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1.3: Mentor/Coach Skills

  • Page ID
    320902
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    There are specific mentor/coach skills that can be learned, which support a quality relationship with the mentee. These relationships can occur in many different settings and among a variety of partners. There are numerous possible gender, age, and diverse combinations. Each relationship is unique and has its own dynamics; there is no specific formula for this process (Noland, 2007).

    The Mentor/Coach May Take on a Variety of Roles

    • Adviser who assists and supports the protege in developing new skills
    • Confidant who maintains discretion for both the mentor and the mentee
    • Facilitator who assists the mentee in working through challenges
    • Connector/Networker who introduces the mentee to appropriate people, inside or outside the organization
    • Change Agent who explains the process to all involved to get them to accept the plans
    • Learner who is willing to also learn from the mentee (Gaspar & Walker, 2020)

    Qualifications and Characteristics of a Mentor/Coach

    A Mentor/Coach Needs to:

    • Have a good academic background, Master Teacher level permit from the California Child Development Training Consortium (CDTC), and preferably an Associate's or Bachelor's Degree
    • Have good interpersonal skills (friendly, patient, compassionate, empathetic, and honest)
    • Be self-confident and enjoy spending time with others
    • Be a good listener
    • Be willing to learn
    • Be sensitive to the mentee's preferred learning style
    • Be flexible in providing content
    • Stay current on educational, legal, and credential practices (Bellm, 1997-a; Bellm, 1997-b)

    A Mentor/Coach is a Person Who:

    • Gets to know another person easily
    • Sets clear expectations about purpose, direction, and needed results
    • Understands human behavior and temperament theory
    • Understands the roles and responsibilities of his or her own position as well as those of the mentee
    • Provides consistent and specific feedback
    • Supports concrete commitments to change
    • Empowers people to contribute at an increasingly higher level of performance (Noland, 2007; Bellm, Whitebook, & Hnatiuk, 1997)

    This page titled 1.3: Mentor/Coach Skills is shared under a CC BY 4.0 license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by Laura Daly.