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Mentoring Leaders

Oct 1, 2011

Transform leadership potential through strategic mentorship and coaching techniques.

Transform leadership potential through strategic mentorship and coaching techniques.

Mentoring Leaders

What Makes an Effective Mentor? By Howard M. Guttman

Since ancient times, people have turned to mentors for counseling and guidance. Socrates was a mentor to Plato. Julius Caesar mentored Marc Antony. Ralph Waldo Emerson served as an inspiration to Henry David Thoreau.


In business, mentors have likewise had a dramatic influence on talent. In executive coaching, the mentor plays a critical role by offering advice, lending moral support, observing, providing feedback on progress, smoothing the way when the road gets rough, and providing forward momentum as coachees move toward their intention.

Having the right person in this role is vital. In our coaching assignments, we ensure that mentors meet specific criteria. Whether you are a manager arranging coaching for one of your staff, a leader considering serving as a mentor, or a candidate for coaching, you should seek these same traits in a mentor.


A mentor needs to be someone:

  • Whom the coachee trusts and respects.

  • With whom the coachee is comfortable.

  • Who is in a position to observe the coachee’s on-the-job behavior consistently.

  • Who doesn’t hold back and will not hesitate to give candid feedback.

  • Who has the coachee’s best interests and success at heart.


When I first meet with a coachee, the mentor is present. Together, the three of us discuss the observations or aspirations that led to the coaching. We project what success will look like by asking:

  • What new behaviors will replace old, dysfunctional ones?

  • What new capabilities do you want to possess at the end of the coaching experience?


We then select colleagues from whom we’ll solicit data on the coachee’s behaviors and suggestions for improving performance.


The Mentor’s Role

As the coach, I form questions to ask these colleagues, summarize their responses, and provide feedback to the coachee. The mentor is present during this feedback process to gain a complete picture of what needs to be achieved. Together, the three of us develop a plan to either replace the behaviors in question or develop the needed capabilities.


Finally, we agree on a schedule of phone calls and visits to track progress.

One key role of the mentor is as a shadow coach. Since I’m present only at scheduled intervals, I have limited time to observe the coachee and provide real-time feedback. In my absence, the mentor acts as another set of eyes and ears, pointing out both progress and setbacks. The mentor can provide suggestions for dealing with setbacks in real time or ensure the issue is addressed in our next phone call or face-to-face meeting.


Examples of Outstanding Mentors

As an executive coach, I’ve encountered several mentors who stood out because they added so much value:

  • The Prodding Mentor An executive who needed constant prodding to take action often made excuses for his inertia. His boss, an excellent mentor, would say, “It seems like you are still playing out the same game.” Her feedback was timely, specific, and focused on corrective action.

  • The Challenging Mentor A coachee who alienated coworkers with his aggressive style defended his behavior during our first meeting. His mentor countered with:“The way you’re reacting to this feedback is the same way you behave with others. You believe that you need to justify your behavior, so you explain yourself rather than capture their point of view. Why is that?”She asked provocative questions until he stopped talking and started listening.

  • The Cultural Mentor When her company made an acquisition in Asia, a marketing executive realized she needed to improve her cross-cultural skills. She asked a VP with international experience to mentor her. He identified two critical skills she needed to develop: providing feedback diplomatically and influencing effectively. Through advice and practice sessions, the executive learned to give feedback without it becoming “feed-attack” and to gain buy-in by asking thoughtful questions.


I know a mentor is doing great when I deliver feedback, and the coachee responds, “I know. I’ve already talked about that with my mentor,” or when the coachee says, “My mentor suggested that you and I discuss...”


Howard M. Guttman is the principal of Guttman Development Strategies and the author of Coach Yourself to Win (McGraw-Hill). Visit www.coachyourselftowin.com.

ACTION: Become an effective mentor to others.


Competency Promotion

Six Old Rules: Break Them to Lead OutBy Jill Flynn, Kathryn Heath, and Mary Davis Holt

What most threatens the strength of your leadership pipeline may be a scarcity of senior-level women. To move into executive roles, women need to adjust their behavior, tell themselves a new story, and break six old rules:


  1. Focusing on Others (Instead, Take Center Stage)Many women focus too much on others’ needs, leaving little time or energy to focus on their career goals.

  2. Seeking Approval (Instead, Proceed Until Apprehended)Women need to retain their collaborative strength while acting decisively. Stop asking for permission and start putting forward big ideas and campaigning for key roles.

  3. Being Modest (Instead, Project Personal Power)Women often avoid projecting power. To exude confidence, they need to hone non-verbal communication—stance, eye contact, tone of voice, and facial expressions—and receive credit for their achievements.

  4. Working Harder (Instead, Be Politically Savvy)Women must be politically savvy: build relationships, achieve consensus, and network effectively. Create a platform, develop a point of view, and line up sponsors and coalitions for evolving goals.

  5. Playing It Safe (Instead, Play to Win)Women need to step out of their comfort zones, take risks, and make themselves visible by leading high-stakes projects and bringing in new business to build credibility.

  6. All or Nothing (Instead, Adopt a Both/And Perspective)Avoid black-and-white thinking. Flexibility and dealing with ambiguity establish leadership credibility.


Jill Flynn, Kathryn Heath, and Mary Davis Holt are principals of Flynn Heath Holt Leadership and co-authors of Break Your Own Rules (Jossey-Bass). Visit FlynnHeathHolt.com.

ACTION: Break these old rules and lead out.

Leadership Excellence

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