Coaching Skills
Coaching and Mentoring Skills for Success
Know when to coach and when to mentor, and match your support to each employee's needs.
Standard version
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Participants explore the distinct roles of coaching and mentoring through common workplace situations. The course shows how to choose appropriate support based on employee needs and goals and apply those decisions on the job.
What you'll learn
- Identify different coaching approaches for different employees
- Examine non-directive counseling, where employees discover their own solutions
- Apply techniques for mentoring and keeping high achievers engaged
- Use course methods to choose appropriate support based on employee needs and goals in a workplace scenario.
- Develop an individual coaching and mentoring plan aligned to a relevant work need.
What you'll be able to do
- Identify a workplace need connected to the distinct roles of coaching and mentoring.
- Select an appropriate way to choose appropriate support based on employee needs and goals.
- Explain the reasoning behind that choice and identify its limitations.
- Produce an individual coaching and mentoring plan that addresses a relevant work need.
- Set review points for an individual coaching and mentoring plan and identify one adjustment.
Developing others is a core responsibility for federal leaders and a key competency within OPM's Leading People Executive Core Qualification. This course helps supervisors and managers understand the distinct roles of coaching and mentoring and choose the right approach for each employee. Participants practice techniques that build capability, strengthen engagement, and prepare employees for future roles.
What you'll learn
- Differentiate between coaching and mentoring and when to use each.
- Identify coaching approaches that fit different employees and situations.
- Apply questioning and listening techniques that help employees solve their own problems.
- Connect coaching conversations to individual development plans and career goals.
- Develop strategies for keeping high performers engaged and growing.
What you'll be able to do
- Hold productive coaching conversations with employees.
- Guide employees toward their own solutions.
- Support individual development plans with meaningful feedback.
- Build mentoring relationships that strengthen the leadership pipeline.
- Recognize and develop high-potential employees.