How can mentoring and coaching help program managers solve creative problems?

Coaching and Mentoring are the keys to unlocking a resource's highest growth potential and untapped areas of creativity and innovation. A Program Manager needs to be cognizant that coaching and mentoring are different and each have their time and place to be used most effectively. Through coaching or mentoring team members a Program Manager can better leverage a resource's potential and unlock new areas of skill and support across the team. Depending on the experience and responsibilities of a team member, coaching or mentoring, may make the most sense. It is a not a one size fits all application, and I can't think of a better way to solve creative problems than unlocking areas of the program team. Coaching and Mentoring are the keys.

Coaching typically involves a structured process where a coach helps an individual improve specific skills, set and achieve goals, and overcome challenges. Mentoring, on the other hand, is a relationship in which a more experienced or knowledgeable person (the mentor) provides guidance, advice, and support to a less experienced or knowledgeable person (the mentee). Both coaching and mentoring are essential for fostering a positive work environment, improving employee performance, and facilitating career development. They provide employees with valuable guidance and support, ultimately contributing to their success within the organization.

Great perspective ; however , I’d like to go further and add in the concept of sponsorship. Sponsorship could occur after mentoring and coaching . There are levels to this concept.

From what I've seen, both personally and professionally, just having someone to talk to who properly listens to what you're saying and then has the ability to provide straight forward, sensible responses can be invaluable. It makes the person asking the question really think about why they are asking it. If that conversation is then with a mentor or coach from outside your normal delivery or line management team, it helps the sharing of that problem honestly without worrying about consequences. I totally agree with the points around how knowledge and experience can be passed on, but I also think that having an independent person who can listen and provide simple advice is a wonderful thing.

Coaching is something where coach needs to handhold or guide coachee with pragmatic advices as well based on his/her experience in order to help him/her to find a solution or overcome from any difficult situation. whereas in Mentoring, mentor just ask some scenario specific questions to enable mentee to find the solution in his/her own way. That's why its always a longer process and has a long term relationship.

Mentoring is an effective tool for program managers, as in many cases challenges in the program are more soft (handling situations at hand ) than hard or truly technical ones. It could be about managing a tough stakeholder , a change of scope or resolving conflicting priorities. Mentoring helps in providing opportunity for conversations and exchanging ideas. This could range from mentee validating on her/his approach or hypothesis , mentor sharing insights or examples from experiences or both working together on possibilities.

Mentoring provides another avenue and a psychologically safe space for program managers to brainstorm or explore creative solutions development.

Mentoring and coaching aid program managers in creative problem-solving: 1. Expert Guidance: Offer insights based on experience, helping avoid pitfalls. 2. New Perspectives: Encourage innovative thinking for better solutions. 3. Skill Development: Identify and develop skills like critical thinking. 4. Accountability: Keep managers on track with milestones. 5. Feedback and Reflection: Regular feedback sessions for strategy improvement. 6. Growth Mindset: Foster a view of challenges as learning opportunities. In summary, mentoring and coaching provide a holistic support system for program managers tackling creative problems, fostering innovative thinking and enhancing skills, thereby helping them overcome challenges more effectively.

I learn so much from my mentors due to their experience being around the sun many times BUT I also learn a lot from my mentees, especially with graduates. Graduates can bring creative and fresh ideas...because they haven't been operating with constrained ways of thinking and working for a long period of time!

Mentoring has become a vital strategy for improving employee performance and organizational development. The concept of mentoring is simple, but successful implementation can be challenging. A mentor can provide guidance, motivation, emotional support, and role modeling. A mentor may help with exploring careers, setting goals, developing contacts, and identifying resources. Remember, effective mentoring is an ongoing process of growth and learning. Mentors who dedicate time and effort to self-improvement will likely have a more positive and impactful influence on their mentees' development.

Coaching can clarify the main objectives that you’re solving. Often our starting point isn’t actually the root problem. By asking probing questions, coaches can peel back layers of the problem to get to the core. Coaching can also challenge our assumptions and limiting beliefs. This creates the foundation for creative problem solving.

A good coach helps focus your thinking on the problem and solutions while challenging you to ignore the clutter and take new actions.

Having a coach can be highly beneficial for creative problem-solving as they have access to various resources and networks that you may not have thought of. They can connect you with experts, references or tools that can add value to your work. A coach can provide valuable feedback on your ideas and solutions, which can help you refine and improve them. They can also encourage self-reflection, which is a crucial aspect of the creative process. Additionally, coaches can assist in evaluating potential solutions by considering their feasibility, impact, and alignment with your objectives.

Mentoring can be a great way to spark creativity and fresh thinking through the lens of experience. Mentors can encourage exploration and experimentation and also provide guidance and advice. Mentoring can lead to increased motivation, new ideas, and a better understanding of how to approach problems. Ultimately, mentoring can help mentees create better solutions and achieve greater success. Thus, supportive mentoring that empowers employees to take on challenges and explore creative boundaries, results in new and innovative ideas.

Coaching and mentoring creates trust and openness (if done right) - this increases the likelihood of the team feeling comfortable sharing their ideas without judgement or not being heard. The more voices the more likely a quality solution to a creative problem will be found.

There are many coaches and mentors out there. This makes selecting one for you daunting. Most coaches have a coaching style or method that may or may not speak towards you. From experience, the best matches are not linked to the methods they use, but to the way they are able to get the most out of you. You will share very personal challenges, and for that, you need to be able to trust! When talking look not to a mentor or coach, make sure you are able to trust them. As without trust, there will be no result! For me as cornerman I have aligned my purpose and meaning in life. So from that perspective, I do not accept everyone! To add value, that connection must be real to achieve success together.

Its really an interesting but critical subject to work upon since here you need not only to find out a mentor but a role model too. So basically what you need to do is a detailed working on knowledge, expertise/achievements, leadership style.....etc which are imperative for you to get the right mentor for your long term relationship who can also be able to understand your abilities to get the best out of you. Once you identified the right mentor for you then you need to be just candid to get yourself evolved further.

If your organization does not have a formal mentoring or coaching program, seek those with knowledge and experience, and if they seem genuinely interested in helping, develop and maximize the relationship. Good mentors and coaches will show interest in you by asking questions about you personally as well as on goals and aspirations.

I’d also suggest that you don’t limit yourself to your own organisation or even industry. Having someone bring their perspective from a completely different angle can help avoid assumptions about situations and also challenge your own assumptions.

Here is my framework: Experience and Expertise: Look for mentors with decent experience in your field. Check their online profiles for insights and expertise. Recommendations: Seek recommendations from industry peers or review your potential mentor's LinkedIn referrals. Connect with their connections for more information. Diversity and Inclusion: Don't just gravitate towards those similar to you; consider diverse perspectives for a broader outlook and growth. Ask Questions: Have a quick chat with potential mentors to discuss your goals and how they can help you stay updated on industry trends. Define Must Haves: Realistically, no mentor will be a perfect fit. Define your essential criteria and aim for at least 70-80% alignment.

The best conversations I have with my coachees are when they come to our call with a challenge they want to work through and they give me a head's up before hand that this is what they want to discuss. That way rather than catching-up and me asking lots of probing questions, we get right to the issue and problem solve together. I have plenty of calls that are just catching up as well, but I feel I can add the most value when I can help work through a specific challenge.

Coaching and mentoring is different than receiving ongoing feedback on a job well done or areas to improve. In fact, some of the greatest leaders are great simply because they think more like a coach and a mentor versus a manager or boss. When thinking on how to make the most of your mentor or coach, set your boundaries and be clear on your expectations. A great mentor/coach should lift you up both professionally and personally, as much as they should let you down, and not always as gently as you’d like. Remember, their role is to help you to and through your growth. As Sarah Niles said, in her role on Ted Lasso, “I can’t be your mentor without occasionally being your tormentor.” Choose to accept your mentorship in all its forms.

Be open - if you are not, you will not get the most from your mentoring/coaching. When things are tough, share this - even if it is personal rather than business as our lives are intrinsically linked together. We can’t (even if we tell ourselves we can) keep them completely separate. This openness and willingness to share your problems and successes will build a stronger relationship and also free your mind to look at things more creatively.

Making the most of mentoring and coaching requires effort and commitment. You need to set clear goals, be open and honest, take action, be accountable, and communicate regularly with your mentor or coach.

Mentoring and coaching sessions are very much "you get out, what you put in". Preparing in advance for these sessions is critical to truly understanding progress and being able to focus on next steps. I find it valuable to have an agenda for each meeting and asking my mentee or coachee to track their progress so we jump into the meeting with them sharing their metric updates/progress and the next hurdles they would like to address. The hurdles may come from a lack of progress or what is holding them back from crossing the finish line. Having an agenda and putting the discussion into the hands of the mentee/coachee allows me to really listen attentively and probe.

- 'Coach for gaps, mentor for growth' has been a mantra I've used - Finding a good mentor is neither easy nor trivial. Expecting a 'Yes' from the first person you reach out to is a sure way of getting disappointed. - Always ask, 'Whats in it for the mentor?' state your case logically

If you know someone who is good at coaching and/or mentoring, share that wealth, as seekers abound. Many of my mentoring and coaching protégés came from referrals, and were often people I did not know, so don't be afraid to take that chance with someone who can help you in your career.

In my experience, effective mentoring relationships are built on trust and mutual respect. As program managers receive continuous support and feedback, their creative problem-solving skills are honed over time. This long-term investment in skill development leads to sustained innovation and adaptability in the face of evolving challenges. Also by integrating a mentor's historical perspective with a program manager's contemporary insights, a robust foundation for futuristic proofing is established. Creative ideas, built on the shoulders of mentors, are often imbued with a blend of traditional wisdom and contemporary innovation, making them well-suited to tackle future challenges effectively.

Stay humble and open. When you are humble, you remain curious and open-minded, acknowledge your limits, admit failures, seek knowledge, accept critical feedback, and change your mind when faced with evidence. Make sure you give mentors and coaches feedback. Follow-up on commitments made. Let them know how you've applied learning. Support comes more easily when it has a positive impact.