It is said that a company that places emphasis on the welfare of its people from the management level down to the staff is one that is likely to succeed in its business endeavors. Productivity and quality work performance of the employees help the company to achieve its goals easily. Given this fact, many companies invest in improving their people through various employee enhancement programs. Coaching and mentoring programs are two of the most commonly employed organizational activities that are primarily geared towards personal and professional development.

These programs are not temporary, although they can be situational. Once the company decides to implement coaching and mentoring programs for the employees, there should be sufficient planning and preparation to design really effective coaching and mentoring sessions. Many considerations and requirements have to be met – creating a coaching and mentoring process, selecting the best tools and techniques, choosing coaching and mentoring styles, guidelines and protocols, selection of coaches and mentors, and eventually developing coaching and mentoring best practices.

Mentoring is a process that highly regards the roles of superiors and managers as mentors in the workplace. Coaching is a process that requires the coaching professionals to facilitate learning and help develop performance of individuals. Coaching is not exclusively for those who have deficiencies in their work performance and skills. It is intended for all employees in the workplace and that includes every level from the executives or the management to the low-level employees. It is important to note that coaching and mentoring are designed to develop and enhance, not merely to correct a weakness or flaw.

The following articles will broadly discuss the various aspects of coaching and mentoring, covering a wide range of concepts. These articles serve as useful knowledge and information tools primarily for companies who seek to develop employee potential and performance, and for coaching professionals who wish to acquire better understanding of both coaching and mentoring programs.