Surgeons as Educators A Guide for Academic Development and Teaching Excellence

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Coaching and Mentoring: Definitions and Impacts

If asked, many of us would be able to identify someone who has coached us in our
careers, and some of us would be able to identify someone who has served or is
serving as a mentor. When discussing what exactly is a coach or mentor, it is easy
to find a number of attributes that cross both mentors and coaches. As social beings,
we come to rely on one another for friendship, safety, support, laughter, wisdom,
and survival. This natural state of supportive interaction makes clearly delineating
the lines between friend, teacher, guide, mentor, and coach difficult. Each of us may
operate in any of those roles given the particular situation and time. Although diffi-
cult to distinguish between a coach and mentor within the surgical education envi-
ronment, definitions, characteristics, and attributes help frame the purpose and
nature of the different relationships [ 18 – 23 ].

Coaching [ 18 – 20 ] Mentoring [ 21 – 23 ]

Definition A relationship “designed to

improve existing skills,

competence and performance,

and to enhance their personal

effectiveness or personal

development or personal

growth” [ 18 ]

“Is a dynamic, reciprocal

relationship in a work environment

between an advanced career

incumbent (mentor) and a beginner

(protege) aimed at promoting the

career development of both” [ 23 ]

Typical

characteristics of the

relationship

Short term

Task oriented

Performance focused

Strategist (may not have

expertise in specific field)

Promotes problem solving

Focus is on skill development

Ongoing, long term

Career and life focused

Development focused

Expert, respected in field

Provides vision and advice

Emphasis on a reciprocal

relationship

Attributes of coach/

mentor

Works to identify goals and

needs of learner

Engages in direct observation

Provides specific performance

feedback

Collaborates with learner to

create an action plan (verbal or

written)

Provides follow-up and ongoing

assessment

Is committed and trustworthy

Offers a vision and guidance

Shares resources and wisdom

Provides a network of support

Encourages mentee’s ideas and

work

Engages in constructive feedback

Challenges mentees

Acknowledges contributions

Shares in success and benefits

With a clearer definition in place, the question becomes: Do coaches and mentors
impact performance in the workplace and even more specifically in surgical educa-
tion and academic medicine?

Benefits of Coaching and Mentoring
Recognizing that learning and development is situated in the workplace and is fos-
tered through authentic relationships gives credence to the roles of coaching and
mentoring. Having a mentor and/or coach impacts not only performance but also
has positive impacts on other aspects of individual development. A meta-analysis of

14 The Surgical Workplace Learning Environment