Coaching and Mentoring in Context

The impact of contextual factors on coaching and mentoring.

A wide range of social and organisational factors impact on people’s experience of, and the results of coaching and mentoring. PEST (STEEPLE) analysis provides a useful structure when considering the impact of context on coaching and mentoring.

Social: What relationships are in play? Manager? Assessor? College? Personal relationships?

Technological: Is the use fo the phone or Zoom causing a barrier to the relationship? Does technology result in being able to benefit from a geographically wider pool of coaches / mentors?

Economic: Who paid for the coaching or mentoring? If self-funded what is the impact of the price?

Ethical: Are their any hidden agendas?

Political: What are the power dynamics? What networks and mechanisms are available to further or hinder your career / achievement?

Legal: Are professional boundaries being adhered to?

Environmental: Do travel or other resources impact on the coaching and mentoring?

In turn, it is also worth considering the impact of coaching and mentoring on the context. This may be best understood through reflection of a given context, based on the analysis above. For example, the chief executive of a corporation might decide to change their business strategy as a result of coaching. You can read more about this in the HBR Article found in the resources section of this topic. Click the tab above to read it.