What criteria should you use to identify mentees who would benefit from leadership training?

As a business coach, you may have the opportunity to mentor aspiring or emerging leaders who want to develop their skills and potential. But how do you select the right mentees for leadership training? What criteria should you use to identify who would benefit the most from your guidance and feedback? In this article, we will explore some of the factors that can help you make this decision and support your mentees' growth.

1 Assess their readiness

When considering a mentee's readiness for leadership training, it is important to evaluate their current level of competence, confidence, and commitment to learning and leading. A mentee who is ready for leadership training should have a clear vision of their goals and aspirations as a leader, be willing to take on new challenges and responsibilities that stretch their abilities, be open to feedback and opportunities to improve their performance and skills, be proactive and self-motivated to learn and grow from their experiences, and show respect and empathy for others while fostering positive relationships with their peers and superiors. If a mentee lacks some of these qualities, they may need more time or support to prepare for leadership training. In this case, it is beneficial to provide them with constructive feedback, encourage them to reflect on their strengths and weaknesses, and expose them to different leadership styles and scenarios.

Add your perspective

Philip Horrod

🔥 Helping corporate professionals start a new career or business of their own, without burning out. • Speaker • Coach • Business Mentor • Author • Chartered Management Accountant
Report contribution
A successful mentee is one who recognises they will benefit from coaching, is coachable (fully open to being coached) and also has the personal dedication and commitment to actually carry through with the actions they need to implement. The initial coaching session should ‘test’ these areas as a means of a mentees readiness for leadership training.

Like

2 Identify their gaps

When considering a mentee's leadership skills and knowledge, it is important to identify the areas where they need to improve or learn more. The mentee may need to develop or enhance their communication, collaboration, or decision-making skills, learn more about industry trends and challenges, acquire or update technical, operational, or strategic knowledge and expertise, understand or align with the organizational culture, values, and vision, or balance their personal and professional goals and responsibilities. If these needs are present, leadership training can help the mentee fill their gaps and expand their horizons. You can assist by providing them with relevant resources, tools, or networks; facilitating their learning and development; and challenging them to apply their new skills and knowledge in practice.

Add your perspective

Philip Horrod

🔥 Helping corporate professionals start a new career or business of their own, without burning out. • Speaker • Coach • Business Mentor • Author • Chartered Management Accountant
Report contribution
The initial assessment of a mentee’s gaps is vital to identify what their needs are, as well as to determine those areas that the mentee with gain maximum benefit from being coached on. This assessment can be based on the coach’s initial questioning of the mentee, an open self-assessment carried out by the mentee themselves, as well as completion of an anonymous questionnaire by the mentee’s subordinates and / or their manager(s). Once the mentee’s gaps have been identified, an appropriate coaching program can then be constructed to focus on these areas, as well as ensuring there is a form of progress measurement put in place, to measure the effectiveness of the coaching program and the mentee’s progress.

Like

3 Match their style

When considering a mentee's style of learning and leading, it is important to recognize their preferences, strengths, and personality traits that influence how they learn and lead. A mentee with a distinct style of learning and leading may have a preferred mode, pace, type, and role of learning and leading. This could include visual, auditory, or kinesthetic learning; fast, moderate, or slow pace; formal, informal, or experiential learning; authoritative, democratic, or laissez-faire leading; and visionary, executor, or facilitator roles. To help them optimize their outcomes, you should provide them with customized and flexible options that respect and leverage their diversity and uniqueness. Furthermore, you should support them to adapt and innovate in different situations and contexts.

Add your perspective

4 Evaluate their impact

When assessing a mentee's leadership impact, consider their results, achievements, and contributions. A successful leader should have delivered their expected performance and goals, created or improved their value proposition, inspired or influenced followers, solved or prevented problems or conflicts, and made or supported positive changes or innovations. If a mentee has achieved some of these outcomes, they may benefit from additional leadership training that can boost their impact and recognition. You can support them by providing feedback, recognition, or rewards, celebrating successes and achievements, and encouraging them to share best practices and lessons learned.

Add your perspective

5 Consider their potential

When considering a mentee's potential as a leader, it is important to estimate their future possibilities, opportunities, and challenges. Indicators of a mentee with potential as a leader include having a vision or aspiration of their future role, having a plan or strategy to pursue this vision, having a growth mindset, displaying resilience and adaptability, and having a passion or purpose that drives them. If these indicators are present, leadership training can help to unleash their potential and empower them as a leader. You can assist them by providing guidance, mentoring, or coaching; connecting them with mentors, role models, or sponsors; and exposing them to new or emerging trends, opportunities, or challenges.

Add your perspective

Philip Horrod

🔥 Helping corporate professionals start a new career or business of their own, without burning out. • Speaker • Coach • Business Mentor • Author • Chartered Management Accountant
Report contribution
I’m a great believer that everyone has the potential to develop better leadership skills, rather than being the preserve of a select few. Of course, there will always be some mentees who benefit and develop more than others. This is the same as is found with all kinds of coaching and training, just like in the world of sport, or any other area of personal development. Someone’s potential is also very difficult to measure, as it’s only really verifiable after the event - how do we ever know if an individual has met their true potential, fallen below it, or exceeded it, given that potential is so unique to every individual. We can also be predisposed to unconscious bias when assessing someone’s potential, unless it is done scientifically.

Like

6 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?

Add your perspective

What criteria should you use to identify mentees who would benefit from leadership training?

1

2

3

4

5

6

1 Assess their readiness

2 Identify their gaps

3 Match their style

4 Evaluate their impact

5 Consider their potential

6 Here’s what else to consider

Business Coaching

Rate this article

Thanks for your feedback

More articles on Business Coaching

More relevant reading

What criteria should you use to identify mentees who would benefit from leadership training?

1

2

3

4

5

6

1 Assess their readiness

2 Identify their gaps

3 Match their style

4 Evaluate their impact

5 Consider their potential

6 Here’s what else to consider

Business Coaching

Rate this article

Thanks for your feedback

Explore Other Skills