There has been tremendous growth in the coaching industry and a lot of discussion about the importance of mentoring in the mining and exploration industry. So, what is the difference between coaching and mentoring and how do you find a mentor?
What is a Mentor as opposed to a Coach?
A mentor is someone who uses their knowledge, experience and skill to guide and teach another person, thus helping them to develop their own skills to progress in their profession. A mentor can also be a valuable source of information and networking connections.
A Coach uses powerful questioning techniques to help a person tap into their values and focus on what matters most in life and business. Coaches help a person to access their own resourcefulness to come up with their own unique solutions to solving problems and action steps to achieve their goals. Coaches do not give advice.
The value of a Mentor?
A mentor provides knowledge, experience, advice, and different viewpoints often using examples from their own experiences. They can help you evaluate where you are now, where you want to go and how to get there. Having a mentor can give you a broader insight into the industry and help you to learn things which might take you longer to figure out on your own, thus helping you to achieve your goals more quickly and effectively than working alone.
A good mentor is interested in helping others to achieve their goals and is reliable and trustworthy. One of the most important aspects of a good mentor is the ability to maintain confidentiality.
How do you find a Mentor?
AME is pleased to be offering its inaugural Mentorship program starting in March 2019. Current students and recent graduates can now apply to take part by submitting an application form through the AME website.
AME has curated an excellent group of volunteer mentors to help students and recent graduates advance their careers in mineral exploration and mining. Each one is a passionate advocate of our industry, and a supporter of diversity and inclusion, including the training and encouragement of the next generation. AME mentors are looking forward to championing our future leaders to bring their knowledge and new ideas to the fore front.
