What are the most effective mentoring frameworks for developing servant leadership skills in new hires?
Servant leadership is a philosophy and practice that emphasizes the ethical, emotional, and relational aspects of leading others. Servant leaders put the needs, interests, and goals of their followers first, and use their power and authority to serve them, rather than dominate them. Servant leadership can foster a culture of trust, collaboration, and innovation in any organization, but it requires a deliberate and continuous development of skills and attitudes that go beyond the traditional models of leadership.
One of the most effective ways to cultivate servant leadership skills in new hires is to provide them with mentoring opportunities that expose them to the values, behaviors, and outcomes of servant leadership. Mentoring is a process of learning from someone who has more experience, knowledge, or wisdom in a specific domain, and who can offer guidance, feedback, and support. Mentoring can help new hires to acquire the competencies, confidence, and commitment that are essential for servant leadership.
However, not all mentoring frameworks are equally suited for developing servant leadership skills. Some mentoring frameworks may focus more on the technical, functional, or operational aspects of the job, rather than the ethical, emotional, or relational aspects. Some mentoring frameworks may be too formal, rigid, or hierarchical, rather than flexible, adaptive, or collaborative. Some mentoring frameworks may be too directive, prescriptive, or evaluative, rather than facilitative, exploratory, or developmental.
Therefore, it is important to choose a mentoring framework that aligns with the principles and practices of servant leadership, and that can foster a positive and productive relationship between the mentor and the mentee. In this article, we will discuss three of the most effective mentoring frameworks for developing servant leadership skills in new hires: the GROW model, the SAGE model, and the 70-20-10 model.