What is the role of a mentor in leadership development coaching?

Leadership development coaching is a process of helping leaders enhance their skills, performance, and impact. But coaching alone may not be enough to support leaders in their growth journey. That's where mentoring comes in. Mentoring is a complementary and valuable role that can enrich the coaching experience and offer additional benefits for both the coach and the leader. In this article, we'll explore what is the role of a mentor in leadership development coaching, how to find and work with a mentor, and what to expect from a mentoring relationship.

1 What is a mentor?

A mentor is someone who has more experience, knowledge, or expertise in a certain field or domain than the person they are mentoring. A mentor can provide guidance, advice, feedback, and support to help the mentee achieve their goals, overcome challenges, and learn from their experiences. A mentor can also share their insights, perspectives, and stories that can inspire and motivate the mentee. A mentor is not a teacher, a boss, or a friend, but rather a trusted and respectful partner who can help the mentee grow and develop.

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Adam Perkins, MBA, ACHE

Dynamic Healthcare Executive | Expert in Multisite Operations, Strategic Planning, and Financial Oversight | Proven Leader in Driving Growth, Team Development, and Operational Excellence
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I have had the opportunity to learn from many mentors during my professional career. A mentor challenges and enhances your belief system, asks probing questions, and guides you to a better version of yourself that you don't necessarily see, or conceptualize yet. A mentor shows you the silver lining and teaches you to see the glass half full (opportunity) in every situation. A mentor is a personal Board of Directors which has the ability to influence your decisions for good, sustainable growth over time. They have been there and done that. The challenge of the Mentee is finding humbleness to learn and grow.

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2 Why is mentoring important for leadership development coaching?

Mentoring is important for leadership development coaching because it can enhance the learning outcomes and the personal and professional growth of both the coach and the leader. For the coach, mentoring can help them improve their coaching skills, expand their network, gain new perspectives, and receive constructive feedback. For the leader, mentoring can help them accelerate their development, access new resources, gain confidence, and develop new competencies. Mentoring can also create a safe and supportive space for both parties to reflect, explore, and experiment with new ideas and approaches.

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Adam Perkins, MBA, ACHE

Dynamic Healthcare Executive | Expert in Multisite Operations, Strategic Planning, and Financial Oversight | Proven Leader in Driving Growth, Team Development, and Operational Excellence
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One time at work I struggled to clearly communicate with a Sr. VP. I contacted my COO who also served as a mentor. My mentor asked probing questions about my expectations and whether or not I had shared these expectations with the Sr. VP. During this conversation, the lightbulb clicked on that the modeling process he was taking me through (probing questions leading toward a desired outcome) was exactly the model I needed to emulate with the Sr. VP. To this end, my mentor showed compassion for my situation, guided me to expand my understanding, and provided a framework to model. Consequently, I have grown in my understanding of and can now emulate this for my direct reports thus completing the circle of mentoring/leadership development.

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3 How to find and work with a mentor?

Finding and working with a mentor requires preparation, planning, and commitment. To start, identify your goals and expectations for mentoring. What do you want to learn, achieve, or improve? What kind of support do you need? How do you prefer to communicate and interact with your mentor? Then seek potential mentors who meet your criteria - within your organization, industry, network, or professional associations. You can also use online platforms or programs. Reach out to your prospective mentors and introduce yourself. Explain why you are interested in mentoring and how you can benefit from their expertise and experience. Be respectful, polite, and professional. Establish a mentoring agreement with your chosen mentor - discussing scope, duration, frequency, format of sessions, ground rules, roles/responsibilities of mentor/mentee. Engage in regular meaningful sessions - prepare an agenda each time; review progress; identify challenges/questions; be open/honest/curious; listen actively; ask for feedback; apply what you learn; express appreciation/gratitude.

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4 What to expect from a mentoring relationship?

A mentoring relationship is a dynamic and evolving process that can bring many benefits and challenges for both the mentor and the mentee. Expect mutual learning and growth, as both parties can learn from each other's experiences, perspectives, and insights. They should also trust and respect each other's time, privacy, and opinions. Moreover, a mentoring relationship is a source of feedback and accountability, as both parties should give and receive constructive feedback. Flexibility and adaptability are key components of this relationship, as the parties should be open to change according to the evolving needs. Finally, a mentoring relationship should be enjoyable and satisfying; they should have fun and celebrate their successes while feeling fulfilled by their experience.

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Adam Perkins, MBA, ACHE

Dynamic Healthcare Executive | Expert in Multisite Operations, Strategic Planning, and Financial Oversight | Proven Leader in Driving Growth, Team Development, and Operational Excellence
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Expectations from mentoring, whether intentional or unintentional mentoring, should be met with an understanding of change. Mentors and mentees should have a collaborative working relationship which leads both parties toward continuous (quality) improvement both professionally, and personally. Perspective is key; lifting a child on your shoulders changes his perspective and reality. Consistent growth is the goal for both the mentor and mentee.

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5 How to evaluate and end a mentoring relationship?

Evaluating and ending a mentoring relationship is an important step to ensure that goals and expectations have been met. It is important to review your mentoring goals and outcomes, seek feedback from your mentor, provide feedback to your mentor, decide on the next steps, and celebrate and close the relationship. When evaluating your goals and outcomes, assess how well you achieved them, what you have learned, and how you have grown. Ask your mentor for their feedback on your performance, progress, and development. Give your mentor feedback on their role, contribution, and impact. Discuss with your mentor whether you want to continue, modify, or end the relationship. If continuing or modifying it, set new goals and expectations. Finally, celebrate the journey and achievements with your mentor before closing the relationship with a positive note.

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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?

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Meenakshi Iyengar

Scale and Build Organizations | Mentor for start-ups
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Mentoring is as important as coaching. Mentoring actually could be super beneficial while skill enhancement and experiential gain. An ecosystem of mentors can help build develop themselves and overcome hurdles in their career.

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What is the role of a mentor in leadership development coaching?

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1 What is a mentor?

2 Why is mentoring important for leadership development coaching?

3 How to find and work with a mentor?

4 What to expect from a mentoring relationship?

5 How to evaluate and end a mentoring relationship?

6 Here’s what else to consider

Training

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What is the role of a mentor in leadership development coaching?

1

2

3

4

5

6

1 What is a mentor?

2 Why is mentoring important for leadership development coaching?

3 How to find and work with a mentor?

4 What to expect from a mentoring relationship?

5 How to evaluate and end a mentoring relationship?

6 Here’s what else to consider

Training

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