

By negotiation; depending on the overall aims and circumstances of an organisation, a team, or an individual.