Enhancing Mentoring, Better Coaching, and Effective Counseling through Impactful Communication (EMBRACE)

In today’s dynamic workplace, the roles of mentoring, coaching, and counseling have become crucial for personal and professional development. Understanding the differences and similarities among these approaches, as well as knowing when to implement each, is essential for effective leadership and support.

The EMBRACE (Enhancing Mentoring, Better Coaching, and Effective Counseling Through Impactful Communication) training course by Crossworks is designed to equip first level leaders, mid-management, team leaders, executives, supervisors, and managers with the knowledge and skills to differentiate between mentoring, coaching, and counseling, and to enhance their communication techniques through active listening and structured approaches.

At the end of this course, participants should be able to

• Distinguish between mentoring, coaching, and counseling in various contexts
• Identify appropriate situations for applying mentoring, coaching, and counseling
• Utilize active listening techniques to enhance communication skills
• Implement the ALPS and PALS approaches for effective communication
• Explain and apply the Star-L approach, the “What Which Why +2” approach, the GROW model, and the GLOW model in relevant scenarios
• Demonstrate key learning in providing guidance, support, and feedback through mentoring, coaching, and counseling

Course Duration

• 2 half-days online

Course Outline

• Welcome and Introduction
  •  Objectives and Overview
  •  Reminders and House Rules
• Understanding Mentoring, Coaching, and Counseling
  • Definitions and Key Concepts
  • Differences and Similarities
  • Benefits and Purpose

  When to use Mentoring, Coaching, and Counseling

• Effective Communication Techniques

• • Importance of Communication in Leadership
  • Active Listening as a Foundational Skill
  • Approaches
    • ALPS approach (Ask, Listen, Paraphrase, Summarize)
    • PALS approach (Probe, Advise, Listen, Summarize)
  • Practical Application and Examples
• Structured Communication Approaches
  • Star-L approach: Situation, Task, Action, Result, Learning
  • “What Which Why +2” approach for clear communication
  • GROW model (Goal, Reality, Options, Will) for Coaching
  • GLOW model (Goals, List, Options, Wrap-up) for Mentoring
  • Practical Application and Examples
• Ethical Considerations and Challenges
  • Addressing confidentiality and boundaries
  • Handling difficult conversations and resistance
  • Ensuring a supportive and respectful environment
• Developing Your Approach
  • Personalizing your mentoring, coaching, and counseling style
  • Integrating learned techniques into your leadership approach
    • Best Practices
  • Continuous Improvement and Self-Assessment
    • Creating an Action Plan: Goal-setting
    • Planning for On-going Development
• Summary and Wrap-up
  • Recap and Key Take-Aways
  • Commitment to Implementing New Skills
  • Feedback and Reflections from Participants

Delivery Methodologies

• Plenary Discussions
• Lecture / Slide Presentation
• Group or Pair Activities
• Individual Work
• Activity Debriefs
• Peer Feedback
• Icebreakers / Energizers / Games

This course is recommended for

• This course is designed for leaders, supervisors, executives, professionals, and those in the people leadership space who would need to further improve their mentoring, coaching  and counseling skills in order to become a more impactful leader.