Emergent goals in mentoring and coaching

Good mentors and coaches enable their mentees and clients to reflect, discover and learn. Goals are central to this process and provide the momentum for the development of the relationship. Researchers have made progress in understanding motivation and its connection to goal setting. This work has practical applications for mentors and coaches who wish to develop highquality relationships. This chapter reviews advances in understanding how goals emerge in mentoring and coaching relationships. First, the chapter analyzes how these relationships are distinguished by their focus on goals. The research on motivation and goal setting is reviewed next, including the origin of goals, how beliefs about learning influence goals, and the types of goals that characterize successful relationships. A system for charting goal progress is then presented. The chapter concludes with practical suggestions for mentors and coaches to use in their practice.