Mentoring & Coaching

Thoughts and ideas from ITLP participants regarding mentoring and coaching:

• One-to-one sessions with an experienced mentor
• Manager sets up one-to-one mentoring among staff around specific areas of growth and development
• Establishing a personal mini "board of directors" that can help spot check priorities in life
• Institution-wide mentoring programs that include both mentor training (guidelines, expectations) and mentee training
• Include coaching as part of staff one-to-ones and explore areas by asking about where they want to go to in their career, what they enjoy doing, etc. ASK! ASK! ASK!
• Informal "how are you doing" encounters that allow for the sharing of experiences
• Peer-to-peer coaching around structured meetings and unstructured content that seek common ground
• The "bowling trip" for team building, coaching styles, and personal abilities coaching
• Be direct by reviewing work and providing tangible feedback
• Let mentees provide the agenda for mentors and guide toward situations, etc. In other words, "how would you handle...?"
• Establish mutual respect
• Take mentoring and being a mentee seriously
• Take appropriate time and establish ground rules early