ABSTRACT
This chapter provides an overview of coaching, mentoring and action learning sets as ways of engaging with nursing world and learning in a slightly different way. Coaching facilitates learning, mentoring gives advice; action learning is a group that meets regularly to support one another in their learning in order to take purposeful action on work issues whilst counselling has a therapeutic goal. Mentoring is viewed as an integrated approach to advising, coaching and nurturing, focused on creating a viable relationship to enhance individual career, personal, professional growth and development. Action learning is a group activity that is underpinned by some coaching principles. Staff with coaching skills has ability to enhance their leadership effectiveness. Coaching techniques are also being used by healthcare practitioners with people requiring care and support. Action learning sets (ALS) are a group of between four and seven people, who meet regularly to support one another in their learning in order to take purposeful action on work issues.
