Everyday brings new
challenges. Some people prefer to jump in and tackle problems head on while
others choose to take`time`to examine the situation before making a decision. There
are also others who are easily hamstrung with fear and uncertainty about how to
deal with professional or personal issues when facing a difficult situation at
work or contemplating changing careers. There is no right or wrong way to respond
to unexpected events since each of us experiences life differently and views
problems through different set of lenses. We’re all hardwired to handle
challenges differently depending on our unique talents, thinking styles and
values system which is called our brand.
However, we need to manage the way people perceive us and how we handle
difficult situations.
In
today’s climate of uncertainty, we all need to recognize the importance of self-awarenessin order to better manage our brand identity. To get through these times of
crisis, we need to evaluate where we are in our careers and lives to ensure
that we’re in control as much as we can and not cede power to external forces. According to Peter Drucker,”Success in
the knowledge economy comes to those who know themselves, their strengths, their
values, and how they best perform.” Too many people simply define themselves by
external factors or job titles such as Investment
Banker, Network Administrator, Senior Advisor, CEO, COO, SVP, JD/MBA, Entrepreneur, etc. To
be successful in business and life we need strong behavioral skills such as
mentoring, self-management, coaching, relationship management, communication,
cultural competence and problem solving. But, they do not tell the full nor
accurate story of who you really are,
and require deep cognitive skills such as commitment, dedication, sensitivity,
accountability and responsibilityso
that when we experience push back, a less than stellar performance review,
worse yet, a job loss we don’t lose perspective nor control of our lives.
Let’s
examine two important behavioral skills that impact your brand even in today’s
tumultuous times. Many people use the terms mentoring and coaching too often
without realizing their distinctly different.First, mentoring is 1:1 relationship oriented whereas
coaching is functional and multi-dimensional in nature. Mentoring is most often based on an
informal or formal interaction between a more experienced person who shares
with another less experienced individual his/her insights and knowledge about
business or life experiences. This relationship may last for a specific period
of`time`(nine months to a year) in a formal program, let’s say, at one’s job,
at which point the pair may decide to continue in an informal manner with
periodic contact. Mentoring is most often agreed upon through a hand-shake or
polite emails. However, it can be established outside the workplace through a
professional association or membership group.
The
role of a coach, on the other hand, is decidedly more structured and based on a
written agreement with S-M-A-R-T (Smart, Measureable, Actionable, Realistic,
and Timely) goals and expectations. As “a guide on the side rather than a
sage on the stage”, the coach must first establish his/her credibility with the
client to help uncover hidden beliefs, behaviors, and traits that may affect
the client’s professional or personal brand. Coaching can take place anywhere
anytime, but requires a very clear and well-defined contract between coach and
client in order to succeed. Some organizations provide career or executive
coaching for high potential individuals because they recognize the long-term
benefits to the company. In many
cases, the coach is an outside consultant who’s hired to ensure one of two
things: that the individual is enriched through the developmental opportunity
offered, and the organization reaps the reward through heightened performance
improvement and retention.
Most
often times, coaching is a “win/win” for all parties involved. However, there
are some cases where the coaching experience can lead to an epiphany of sorts
whereby the client comes to recognize they’re ill-suited to their role or the
organization’s culture or norms. With the assistance of a capable coach, a person
can gain insights about his/her strengths as well as improve critical
development areas, next apply newly tempered knowledge and self-regulate to
resolve difficult issues and take action. Managing a traumatic job loss or
exploring new career directions by drawing upon a wealth of inner as well as
outer resources to reach specific and measureable goals can be made easier to
bear with the help of either a mentor or a coach. In essence, a mentor may
coach, but a coach is not a mentor.
Once
we learn to change the way we see ourselves and the way we interact with others
as well as the way others see us, the more likely we are to respond to today’s unexpected
events in a more level-headed, positive and effective manner. Therefore, how
you perceive and communicate your intentions can directly impact how you manage
change in your work and life. With the help of either a mentor or a coach,
you’re more likely to move beyond your comfort zone to pursue opportunities in
a variety of industries and locations particularly in today’s economy. It’s
important to see yourself moving forward even when the destination seems
unfamiliar or unclear.
