5 Reasons Why Coaching and Mentoring Is So Effective For Developing People

The Insights Series from The Chartered Association of Certified Accountants identified coaching and mentoring as one of the most effective development methods.

So what is it about coaching and mentoring that makes it such a powerful development method?

Here are my 5 top reasons.

1. Ongoing

Many traditional approaches to development are one chance events. If you prosper fantastic if not your opportunity is gone.

While this type of development activity is excellent for acquiring skills, for example learning to present or knowledge such as technical updates in your profession, it can be less effective when it comes to working on personal attributes or softer skills.

2. Personalised

Many development activities aim to cover a number of areas in a short time frame.

While this is excellent for getting breadth, it can mean that only a small proportion of the time is spent on the areas that matter to you.

When working with a coach or mentor you focus on the specific areas that will give you greatest leverage or benefit from your development time. You get to develop your own personalised programme.

Often by focusing on a specific area within a topic you get exponential improvement.

3. Focused

Coaching and mentoring is highly targeted and because it is ongoing you move forward quicker because it is focused.

You don’t waste time and effort on areas that you don’t need to or on areas where you already have a high level of skill or a lot of experience.

4. Supportive

People who take on the role of coach or mentor are highly supportive.

They can be counted on to be behind you encouraging and supporting you as you take action.

Knowing that you have the support of someone who believes 100% in you is an amazingly powerful motivator.

I know first hand from my early years in the accounting profession just how valuable this can be.

5. Accountability

Study after study highlights that having accountability is one of the most important ingredients in achieving results.

One study suggested that you have a 95% chance of achieving an objective when you have accountability in place.

When you have to self account for what you have or have not achieved, you do more than you would have done otherwise.

Your coach or mentor holds you to account for those actions that you have committed to taking in order to get results and move forward.

Clearly all development activity has benefits. Working with a coach or mentor is a powerful tool in your personal development toolkit that you may not be fully utilising. How might you benefit if you did?

About the Author Duncan Brodie

Since 2006 I’ve worked with in excess of 8,000 accountants and professionals in workshops, seminars and one to one helping them land their next jobs and become better leaders, presenters and business partners. Before that I spent 25 years in accountancy climbing the career ladder from Payments Clerk to FD. I’m a CIMA Fellow, Certified Professional Coach and Team Coach Facilitator.

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Ask the leadership coach » 5 Reasons Why Coaching and Mentoring Is So Effective For … says 5 March 2009

[…] Susan Beneville posted a noteworthy aricle today onHere’s a small snippetThe Insights Series from The Chartered Association of Certified Accountants identified coaching and mentoring as one of the most effective development methods. So what is it about coaching and mentoring that makes it such a powerful … […]

Duncan Brodie says 6 March 2009

Thanks so much for adding this snippet. I remember seeing the specific article from the The Chartered Association of Certified Accountants when it was first issued.

I think some professionals are introverts by nature and maybe find that working one to one is more powerful for them.

Duncan Brodie

Taylor Abrams says 17 November 2022

I now understand that your mentor or coach holds you accountable for the actions you have committed to taking to achieve results and advance. My friend, Trina is experiencing what others call a midlife crisis lately and has asked me for suggestions on what she can do about it so here I am. I think reading your article made me want to tell my friend to try an inner balance consultations services from a personal development coach.

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5 Reasons Why Coaching and Mentoring Is So Effective For Developing People

About the Author Duncan Brodie

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