Coaching and Mentoring Others

Sensing other people’s potential and developmental needs and bolstering their abilities 

 

People with this competence:  

• Show a genuine personal interest in helping their friends, colleagues, employees and others improve their performance;

• Understand the goals, strengths, and weaknesses of others;

• Give timely and constructive feedback so people can find their way to excellence;

• Are natural mentors and/or coaches;

• Provide others with knowledgeable support and meaningful, often “stretch” assignments; and

• Foster long-term learning and development of others.

 

People lacking this competency:  

• Don’t provide instructions or details to help people be successful or improve in the long run;

• Fail to provide the necessary feedback intended to help others learn and grow;

• If they give feedback, it's usually negative, and the intent is to hurt or belittle others;

• Refuse to delegate and give others opportunities for stretch assignments and growth; and

• Are unwilling to spend time with people who need their help.

 

Development tips:  

• Take the time to talk to individuals about their goals, aspirations, and things they want to learn and do better.  

• These conversations should occur regularly, and with employees, not only at the annual review time.  

• Make feedback as constructive and non-evaluative of the person as possible; focus on the work, not the individual.  

• Acknowledge and recognize progress often 

 

Quotes:

“The greatest good you can do another is not just share your riches, but reveal to him his own.” - Benjamin Franklin 

"Successful people are always looking for opportunities to help others. Unsuccessful people are always asking, ‘What’s in it for me?’"- Brian Tracy 

 

Great resources: 

Co-Active Coaching, 2nd Edition: New Skills for Coaching People Toward Success in Work and Life, by Laura Whitworth, Karen Kimsey-House, Henry Kimsey-House, and Phillip Sandahl 

The Manager as Coach, by Jerry W. Gilley and Ann Gilley

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