How can you make your coaching and mentoring more inclusive?

Coaching and mentoring are powerful ways to support the growth and development of others, but they can also be challenging when it comes to creating an inclusive and respectful environment. In this article, you will learn some practical tips on how to make your coaching and mentoring more inclusive, by addressing your own biases, listening actively, adapting your style, and respecting boundaries.

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1 Address your own biases

One of the first steps to make your coaching and mentoring more inclusive is to acknowledge and address your own biases, both conscious and unconscious. Biases are the assumptions, preferences, and stereotypes that influence how you perceive and interact with others, and they can affect your ability to provide fair and effective feedback, guidance, and support. To address your own biases, you need to be aware of them, challenge them, and seek feedback from others. You can also use tools such as the Implicit Association Test (IAT) or the Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI) to measure and improve your intercultural competence.

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Kannan Suresh

Assistant Director at EY. Technology Leader, Intelligent Automation, Digital Products and Services
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Being mindful of biases can help coaches and mentors provide more inclusive and equitable support. For example, by being aware of the tendency to presume competence based on appearance, coaches and mentors can avoid making assumptions about a mentee's abilities. Self-reflection, such as recognizing a tendency to gravitate towards familiar experiences, can also help to mitigate bias. Additionally, embracing diverse perspectives and educating oneself in different cultural contexts can help coaches and mentors create a more inclusive coaching and mentoring environment.

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Josh Grant

Passionate Leader | Associate Director, Parenteral Operations at Eli Lilly and Company | Advocate for Psychological Safety | Building a Fearless Organization
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One of the most impactful experiences I’ve had was to participate in a gender equity mentorship program. I had a mentor who very candidly communicated her experiences as a minority, woman leader and her experience. It was eye opening and has allowed me to be self aware about my own biases and to discuss the challenges my mentees/direct reports may face.

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2 Listen actively

Another key skill to make your coaching and mentoring more inclusive is to listen actively to your coachee or mentee. Listening actively means paying attention to what they say, how they say it, and what they don't say, as well as showing interest, empathy, and curiosity. Listening actively can help you understand their perspective, needs, goals, and challenges, as well as build trust and rapport. To listen actively, you need to avoid distractions, interruptions, and judgments, and use open-ended questions, paraphrasing, and summarizing to clarify and confirm your understanding.

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Josh Grant

Passionate Leader | Associate Director, Parenteral Operations at Eli Lilly and Company | Advocate for Psychological Safety | Building a Fearless Organization
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It’s crucial you create an environment where they feel safe to share their experiences and challenges. A lot of that comes from expressing vulnerability, proactively acknowledging the challenges various minorities face in the workplace, and showing commitment to support/awareness. Then of course you need to practice active listening, be excited about improving your understanding, and finding ways to take action.

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3 Adapt your style

A third tip to make your coaching and mentoring more inclusive is to adapt your style to suit your coachee or mentee. Adapting your style means being flexible and responsive to their preferences, personality, learning style, and cultural background. Adapting your style can help you communicate effectively, avoid misunderstandings, and tailor your approach to their specific situation and goals. To adapt your style, you need to observe, ask, and adjust. Observe how they communicate, behave, and learn. Ask them about their expectations, preferences, and feedback. Adjust your tone, pace, language, and methods accordingly.

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4 Respect boundaries

A fourth tip to make your coaching and mentoring more inclusive is to respect the boundaries of your coachee or mentee. Respecting boundaries means being aware of and honoring the limits of your role, relationship, and responsibility. Respecting boundaries can help you maintain professionalism, confidentiality, and ethics, as well as avoid conflicts of interest, dependency, or harm. To respect boundaries, you need to establish, communicate, and review them. Establish clear and mutual agreements on the scope, duration, frequency, and format of your coaching or mentoring. Communicate openly and honestly about any issues or concerns that may arise. Review and revise your agreements as needed.

By following these tips, you can make your coaching and mentoring more inclusive and respectful, and enhance the value and impact of your support for others.

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Josh Grant

Passionate Leader | Associate Director, Parenteral Operations at Eli Lilly and Company | Advocate for Psychological Safety | Building a Fearless Organization
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This is a lesson I’ve learned through experience. When something is clearly bothering a teammate, I would have a habit of wanting to discuss/solve immediately. Through mistakes I’ve learned to adjust to providing people the space they need to process before we move into a problem solving discussion.

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5 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?

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How can you make your coaching and mentoring more inclusive?

1

2

3

4

5

1 Address your own biases

2 Listen actively

3 Adapt your style

4 Respect boundaries

5 Here’s what else to consider

Coaching & Mentoring

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How can you make your coaching and mentoring more inclusive?

1

2

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5

1 Address your own biases

2 Listen actively

3 Adapt your style

4 Respect boundaries

5 Here’s what else to consider

Coaching & Mentoring

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