A Mentor is a Marvelous Leader ...

Mentoring tends to focus on the future, and broader skills for personal or career development

Key Aspects of Mentoring

Unlike a management relationship, mentoring relationships tend to be voluntary on both sides, although it is considered possible for a line manager to also be a mentor to the people that they manage. Unlike a coaching relationship, mentoring relationships are more usually unpaid.

The idea behind mentoring relationships is a semi-charitable one: that the more successful, senior partner, the mentor, wishes to pass on some of what they’ve learned to someone else who will benefit from their experience.

Mentoring programmes tend to have four key elements: improving performance, career development, counselling and sharing knowledge there is also an element of the mentor acting as a sponsor for the learner.

Mentoring relationships, especially formal ones organised through a mentoring programme, are often entered into with a defined time limit, or a defined goal. Having such a framework in place can be easier for both parties to agree than an open-ended commitment.

For example, a learner may agree to work with a mentor for a year, or until they achieve a particular desired promotion. After they have reached the time limit or achieved the goal, terms can be renegotiated. The mentor and learner may decide to continue to work together, especially if the relationship has been productive and helpful to both.

A mentor can take on several different roles in the course of a mentoring relationship, depending on the requirements of the learner.

These include:

Learning Consultant

There are two parts of this: supporting the mentoring process and the content of learning. This role includes helping the learner to clarify their goals, or their learning style.

The mentor may also help the learner to reflect on their experience and draw out learning. They may also be able to provide the learner with theoretical models to support their learning

Primary Mentoring Skills

Rapport-Building

The skill of building rapport is the same as being people-oriented and having good interpersonal skills. Since the connection between a coach and a learner must be properly established, rapport-building is deemed necessary in order to attain a level of understanding between the coach and the individual. One way to apply good rapport-building is to create a comfortable atmosphere during the session. This way, learners will not hesitate to cooperate in the drills and activities.

Listening Ability

The ability to be a good and active listener is very essential to coaching. Listening is not just about understanding the verbal cues but also listening to what is not said. The coach also makes conversation a two-way street during the session which means that the learner is given the opportunity to talk and open up more while the coach actively listens. Part of demonstrating good listening ability is avoiding interruptions. Paraphrasing can also be used to confirm understanding of what was being said.

Questioning Ability

A coach must be able to apply effective questioning techniques and must know how to ask intelligent questions. The use of open-ended questions is effective as this type of questioning encourages the individual to elaborate more. Good follow-up questions after a learner’s response also manifest a sincere interest and concern toward the person.

Communication Skill

Since coaching involves a lot of discussions and open conversations between the coach and the learner, the coach should know how to effectively get the message across to the individual with ease. This is especially important during the giving of feedback to the learner. The coach must be able to relay feedback and remarks constructively and positively without demeaning the learner’s self-esteem.

General Mentoring Skills

Apart from the primary skills mentioned above, there are other essential skills that the coaching profession requires. The list of skills and attributes below would make an effective coach and mentor:

? Ability to promote trust and respect

? Ability to facilitate level of understanding

? Ability to create an effective coaching and mentoring process

? Ability to motivate and inspire

? Ability to offer positive and constructive feedback

? Ability to guide the learner in goal setting and attainment

? Ability to stimulate action

? Ability to inculcate self-awareness and self-knowledge

? Ability to open up new perspectives

? Ability to follow a variety of approaches in coaching styles and techniques

? Ability to recognize significant changes in thoughts and behavior

? Ability to assist in identifying the value in a situation

Mentoring Competencies

Many organizations tailor their standards for mentoring performance from accredited coaching associations .The association has set the following coaching competencies:

? Ability to adhere to the ethical rules in the coaching profession

? Ability to create a coaching agreement

? Ability to initiate a trusting relationship with the trainee or the learner

? Ability to be vigilant, mindful and spontaneous

? Ability to provide active listening

? Ability to ask effective and powerful questions

? Ability to effectively communicate

? Ability to increase the individual’s level of awareness

? Ability to design action plans to address needs and issues

? Ability to establish realistic goals with the individual

? Ability to facilitate the trainee’s progress

Top 10 Qualities of a Good Mentor

A good mentoring relationship provides new employees as well as interns with someone that will share their professional knowledge and expertise in the field. A good mentor is available to answer any questions relevant to the job. Good mentor-mentee relationships are a two way street; consequently, if you want a good relationship with your mentor, become a good mentee. This requires a genuine interest in your mentor and a willingness to do what it takes to become successful as an intern or new employee in the field. Following suggestions and recommendations as well as reading all pertinent literature available in the field is a good way to show your mentor that you are committed to being successful and that you take your career and responsibilities seriously.

A good mentor possesses the following qualities:

1. Willingness to share skills, knowledge, and expertise.
2. A good mentor is willing to teach what he/she knows and accept the mentee where they currently are in their professional development. Good mentors can remember what it was like just starting out in the field. The mentor does not take the mentoring relationship lightly and understands that good mentoring requires time and commitment and is willing to continually share information and their ongoing support with the mentee.
3. Demonstrates a positive attitude and acts as a positive role model.
4. A good mentor exhibits the personal attributes it takes to be successful in the field. By showing the mentee what it takes to be productive and successful, they are demonstrating the specific behaviors and actions required to succeed in the field.
5. Takes a personal interest in the mentoring relationship.
6. Good mentors do not take their responsibility as a mentor lightly. They feel invested in the success of the mentee. Usually this requires someone who is knowledgeable, compassionate, and possesses the attributes of a good teacher or trainer. Excellent communication skills are also required. A good mentor is committed to helping their mentees find success and gratification in their chosen profession. Overall good mentoring requires empowering the mentee to develop their own strengths, beliefs, and personal attributes.
7. Exhibits enthusiasm in the field.
8. A mentor who does not exhibit enthusiasm about his/her job will ultimately not make a good mentor. Enthusiasm is catching and new employees want to feel as if their job has meaning and the potential to create a good life.
9. Values ongoing learning and growth in the field.
10. Mentors are in a position to illustrate how the field is growing and changing and that even after many years there are still new things to learn. Anyone that feels stagnant in their current position will not make a good mentor. When starting out in a new career, people want to feel that the time and energy they spend learning will be rewarded and will ultimately provide them with career satisfaction. Good mentors are committed and are open to experimenting and learning practices that are new to the field. They continually read professional journals and may even write articles on subjects where they have developed some expertise. They are excited to share their knowledge with new people entering the field and take their role seriously in teaching their knowledge to others. They may choose to teach or attend classes to further develop their knowledge and skills. They enjoy taking workshops and attending professional conferences provided through their membership in professional associations.
11. Provides guidance and constructive feedback.
12. One of the key responsibilities of a good mentor is to provide guidance and constructive feedback to their mentee. This is where the mentee will most likely grow the most by identifying their current strengths and weaknesses and learning how to use these to make themselves successful in the field. A good mentor possess excellent communication skills and is able to adjust their communication to the personality style of the mentee. A good mentor will also provide the mentee with challenges that will foster professional development and a feeling of accomplishment in learning the field.
13. Respected by colleagues and employees in all levels of the organization.
14. Ideally mentees look up to their mentors and can see themselves filling the mentor's role in the future. Mentees want to follow someone who is well respected by colleagues and co-workers and whose contribution in the field is appreciated.
15. Sets and meets ongoing personal and professional goals.
16. A good mentor continually sets a good example by showing how his/her personal habits are reflected by personal and professional goals and overall personal success.
17. Values the opinions and initiatives of others.
18. A mentor who values others is also someone who works well in a team environment and is willing to share his/her success. A good mentor appreciates the ongoing effort of the mentee and empowers him/her through positive feedback and reinforcement.
19. Motivates others by setting a good example.

• BEING A MENTOR

Papers are spilling off the desk. The voicemail light is blinking. Your email inbox is never ending, and little smiley face stickers are somehow stuck in your hair. We’ve all been there. When it comes to teaching, there are always those days when the final bell rings and you just want to vent about the day, interact with someone older than age six, or simply have someone to talk to.

• One of the most important—and overlooked—aspects of education is having mentors who help you manage the grind of daily struggles and the challenges of the profession. As an early career teacher, I have been blessed to work with many incredible teachers who have salvaged my sanity, dried my tears, and challenged me to be more than I thought I could be.

Mentors may be formally "assigned," or they may informally walk into your life. Mentorship can occur in a mandated mentor program, when one teacher is looking out for another, taking a struggling teacher under your wing, or simply welcoming a new person to the team. Mentorship doesn't have to be a formal process—but it is a crucial form of support for new and early career teachers.

Interested in becoming a teacher mentor? Here are eight qualities to focus on:

1. Respect. First and foremost, there must be respect between the mentor and the mentee. But respect doesn't form overnight—it takes time. As I tell my students, respect is earned.

Showing respect is all about the little things. For example, when a veteran teacher with more than 15 years of experience embraces my new idea for a unit at a staff meeting, it tells me I am being taken seriously. Or, when another teacher comes to your room to just say hi, they are acknowledging that the relationship is about both of you. New teachers feel worthy when their colleagues reach out to make sure they are involved. This can take many forms—having lunch, sending an email, or even going to a union meeting together.

2. Listening. By truly listening, you get to know me. You get to know me in a more personal way than I may even realize I am letting on. For example, a good mentor can pick up on when I am stressed out, when I am in the zone, when I am having a good day, and so on.

When a mentor puts all the verbal and nonverbal clues together, they synthesize what I need—even when I may not be able to even say it myself. And once they recognize what I need, good mentors come to my aid. If you think I need a sanity lunch, plan one. If you think I need some advice on dealing with misbehaved students, lend some advice. The magic of listening allows mentors and mentees to get to know each other and informs the mentor on how they can be of assistance.

3. Challenging. Great mentors push your thinking and help you grow in new ways. They alert you to new teaching methods and provide tips for how to handle various situations throughout the year.

Most importantly, though, these “tips” are often posed as questions. Questions require new teachers to discover and learn for themselves. I want to grow and develop as an educator, but it’s hard. Please—push me outside of my comfort zone. I want to improve, but it’s hard to do alone. Be there with me as I learn.

4. Collaboration. This critical step benefits everyone within the support system. By helping refine my ideas, you remind yourself of all the things that make a truly great teacher. It’s also mutually beneficial for teachers to work together because everyone will walk away with new and improved strategies, lessons, and ideas.

Remember, you don’t have to wait for a mentee to seek out your wisdom. In fact, it can go a long way in strengthening the bond between teachers when both bring ideas to the table.

5. Celebration. Success comes in a variety of shapes and sizes. Some days it may be making a dreaded phone call home with a disgruntled parent, while other days it may be the implementation of a new idea that the whole team tried and loved. Be genuinely happy when I succeed, no matter how big or important it is in the grand scheme of things. Besides, I wouldn’t have the experience of success without your guidance. Tell me congrats and share in the happiness!

6. Truth. Honesty is the foundation of any relationship. Tell the truth; criticism is how we all learn. You have the opportunity to coach me through changes that will positively impact me for the rest of my life. Help me learn the do’s and don'ts of school politics, communication, and the million other little things they don’t teach you in educator preparation programs.

7. Safety. Does your mentee feel it’s OK to make a mistake and tell you about it? Knowing that I can trust you is monumental. I worry what you will think and say; your opinion matters greatly to me.

Pause for a second and think about how you’ll respond to me when I tell you what’s going on because I will remember your words much longer than you will. Trust forms when I know you will stand up for me—both in front of me and behind my back. If I am dealing with a challenging situation, walk the fine line of protection by providing me with tips you learned in a similar situation and give me some questions to ponder.

8. Empathy. Don’t forget your mentee is human. Life is tough, and we’re all in it together. Sometimes life events—joyous, tumultuous, and all those in between— linger with us into our classrooms. Lend an ear, a smile, and at times even a hug.

Whether you knew it or not, by being a mentor you have also become my personal life coach. I want to hear your advice. I want to hear your similar stories. I need someone to bounce ideas off of when I shut the door at lunch and sob over a broken heart, dance for joy over an engagement, worry about family drama, and learn to deal with stress.

When it’s all said and done, the papers may still be spilling off my desk. Hopefully I’ve found time to listen to some voicemails and answer a few emails.

As for the stickers, I might just wear those with pride because it means the day is over. I survived. I couldn’t have done it alone, without you—my mentors.

Each competency area is described briefly below,

Various Competant Ability of leaders

Coaching

Ability to act as a coach, with the client’s interest determining the direction, rather than the coach’s expertise or opinion. It refers to coaching as “professional coaching” to distinguish it from sports and other coaching, including agile coaching. professional coaching is one of the key competency areas of a good agile coach

Facilitation

Ability to facilitate the individual’s, team’s, or organization’s process of discovery, holding to their purpose and definition of success.

Mentoring

Ability to impart one’s experience, knowledge and guidance to help grow another in the same or similar knowledge domains.

Teaching

Ability to offer the right knowledge, at the right time, taught in the right way, so that individuals, teams and organizations ingest and use the knowledge for their best benefit.

Agile-Lean Practitioner

Ability to learn and deeply understand Agile frameworks and Lean principles, not only at the level of practices, but also at the level of the principles and values that underlie the practices enabling appropriate application as well as innovation.

Technical Mastery

Ability to get your hands dirty architecting, designing, coding, test engineering, or performing some other technical practice, with a focus on promoting technical craftsmanship through example and teaching-by-doing.

Business Mastery

Ability to apply business strategy and management frameworks, product innovation techniques, six sigma or other business process management approaches, and other techniques that relate to innovating in the business domain.

Transformation Mastery

Ability to facilitate, catalyze and (as appropriate) lead organizational change and transformation. This area draws on change management, organization culture, organization development, systems thinking, and other behavioral sciences.

Systems-Oriented Leadership

• Systems oriented leadership is one which draws upon Relationship Systems Intelligence (TM), or RSI. It is an evolution of the concepts of emotional intelligence (EQ), then emotional-social intelligence (ESI), and now RSI. It was developed by Marita Fridjhon and Faith Fuller of CRRGlobal. Systems oriented leadership sees leadership as a property of the system (e.g., team or organization) rather than a specific role or job.

A Final Word

Mentoring relationships are not for everyone, and may not be appropriate for every stage in your career.

• However, a good and productive mentoring relationship with the right person will provide huge benefits to you both. It is well worth spending time to find a suitable mentor if you feel that this would be helpful to your learning and development.