What’s the best way to develop your leaders? And where do I start?
Many organizations provide leadership training programs, and they can be an effective way to communicate concepts, set expectations, and share practices. When it comes to building leadership skills and changing behavior, a single training event isn’t enough to make the learning stick.
Over the years, experience has shown us that behavior change occurs in a cycle of practice, feedback, reinforcement, and accountability—within the context of real work—over a sustained period of time. The magic happens when we provide a combination of foundational learning content and then follow up with individual coaching. When coaching is provided after a training session, leadership assessment, or engagement survey, it enables leaders to focus on their specific development needs and apply the skills back on the job. Coaching also creates a supportive space for reflection, practice, and learning.
But what about mentoring? Should we be providing leaders with mentors as well? Like coaching, mentoring can provide support, accountability, and a deliberate focus on Leadership development program. Mentoring can also provide development in ways that coaching does not.
When trying to decide on when to leverage coaching or mentoring, consider the following:
While having an outsider’s perspective can be very valuable, having an internal expert to provide guidance can be critical for success, especially for leaders who are new to the organization, role, or region. A seasoned employee who has a deep understanding of the organization can accelerate the ramp to high performance by helping the new leader gain insight about the culture, learn about nuances in power structures, and successfully navigate the organization. The mentor can also help the new leader identify who they need to align and build relationships with in order to be successful in the role. While the mentor in this situation may be another leader or colleague, it is often an HR business partner that can provide this support and expertise for new leaders.
On the other hand, an internal mentor can provide additional insights about how the leader shows up and how his or her actions impact others within the organization. While a coach works from the sidelines, the mentor can work from the front line. This can be especially powerful when a leader can work with a coach and mentor in tandem when honing a specific skill. Coaches can encourage the leaders they work with to identify “spotters”—one or two people they trust internally—to provide them with specific observations and feedback that can enrich the leader’s coaching experience.
With these considerations in mind, we can determine the best approach based on the situation.
It may be coaching, training, or mentoring or a powerful combination of each of these approaches. Regardless of which option you choose, developing your core leaders is an investment that will have a positive impact on engagement, performance, and retention across the organization.