How do you mentor and coach other operations management trainees and professionals?

To enhance your mentoring and coaching role, I use the following strategies: Firstly, I regularly have check-in sessions with my mentees and coachees. These sessions can be scheduled meetings, phone calls, or video conferences. Secondly, I work together with my mentees and coachees to establish clear and achievable goals. I encourage them to define objectives and create action plans to achieve them. Thirdly, I provide relevant resources such as articles, books, or online courses to enhance their knowledge and skills. Lastly, I offer support beyond scheduled meetings or sessions. I am available for spontaneous discussions and provide assistance during critical moments. I genuinely care about their growth and prioritize their development.

Communicate with authenticity. Let your members know they are seen and heard. Do not just focus on the small things but the big picture as well. Remember that not having a title doesn't mean you can't be a leader. When you organically put others in a position to grow, then we all grow together. When it comes to Ideas allow them up with them as well. People tend to invest more in things they have a part in.

?? Unveiling 20+ years of workplace journaling insights, I share game-changing tips for mentoring and coaching in operations management! ?? ?? Understand team strengths, boost productivity. ? ?? Prioritize tasks for focused core responsibilities. ?? ?? Delegate effectively, aligning skills and interests. ?? ?? Foster open communication, supportive environment. ?? ?? Assess workloads, prevent burnout. ?? ?? Provide resources, enhance productivity. ??? ?? Celebrate achievements, boost morale. ?? Empower your team for success and well-being. Let's revolutionize operations management! ???

The best way to coach and mentor is to always lead by example. And then to provide a framework for trainees to be able to practically follow that example.

In my experience, the first step in mentoring and coaching is identifying who to work with and understanding their goals and challenges. Whether the relationship is formal or informal, clear communication of expectations and establishing trust are essential for success. Building rapport is crucial for fostering a supportive environment.

?? Mentoring and coaching in operations management offers a platform to share expertise and experiences, enabling others to learn from both successes and failures. ?? ?? Provide valuable insights, tools, and resources to enhance their skills and knowledge. ??? ?? Share your challenges and how you overcame them, offering inspiration and guidance. ?? ?? Offer constructive feedback and suggestions, empowering them to grow. ?? ? Avoid imposing your opinions or solutions, encourage critical and creative thinking. ?? Together, we can cultivate a culture of continuous learning and development in operations management. Let's uplift each other and drive success! ???

As acting COO of my company - I agree with this to a point. When mentoring it is not just about the job but also about company culture. I agree that we really truly only learn from our mistakes and it is so important to allow others to act and learn from their own mistakes. With all that being said, it is critical that you keep enough handle on what is happening so that a devestating mistake, to either your company or the cusomer, is not made. You might have to interfere with the decision making process. It is an excellent teaching opportunity!

In my experience leading a large operations team of 280 staff what I find extremely useful in the mentoring and coaching process is to walk my staff through the bankwide strategy in detail focusing on what the operations team needs to do in order to achieve the strategic goals. Based on this we narrow down to each team and look at their deliverables per the strategy , this exposes whether or not we have a skills , or competency gap. I put together a plan in collaboration with the each staff how we will address the shortcomings. We meet monthly to track progress on the plan and provide feedback and support on achieving the deliverables per the plan.

As mentoring and coaching is a 2 way approach; the first most important thing is to get the commitment from both the sides and ensure the objectives, outcomes and the deliverables are in consensus. Secondly, it should be always an open book discussion during the process. Feedback at the end of each session and assignments for the upcoming session to be delivered. Loads of personal experience sharing will be the cherry on the ??

The first thing I ask a mentee is what are you trying to accomplish? For example be an expert in a field, be a manager or executive, be the CEO of a company, or other. Each goal requires a different path of development. Next I ask and give input into what skills, experiences, and education it takes to achieve the goal. I have them talk with people in such rolls to understand how they achieved it. Next we work on a plan the mentee needs to take to gain experience, participate as a leader in tasks and take on education goals that show they are ready to take on rolls that advance them toward their objective. I stress that good ethics must be the foundation as they take on this challenge. We talk about the work and cost of being in such roles.

Ask with purpose and thought-driven questions that make people think of how they want to respond. Do not ask just for the sake of asking! You would like them to reflect on what you said and have asked so they can respond accordingly with a thought-provoked response.

A good exercise in active listening is to actively do – don't just ask questions about what your operations team members or managers need or see as areas of improvement, get your hands dirty side-by-side with your ops team to really understand their perspectives. Hearing that a standard operations task needs to be improved is one thing; being in the field with your ops team as they show you why that standard operations task needs to be changed allows you to experience (and better understand) the "why."

On boarding will involve explaining our values, mission and of course, boundaries. Its a two way exchange...so yes to do that we need to listen and be clear on what our goals are. To be clear I loathe jargon, so the term 'active' listening irritates.

Provide Guidance and Advice: Offer guidance on career development, problem-solving, and decision-making. Help your mentee or trainee navigate challenges in their operations management role. Coaching and Skill Development: Identify specific skills and competencies that the mentee needs to develop and create a plan to enhance these skills. Teach Problem-Solving Techniques: Show them how to approach and solve complex operational problems. Encourage critical thinking and creative problem-solving.

?? As a mentor or coach, nurturing the development and growth of your mentees and coachees as operations managers is paramount. ?? ?? Assist them in setting realistic and measurable goals, and monitor their progress and accomplishments. ?? ?? Help them identify strengths and areas for improvement, offering strategies to enhance performance and productivity. ?? ?? Motivate them to take action, overcome obstacles, and embrace challenges head-on. ?? ?? Celebrate their successes, acknowledging milestones, and encourage learning from failures. ?? Together, let's foster a supportive environment that fuels their growth and empowers them to reach new heights in operations management! ???

"Starting from the start" for most roles is the "first principles" approach, where most employees should feel they know what business they are supporting, and what their product/area does well, and why customers/clients actually use the service or purchase goods. Without this, the job is just a task-based role, and it's terribly hard to convince operators to think beyond what they are doing, or allow them to think about managing others in different ways.

"Support their development and growth" As a mentor or coach, you should also support your mentees and coachees in their development and growth as operation managers. Remember to help them set realistic and measurable goals.

Mentors can support four strategies that help to create a dynamic and growth-oriented journey for mentees as operations managers: 1. Continuous Learning: Embrace continuous learning, viewing every experience as a chance to improve and build resilience. 2. Actionable Feedback: Prioritize specific, actionable feedback from peers and superiors to create a roadmap for targeted professional growth. 3. Theory to Practice: Connect theoretical knowledge gained in training with real-world application. This integration strengthens problem-solving skills and enhances decision-making capabilities. 4. Culture of Experimentation: Foster an environment that encourages experimentation and risk-taking, valuing mistakes as learning experiences.

By week 3, a network of professionals will have allready be established if your on boarding is on point. The real learning will have started, and you will know your new team and team members much better. Remember this is about them....not you!. Introduce them to meeting's, practice and give them time to develop and grow their confidence, learning and voice.

As you’re introducing a mentee to your network- put that network into context for them. Who reports to whom, where are the dotted lines, and what are some of the organizational and political dynamics at play. Highlighting these aspects is critical to them understanding how to interpret these things for themselves as they expand their own network.

A potent method to inspire someone you are coaching is to paint a vivid picture of their potential future by introducing them to individuals currently occupying positions a few years ahead. Furthermore, exposing them to progressive companies that have surpassed your current aspirations serves as an effective way to illustrate the possibilities that lie ahead.

Beyond direct guidance, a potent aspect of mentoring in operations management involves fostering networking and learning avenues. Sometimes, it's not what you know but who you know! Facilitating introductions to professionals, experts, and organisations amplifies connections. Recommending participation in events, workshops, or projects exposes mentees to fresh perspectives. Encouraging involvement in communities of practice allows for collaborative knowledge-sharing. This multifaceted approach propels mentees into a dynamic network, broadening their horizons and enriching their understanding of evolving trends and best practices in operations management.

There are several approaches to assess mentoring and coaching effectiveness. One way is to measure mentees or coachees' progress and development over time. This can be done through self-assessment surveys or feedback sessions where mentees/coachees reflect on their growth and identify areas of improvement. Another method is to gather feedback from stakeholders, such as supervisors or colleagues, to gain insights into the mentees/coachees' performance and behavior changes. Engaging in reflective practice, both by the mentor/coach and the mentee/coachee, allows for ongoing evaluation and adjustment of the mentoring/coaching relationship.

Self introspection is important. Be honest with yourself and take the gathered feedback and implement any needed changes to the process or delivery. Remember that not everyone learns the same way or at the same speed so factor this in and be prepared to see it in feedback.

Coaching effectiveness 5 Cs: 1. Clarity 2. Communication 3. Consistency 4. Customization 5. Continuous Improvement By applying these 5 Cs—Clarity, Communication, Consistency, Customization, and Continuous Improvement—you create a framework that enhances the effectiveness of coaching relationships and contributes to the overall development of individuals.

In my experience, effective mentoring and coaching involve collaboratively setting clear goals, encouraging honest feedback after each session, and regularly assessing progress. Reflect on communication skills, adaptability, and different learning styles. Highlight success stories and address individual needs to ensure satisfaction. Commit to ongoing professional development and periodically review and adjust goals based on progress. Incorporate objective metrics when possible for measurable success. This approach, emphasizing honesty and continual improvement, enhances your effectiveness as a mentor or coach.

?? Seek feedback from mentees and coachees on their perception of the relationship, what they learned, and how they applied it. ?? ?? Reflect on your own performance, identifying strengths and areas for improvement as a mentor or coach. ?? ?? Assess the benefits and challenges of mentoring and coaching, and explore ways to enhance your skills and techniques. ?? By continuously evaluating and evolving your approach, you can refine your mentoring and coaching abilities to better support the growth and development of others in operations management. ???

See through the eyes of the person being coached. Expressing all the insights and wisdom the coach has may fall on non-listening ears, or ears unable to hear. Acknowledge where they are in the process of learning operations and build from there. The coach's knowledge and wisdom may be most teachable if that coach learns the 'other' first. Transparency with a bit of vulnerability may build the relationship that is needed.

I’ve gained over 20 years experience as a head of operations before setting up my own consultancy business. All the skills learnt as an operations manager are extremely valuable and very transferable. Don’t limit yourself always think of the bigger piece. Operations is a major part of any organisation, it’s often the foundation.

The initial step involves establishing mutually agreed-upon objectives to guide subsequent actions. It is imperative not to impose a singular approach on the trainee; instead, present options and allow them to choose what aligns best with their persona. Acknowledge that learning is reciprocal and by teaching, we enhance our own growth. Introduce the trainee to your professional network, not only elevating your standing in the network but also providing them access to a diverse pool of expertise. Lastly, regularly review progress against set objectives and adapt as needed for optimal development.