HKSM

One-to-one approaches that build capability: coaching targets near-term performance and behaviors; mentoring provides longer-term guidance and knowledge transfer. Used by project leaders to grow skills, solve performance gaps, and sustain delivery.

Key Points

• Coaching focuses on immediate role performance using questions, feedback, and practice loops.
• Mentoring focuses on career and domain growth through advice, storytelling, and exposure.
• Both require trust, clear goals, and regular cadence to produce measurable improvement.
• The project manager may coach directly and broker mentors when deeper subject expertise is needed.
• Link sessions to project outcomes such as quality, throughput, risk reduction, or stakeholder satisfaction.
• Confidentiality and psychological safety are essential to honest discussion and sustained behavior change.

Purpose of Analysis

• Identify the gap between current and desired performance or capability.
• Determine whether coaching, mentoring, or a blend best addresses the root cause.
• Set success criteria and metrics that tie to project deliverables and team goals.
• Assess readiness, capacity, and constraints for both the coachee/mentee and the coach/mentor.
• Prioritize development efforts with the highest impact on schedule, quality, or risk.

Method Steps

• Clarify the development need using recent performance data and observed behaviors.
• Select approach: coaching for near-term behavior/skill change; mentoring for broader growth and knowledge transfer.
• Agree goals and measures using SMART or OKR-style targets linked to project outcomes.
• Establish a compact: roles, confidentiality, cadence, duration, and boundaries.
• Run focused sessions: explore context, practice or plan actions, and commit to next steps.
• Enable support: resources, shadowing, pairing, job aids, and protected time to apply learning.
• Follow up: review results, remove obstacles, and celebrate small wins.
• Inspect and adapt: adjust frequency, approach, or mentor match based on evidence.
• Document key actions and updates to individual development plans or team working agreements.

Inputs Needed

• Recent performance metrics, retrospectives, and stakeholder feedback.
• Role descriptions, competency models, and acceptance criteria for key deliverables.
• Individual development goals and career interests.
• Availability and expertise of potential coaches and mentors.
• Organization policies on mentoring, confidentiality, and performance management.
• Team charter norms around feedback, learning, and psychological safety.

Outputs Produced

• Documented goals and action plans with target dates and measures.
• Session notes and follow-up items stored in a confidential location.
• Observable behavior changes and improved performance indicators.
• Knowledge transfer artifacts such as checklists, patterns, or playbooks.
• Updated resource and training needs, risks, or impediments in project logs.
• Enhanced engagement and retention signals captured in team health checks.

Interpretation Tips

• If the gap is skill or behavior within the current role, choose coaching; if it is domain depth or career navigation, choose mentoring.
• Keep sessions short and frequent to maintain momentum and accountability.
• Measure outcomes at the work product level, not just participant satisfaction.
• Separate coaching from formal appraisal to preserve openness and learning.
• Use data from reviews, demos, and retrospectives to target the next session.
• Rotate or supplement mentors if the need shifts beyond their expertise.

Example

A tester is missing defects in API validation. The project manager conducts weekly coaching to analyze missed checks, practice test design techniques, and apply a new checklist. In parallel, the tester is paired with a senior QA mentor for advanced API strategies and tool tips.

• Goal: reduce escaped defects from 6 per iteration to 2 within three sprints.
• Actions: add boundary tests, adopt contract testing, and peer review test cases.
• Outcome: escaped defects drop to 1–2 per sprint, cycle time stabilizes, and the checklist becomes a shared artifact.

Pitfalls

• Turning coaching into micromanagement or status checks rather than development.
• Vague goals that cannot be linked to deliverables or measurable behaviors.
• Mentor mismatch on availability, style, or domain expertise.
• Skipping protected practice time, leading to no behavior change.
• Breaching confidentiality or conflating coaching with performance appraisal.
• Over-reliance on the project manager as the only coach, creating a bottleneck.

PMP Example Question

A developer frequently breaks the build after complex merges. The project schedule is tight. What should the project manager do first to address this issue using coaching and mentoring?

1. Assign the developer to mandatory training and report the issue to HR.
2. Pair the developer with a senior engineer as a mentor and set a near-term goal to reduce build breaks.
3. Replace the developer with a contractor who has stronger merge skills.
4. Increase code review thresholds and block merges until defects reach zero.

Correct Answer: B — Pair the developer with a senior engineer as a mentor and set a near-term goal to reduce build breaks.

Explanation: Combine targeted coaching goals with a suitable mentor for hands-on guidance. This addresses the root skill gap quickly while protecting delivery. Escalation or replacement is premature without trying development-focused actions.