Module 4, Session 3: Coaching and Mentoring

[Charles O]

#3030

based on differences as espoused on power point, I am a coach not a mentor. I believe that a good supervisor should be both a mentor and a coach. I need training on mentorship

[Yakub]

#3047

Thanks for the presentation.

In the Postgraduate environment, the supervisor should be both a coach and mentor to the PG student. Coaching essentially helps to unlocking the student’s academic potential. It will enhance the hidden capabilities of student to thrive and also gives the student’s ideas to flow out into his/her academic work. The supervisor will gain a lot in the process of the coaching circle as the end product would demonstrate his/her own input as well . Coaching is essential as it would enable the supervisor top probe the student’s ideas and help him/her overcome the possible limitations and distracting inabilities.

A supervisor should also mentor the student however; the boundaries between the student and supervisor must be carefully understood. Mentorship is significant as there is a close understanding of need for life skills even as there is the academic journey. The supervisor needs to mentor the student to step up their inherent motivation. Understanding the student is important during both the coaching and mentorship process. The student must accept to be mentored!

I do both the coaching and mentorship in my research supervision process. However; there are some students who are more bent on being coached but less receptive on mentorship.

[Kefa S]

#3060

The constructs of mentoring and coaching are useful in the reflection needed in my work as a supervisor! Over the years, my experience has shown that not all postgraduate students I work with fit into a blend of the two notions! For instance, I have encountered students who are more interested in getting through the programme more than enjoying the learning that the processes provide! In such cases, realistically, I have had to adopt the coaching role! Often, those who want me to work as a coach are those who desire to get the certificate! For those who opt that I serve as a mentor, their main goal is to evolve into scholars! They not only follow my guidance to the letter but at times stretch beyond my expectations! I should be quick to observe, these are the students who continue to make the spark flash in me over my academic work!

[Damiannah Kieti]

#3074

Both coaching and mentoring roles are critical, particularly, in creating and sustaining appropriate supervisor-student relationship- a relationship necessary for a productive supervision process. However, the extent to which the supervisor employs the two roles may vary from time to time and on different stages. For instance, coaching may be essential at the beginning of the research process in helping students to identify their line of inquiry and setting the latitude of their research with the line of inquiry.

[Jacqueline]

#3086

It is not easy to separate mentoring from coaching. I tend to think that in cases when you are supervising a research topic that is in your area of expertise, it is possible that you will do much of the coaching. It becomes easier for you to provide insights into the students research work because you are already an expert in the field. However, in cases when you are not an expert in the research area of your student, there is possibility that you will switch to mentoring most of the time.

[Nelson]

#3088

Coaching and mentoring may be integrated in supervision to develop effective researchers, future supervisors and long term academic and professional relationship between the supervisor and PG student. These are processes which extend beyond the normal PG academic period, it goes beyond normal supervision for PhD to create a professional relationship.

[Lucas]

#3089

I think a supervisor plays both roles of a mentor and a coach. However, s/he should lean more towards being a mentor than a coach. This is because for coaching, results are short-term, like coaching a football team to win this years league. The players already know how to play football except that they need to be reminded of important approaches towards winning the league. For mentoring, results are long-term, like mentoring young children in football academies to become champion footballers in future (long-term).

The supervisor-student relationship to me is more of a long-term relationship than short-term. A mentor acts as a role model which the student should try as much as possible to emulate and sustain over prolonged periods of time. My guess is that as a student approaches graduation, the supervisor’s role should systematically shift from that of a mentor to that of a coach because the student has gathered sufficient “knowledge” from the supervisor to be able to stand on his/her own. The supervisor, as a coach, only needs to remind and train him/her of the important skills for getting through the defence.

[Sandra]

#3103

Thanks to Dr. Henk for an interesting explanation of the differences between mentorship and coaching. I read some of the comments and would agree that there is no perfect way to supervise, and hence no ideal and clear cut between mentorship and coaching in supervision. It really all comes down to you and the relationship you want to build with your student, and the student him or herself. I notice that I shift and balance those two out in supervision. Usually, I initiate a mentorship-like relationship, but some students need and feel more comfortable with a coaching approach…so my attitude shifts.
With this said, I perfectly agree with Susan’s post.

[Mashudu]

#3141

For me, mentorship and coaching go hand in hand and a supervisor must be able discern at which level of the research journey when either one will be necessary.

[Titus]

#3147

Informative presentation!
Coaching focuses on identifying skills sets that the student has vs what is required and works towards ensuring the student develops of skills. Mentoring focuses on observing, identifying and nurturing potential of the student. The supervisor is both a coach and a mentor. Coaching and mentoring are necessary, for the supervisor to bring out the best in the student; encouraging, motivating and guiding. I concur with Esther (above) on the position that “supervision being more on the coaching side of the continuum at the beginning of the supervision process, and moving towards the mentoring as the supervision continues”

[Wil Hout]

#3190

Thanks to participants for sharing their thoughts on mentoring and coaching, and linking the ideas presented as part of the course to their own experiences. What for me comes out of the discussion more than anything else is the importance to recognise the nature of the interaction and dynamics in the supervisor-supervisee relationship. It is crucial for the supervisor to understand what are the needs of the supervisee. The supervisor needs to be flexible (to the degree possible) to offer what the student needs.

[Lilian Omondi]

#3206

Supervisors can be mentors…however not all are. Most supervisors lean towards coaching. Maybe it gets the work done (fit for purpose), given the numerous number of students they have to deal with.

Mentorship requires the existence of some chemistry between the supervisor and student, not usually an easy thing to come by. The resulting relationship is life-long in most cases but with very clear boundaries. Mentorship also requires a very high level of emotional and social intelligence.

[Theodora]

#3207

Both coaching and mentoring are important in Post graduate supervision. This is because while coaching helps to foster the achievement of goals related to the postgraduate research,mentoring allows the supervisor to provide the needed support and confidence a student needs to excel on the project and ultimately her/his career. I have ever heard someone say that her supervisor does not build mentoring relationship with his students. The agreement between this supervisor and his students is to just look at their work and nothing else. As much as this supervisor may have good reasons for taking that stance, I believe serving as a mentor to a student can help lesson the burden and uncertainties around post graduate studies because the supervisor is ready to provide non-academic support to the student. This is something any student would appreciate. A supervisor who serves as a role model and counselor during the supervision (mentoring) process can be proud to share in the glory of his students they excel in their careers and that can be gratifying to the supervisor.

[Paul]

#3223

Since a supervisor is a guide,advisor, teacher, director, facilitator, friend, manager, supporter, freedom giver and a critic, s/he should have both set skills of a coach and a mentor. I see a possibility of a hybrid scenario. Other than dependency, I think patience and being able to give consistent advice are the other challenges to mentoring since its a long term process where things are bound to go south.

[Thando]

#3234

Mentoring is a great resource for students, especially those who are first generation and may not have information about how to navigate the university system. I know that it has been invaluable me, and it need not necessarily be a person in one’s own discipline. A single student can have several mentors.

One downside appears to be boundaries…in any personal relationship, one has to have boundaries, the same applies to the mentoring relationship. The mentor is also a whole human being with their own vulnerabilities, etc. and as a mentor, one should be careful not to transgress your own boundaries or take on more emotional stuff than you are able to cope with. Having a resource of outside help and referring students to professionals should also be considered part of taking care of your mentee.

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