Counselling and Mentoring
Methods to improve personal and professional skills
• Explain the difference between counseling and mentoring. Give examples of each in your answer
Counseling is one of the methods used to offer advice and assist with the development of members of staff in an organization. It is not only limited to personal matters affecting members of staff but can also be used to assist with the professional development of individuals and can help to steer one in the right direction in terms of business development. Business development counseling may involve providing advice on accessing finance, marketing, human resources, operations management and feasibility studies.
Counseling is a very important aspect of management specifically in conducting performance appraisals, handling grievances and taking disciplinary action against employees.
In essence, counseling is the processes by which individuals are assisted with identifying their problems, and finding solutions to same.
There are two methods of counseling that is widely accepted: directive counseling involves the counselor issuing directives to the counselee about the possible consequences of a particular action and taking the initiative to show or lead the counselee in the correct path. Indirect counseling encourages more interaction on the part of the counselee and assumes that the most effective way of arriving at solutions to particular problems/issues is if the counselee is involved in the discussion and ultimate solution to the problem. These solutions are therefore not implemented unless the counselee is in total agreement and accepts the possible outcomes.
The word ‘mentoring’ originates from Greek mythology, where it is said that
Odysseus entrusted his home and the education of his son to his friend Mentor.
“Tell him all you know,” said Odysseus, hence the common understanding of mentoring as passing on experience and knowledge. Widely used in professions, mentoring provides a mechanism
• Explain the difference between counseling and mentoring. Give examples of each in your answer
Counseling is one of the methods used to offer advice and assist with the development of members of staff in an organization. It is not only limited to personal matters affecting members of staff but can also be used to assist with the professional development of individuals and can help to steer one in the right direction in terms of business development. Business development counseling may involve providing advice on accessing finance, marketing, human resources, operations management and feasibility studies.
Counseling is a very important aspect of management specifically in conducting performance appraisals, handling grievances and taking disciplinary action against employees.
In essence, counseling is the processes by which individuals are assisted with identifying their problems, and finding solutions to same.
There are two methods of counseling that is widely accepted: directive counseling involves the counselor issuing directives to the counselee about the possible consequences of a particular action and taking the initiative to show or lead the counselee in the correct path. Indirect counseling encourages more interaction on the part of the counselee and assumes that the most effective way of arriving at solutions to particular problems/issues is if the counselee is involved in the discussion and ultimate solution to the problem. These solutions are therefore not implemented unless the counselee is in total agreement and accepts the possible outcomes.
The word ‘mentoring’ originates from Greek mythology, where it is said that
Odysseus entrusted his home and the education of his son to his friend Mentor.
“Tell him all you know,” said Odysseus, hence the common understanding of mentoring as passing on experience and knowledge. Widely used in professions, mentoring provides a mechanism