‣ Keys to Being a Successful Mentor/Coach
• Being a mentor/coach is an important informal and ongoing portion of being a successful manager. To better help you understand how to be a good mentor, follow these characteristics of what a successful mentor/coach might practice
‣ Be a Teacher
• Mentor/coaching decisions should never interfere with your managerial decisions. The employee is not necessarily bound to take your advice, and some may choose not to. Do not get discouraged; rather keep providing opportunities for them to improve. Managerial decisions should focus on the business aspect, while the mentor/coaching aspect should only focus on the improvement and success of your employees
‣ Determine your Mentor/Coaching Goals
• Determine what you want to accomplish through mentoring. What goals are you setting for yourself to achieve by mentoring your employees? It is important that you communicate these goals with the employee
‣ Keep Confidentiality
• Both parties need to feel confident that discussions will remain between them. Both parties must also feel confident that discussions are only for the area of improvement for the employee, not as a disciplinary action. This will keep the lines of communication open for the flow of honest information
‣ Define Areas of Limits
• It is important that areas off-limits for discussion are clearly defined. Some areas of improvement may spill into your employee's personal life and either of you may feel uncomfortable discussing those areas. It is important to define those areas as off-limits before, or as close to the beginning of the working relationship as possible
‣ Define Communication
• How will you do your one-to-one level of being a mentor? Will you have regularly scheduled meetings? Will you do it at yearly reviews? Both parties need to make their preferences known at the beginning or as close to the beginning of the working relationship as possible. If there are different preferences, try to reach an acceptable compromise. Remember, you are trying to provide an atmosphere for improvement. You do not want to shut down the lines of communication before you even begin
‣ Discuss Time Commitments
• A mentor must give employees adequate time for improvement. Setting a schedule at the beginning avoids irritating misunderstandings later. This especially could be utilized during every review
‣ Openness and Respect
• Both the mentor/coach and the employee being mentored need to be open and honest, yet respect the other. A mentor/coach that withholds important information or comments does not contribute to the employee's improvement. However, such comments should be delivered with tact and courtesy - and (even if somewhat hurtful) received with an open mind. Both parties need to understand this and observe it. It is important that this be expressed in the beginning, or as close to the beginning as possible, of the working relationship
‣ Keep it Professional
• The relationship between the mentor/coach and their employee is a professional one, not a personal one. It is particularly important that the employee understand this point. Both parties must understand that the goal is to provide an avenue of success for the employee, and any comments are made in an effort to achieve that goal. No comment should ever be considered, or made, as a personal attack
‣ Continuous Self-Improvement
• Every mentor/coach must continuously be improving themselves as well as the employee, especially in areas of communication and interpersonal relationships. We all have areas that need improvement, and advancements in communication and interpersonal styles can improve the mentor/employee relationship. Good communication and interpersonal skills will improve employee acceptance, and limit the feeling of being criticized
‣ Communicate the Knowledge
• You want to accelerate the employee’s ability to accept more and bigger responsibilities and manage them successfully. Create a way to get them involved in business outcomes as soon as possible. Make a point of including them in a decision process. Explain where their thinking is not in alignment with yours. Remember, you are trying to create confidence in the ability to make good decisions and carry them out. Try to play to the employee’s strengths and interests
‣ Allow for Failure
• Make sure the employee knows that they can come to you if they feel things are not going well. Acknowledge the fact that they had the ability to see the problem, and if things happen to get to the point of failure before you are made aware, ask for an analysis of what went wrong and the lessons learned
‣ Provide a System of Rewards
• When an employee reaches an improvement goal, have a set system of rewards. You would be amazed how well received a simple acknowledgment of a job well done can be. Make sure you convey the importance of the accomplishment that was achieved and begin focusing on the next goal
