Helping the coachee or mentee pitch an original idea

A common misconception in organisations is that it’s easy to sell a good idea. The reality, as detailed in the book Originals, by Adam Grant, is quite the opposite. Among the misconceptions his and other research identify are that: So when a coachee or mentee complains that their ideas are not being listened to, here...

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You as a mentee

The questions below are intended to help you think through what you bring to the mentoring relationship in terms of experience, skills and energy; and what you will need to work on to help your mentor best help you. Each section explores a different area of mentee competence. Score 1 (not like me) to 5...

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What to do if the mentee does not do what they say they will

It’s not uncommon for a mentor to become frustrated, when they have deep conversations with a mentee, then nothing happens as a result. Rather than see this as a failure on their own part, or a lack of commitment on the part of the mentee, the mentor should seek to understand the dynamics that underpin...

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The mentor as sounding board

The mentor as sounding board A mentor can be a sounding board; the mentor can give advice about situations and scenarios. Being a sounding board involves a shift in the dynamics of the learning conversation. The very act of offering an opinion on the mentee’s intended actions transfers some of the ownership of the issue...

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Mentor as role model

The earliest studies of mentoring found that mentees typically used their mentors as role models, although this was rarely a conscious behaviour. And the larger the power distance between mentor and mentee (or protégé), the greater the amount of role modelling that took place. Consciously or unconsciously, the mentee absorbs from their mentor behaviours, ways...

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Mentoring lifecycle

Phases of the mentoring relationship Mentoring relationships last for various lengths of time – more formal programmes will often set a time frame – for example 12 months. Less formal programmes may just allow relationships to continue as agreed by the individuals. However, research into large numbers of mentoring pairs has established that effective mentoring...

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Peer mentoring

Developmental mentoring does not have to be between people of different authority levels, although sponsorship mentoring typically relies upon a power and influence differential as a driving mechanism of the relationship. Peer mentoring allows the relationship to focus closely on mutual learning and mutual support. The lack of status helps build and maintain rapport, to...

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Personal reflective space

In working through personal reflective space, whether alone or with a coach or mentor, the quality of dialogue is critical. The type of questions used, their relevance and their capacity to stimulate reflection and understanding, are all important. So, too, is the nature and depth of reflection – in particular, how well intellectual analysis and...

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Raise their self-awareness

For behaviour change to take root, it usually needs to be embedded in self-awareness. Understanding our motivations and inner drives allows us to link what we want to achieve to what we value; the roles we want to grow into to the person we aim to be. Psychometric instruments can be very helpful in stimulating...

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Develop greater self-belief

SELF-BELIEF/ SELF-ESTEEM/ SELF-CONFIDENCE The research on mentoring, in particular, shows that one of the most powerful things a coach or mentor can bring to the relationship is belief in the client’s ability to achieve great things. The phenomenon is called the Pygmalion effect, after the play by George Bernard Shaw. Essentially, the more belief someone,...

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