At several points during the discussion board this week, I
saw people asking each other whether they prefer a coach or a mentor. Just like there are different methods of
leadership to be applied at different times, I don’t think that one can really
prefer one over the other – they are both superior to the other under certain
circumstances.
In cases where I need specific help, I would prefer a coach
since according to Archway, “Coaching is typically employed in instances where
a specific issue or requirement needs to be addressed” (“Mentoring vs. Coaching,”
2008). In my, time in the Navy I can’t really single out any one person
who has coached me at any given length about any specific subject – I have been
taught a wide variety of things from a wide variety of experts so to name them
specifically would be pretty much impossible.
I can say that my swim coach growing up had a significant impact on who
I am today but now that I am thinking about it the life lessons he taught me were
in more a mentorship role than a coaching one.
I swam under the same guy for the first 6 years of my swimming career
and he took me from someone who couldn’t really swim competitively to a state
champion. His swim coaching skills are
unquestionable as he not only coached me but several others, and he continues
to coach today. I still am quite a
swimmer and enjoy sports like water polo and surfing because of the swimming
skills I developed rather young. As I alluded
to though, he taught me more than just swimming, he taught me about dedication,
determination, perseverance, and hard work – all of which would fall under a
mentorship role.
In my professional life I have had several mentors. First and foremost, the CO is supposed to be
the mentor to all of the officers beneath him and I was fortunate enough to
have 2 COs that cared deeply about their subordinates (or at least most of
us). They provided me a wealth of
knowledge, understanding, and patience that allowed me to succeed as a JO. I also had an outstanding “sea dad” aka a
fellow JO that had just finished qualifying when I showed up. He helped me get settled into life on board
the ship during an incredibly trying time with the reactor testing that was
going on, showed me how to get started qualifying, and went out of his way to
make me feel welcome both in and out of work – compared to some other sea dads
I have seen, I am very thankful. With all
of that being said, I think the two best mentors I have had were the 2
department heads I worked under - my Engineer and Navigator. Both
taught me how to perform at their level by providing me with just enough leeway
so that I could get myself into trouble without providing so much to where I
couldn’t recover. They really were the
bedrock for my abilities/capabilities today as I look on towards my own
department head billet in the coming year.
If you haven’t figured out by now, I think that having both
a coach and mentor are incredibly important.
One of the articles mentioned something to the fact of it would be
impossible for someone to come in and learn everything by themselves – you must
have a mentor/coach to help you on your learning journey. I really thought that statement hit it home
(although I didn’t take a note of where it was it unfortunately) – coaches/mentors
are there to assist you in becoming a better person and worker. With that being said, another discussion post
mentioned how this relationship has to be both ways – the mentor has to be in a
mentoring frame of mind just as much as the mentee has to be. I am truly appreciative of the both that I
have had in my time in the Navy to date, and I sincerely hope that I can be
half the mentor to individuals below me as I have myself.
(2008). Mentoring
vs. coaching. Business Topics, 2(1), 3. Retrieved from http://www.archwaygroup.com.au/Assets/78/1/BusinessTopicsNov08.pdf
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