Move Over Mentoring, Peer Coaching & Self Directed Learning Is On The Rise!

The combination of mentoring and peer coaching can be an unexpected tactic to hold on to your best and brightest. We are all trying to do more with less.  Given this reality, a bit of creativity and smart partnering with your talent can give you the ability to provide learning and development that meshes well with the do more, better, faster demands.   Workers will not be satisfied with their jobs unless they receive certain level of attention and career development.  But attention and development can be difficult to provide in this current economic environment in which we work.

When can you give people time for their development?

Reality: Your best employees may be looking for other “better” positions as the economy improves.  It’s unlikely you will be able to replace them with a new best worker, so it’s time to do even more with less. How can you get these employees additional career development support to improve their job satisfaction so that  they will remain in their job- engaged and willing to provide needed discretionary effort to handle the do more, better, faster demands?

There is an answer!  It is called Smart Skills ( a suite of skills that when coupled with an individuals technical capabilities, creates a leader with or without a title)  The do more, better, faster work environment needs leaders with or without titles to have the confidence, initiative and supportive peer coaching and mentoring to navigate the matrix.

Smart Skills begins with a personal profile that determines where the individual is currently in their skills set to employ emotional intelligence, influence without authority, interest based negotiations, communication in all directions, stress and change management, and appreciative inquiry.  This base set of skills coupled with an individuals technical abilities moves them from a contributor to a equipped leader in the mazes and matrix of today’s workplace.  These are needed skills for performance as well as a lever for their career development. Both of these  benefits create a win/win for employee and manager/company.

Our approach includes a schedule of webinars on each topic that defines the minimal skills to get started in each area.  Every participant is part of Peer Coaching Group which meets twice a month to help each other problem solve, solution find and explore deeper issues related to their current work projects.

The second relationship each individual has is with a current leader in the organization for mentoring related to all six Smart Skills.  They meet once a month. They also email to stay in touch with the circumstances facing the individual and needed support for change or adjustments that will lead to success.

What we have found as a result of the pilot program

• If your best people need to see that their career has a future in your organization, their peer coaching groups and leadership level mentors can help clarify and support the direction of that road map.
• If your best employees need help to find challenging opportunities, or support for one they already have, their peer coaching groups and leadership mentor can help them problem solve, solution find or navigate to let them know what is available.
• If your best workers need someone who can supply them with insights that will help them become a more valuable asset to the organization, their peer coaching groups and their leadership mentor can do that.

Move over mentoring, it is time to add peer coaching and self directed learning and development plans be your partner!