ManagersAsMentors

Free Coaching Resources - Book Reviews

"Managers as Mentors"

by: Chip Bell

published by: Bard Books Inc., 1996, Austin, TX---ISBN No. 1-881052-92-3

Reviewed by Fred. L. Friend

We teach leaders coaching skills. In discussing where leaders use coaching skills, we hear counseling (dealing with poor performers) and facilitating (dealing with changes in operations) and mentoring (dealing with outstanding performers). Each of these major applications utilize coaching skills in unique ways and each have unique process requirements. Historically, mentoring has been the least requested subject of discussion - the focus has been on dealing with performance below-expectations and helping people adjust to changing expectations. This last year, clients have shown an increased interest in mentoring as they refocus on organizational growth and staff retention. This special use for coaching skills will be a competitive edge for organizations that proactively use mentoring to develop and retain staff. "The ability to learn may be the only sustainable competitive advantage." - Arie De Geus of Royal Dutch Shell.

Managers as Mentors discusses a special approach to mentoring and the uniqueness of the mentoring role and mentoring process. Mentoring is a two-way, not solo, performance. Being a mentor is not being a giver of magic, a giver of wisdom, a dispenser of advice and solutions. The old model of leader as authority and corporate parent is being altered to one of leader as supporter, enabler, even partner in the protege’s success. This book is grounded in a true partnership philosophy. Mentoring is a process for influencing learning - the focus is on building not boasting.

The titles of the chapters give insight to the philosophy and content of the mentoring process described in this book.

Chapter 1: The Art of Mentoring: Passing Along the Wisdom
Chapter 2: The Context for Mentoring: "Boss" is a Four-Letter Word
Chapter 3: Leveling the Learning Field: Roles and Axioms
Chapter 4: Mentoring in Action: A Continuing Case
Chapter 5: Assessing Your Mentoring Talents: A Self-Check Scale
Chapter 6: Kindling Kinship: The Power of Rapport
Chapter 7: Avoiding Thin Ice: Advice and Feedback
Chapter 8: Socrates’ Secret Skill: Awesome Queries
Chapter 9: Putting the "Us" in "Trust": Blending Humility with Confidence
Chapter 10: Ear of an Ally: The Lost Art of Listening
Chapter 11: "Give-and-Take" Starts with "Give": Distinguished Dialogues
Chapter 12: Scared Students: When Fear and Learning Collide
Chapter 13: Trading Power for Respect: When Pupils Are Peers
Chapter 14: The Bluebirds’ Secret: The Gift of Balance
Chapter 15: The Mentor’s Greatest Gift: Passionate Connections
Chapter 16: Mentoring on the Run: White-Water Wisdom
Chapter 17: Mentoring Long Distance: Remote Learning
Chapter 18: The Role of Role Plays: Mentoring With Behavior Rehearsal
Chapter 19: Don’t Touch that Dial: Mentoring Around Equipment
Chapter 20: Managing Sweet Sorrow: Life After Mentoring
Chapter 21: The Kaizen of Mentoring: Learning, Learning, Learning

Test your mentoring disposition in Chapter 5: Assessing Your Mentoring Talents: A Self-Check Scale or improve your understanding of the mentoring process with one of the specialized chapters.

Here are some excerpts from Chapter 8, Socrates’ Great Secret: Awesome Queries -

Set up the purpose of the mentoring session by answering these three questions.

Why are we here? "I see this session as an opportunity to discover the best approach for ....Is that your goal as well?"
What will it mean to you? "If you develop a general strategy for dealing with these type of situations, you will be ahead of the game the next time it come up."
How shall we talk? "My thought was that we explore options for 30 minutes, then give you a chance to make a decision."

Ask understanding-seeking questions - rather than information-seeking questions. Search for understanding.

Start with a setup questions - "Julie, you’ve been working for about 8 months on the Acme Project." "That’s right." Then follow with an insight-seeking questions - "What have you learned about the project that you didn’t expect?" Perhaps a better choice of terms would have been a "positioning" question - "I am sure they did not intend to imply we are ‘setting up’ the other person."

Ask questions that require higher-level thinking - the ultimate goal is to create insight, not share information.

Questions that force comparisons can accomplish this - "In what ways was the Acme Project different from the Applegate Project."
Also, questions that require synthesis - "What do you see as the key implications of Mr. Perdue’s assessment?"
And, questions that call for an evaluation - "If you could handle that assignment again, what would you do differently?"

Generate discussion (dialogue) by asking Initiating and Clarifying questions -

"What is the most challenging part of the task?"
"How did your team approach the problem?"
"What have I not asked that you think would be helpful for me to know?"

Paraphrase what you hear to check understanding and keep the discussion progressing on track. They say - "Effective auditing requires the auditor to have a special kind of cautious optimism". You can paraphrase in four ways:

Restate in your own words - "You think that the auditor should be open, but careful".
Move from the general to the specific - "An auditor should carefully check each entry".
Move from the specific to the general - "Sounds as though you think auditing is complex".
Restate in opposite terms - "You mean that the auditor should not be negative and overly suspicious".

Summarize - "What you are saying is . . . " "In summary, . . ."

Extend - "You make a good point about the auditors role. In addition . . . " Also, . . ."

This is just a sample of the learning points available in this book. As you progress through the book, you will begin to appreciate that the wisdom of the mentor is the wisdom of asking questions that get questions - then asking questions that get solutions. It is an intriguing process and don’t be surprised if you start looking for a chance to use it.

Related reading: Chapter 2, pages 12 to 43 of The Coach - Creating Partnerships for a Competitive Edge, the story of Pat; and, Chapter 6, pages 103 to 116 of Win-Win Partnerships - Being on the Leading Edge with Synergistic Coaching, the Miner’s Quarter.

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