1) Aligning Mentor-Coaching with Educational Leadership
Whether you are a classroom leader (teacher), school leader (vice principal, principal), system leader (supervisory officer), district leader (education director), leadership is, by its very nature, about directionality and intentionality. Like leadership, the mentor-coaching relationship and process is always about supporting the mentee in moving forward with increased awareness and clarity.
Directionality — a particular direction of movement, progression, or development.
Intentionality — a deliberate purpose.
Within the mentor-coaching frame, we advocate the leadership stance outlined below:
Leaders lead from the inside out.
“Leaders either shed light or cast a shadow on everything they do. The more conscious the self-awareness, the more light leaders bring. The more limited the self-understanding, the more shadows leaders cast.” —Cashman, 1999
Leaders are authentic.
“Authenticity is a collection of choices that we have to make every day. It’s about the choice to show up and be real. The choice to be honest. The choice to let our true selves be seen.” —Brown, 2010
Leaders are present, open, flexible, and resilient.
Having another trusted adult whom you can rely on as a listener and thinking partner is incredibly valuable and has also been proven to be emotionally restorative. As research tells us, two of the key predictors of resilience are a strong sense of purpose and a supportive partnership (Hargreaves & Shirley, 2009).
Leaders, as reflective practitioners, are mindful and self-aware and foster these qualities in others.
“It’s not so much what the leader does, given that they are likely pretty good at the doing, it’s what they SEE—seeing clearly requires mindfulness and synchronizing with our experience. The discipline trains us to step out from behind the curtain of the restless mind and touch reality directly.” —Carroll, 2010, p. 55
Relationships are the bedrock of leadership.
Relationships, cultivated and fostered, serve as the foundation of leadership and teaching, generating an energy and synergy.
“If you want to go quickly, go alone. If you to go far, go together.” – African Proverb
Leaders stand as part of the circle.
Leading from the middle, rather than top-down, to truly support growth and change requires a strong interpersonal orientation and particular set of skills. Coach training can help because it provides an infrastructure for dialogue and engagement.
Leaders build capacity one conversation at a time.
A coach-like leader or teacher holds a deep belief in the expanding capacity of self and others by being purposefully in conversation to support others in accessing their own strengths, wisdom, clarity and intentionality.
Leaders recognize that everyone brings their whole self to work.
It is arbitrary and counterproductive to try to separate our working lives from our broader personal and emotional lives. There is such beauty and creativity available when our whole selves are recognized and invited into the relationships and the work.
Leaders foster rich professional dialogue and support structures.
Coaching provides the skills and structure for facilitating deep professional conversations, which over time fosters sustainable growth and connection, individually and collectively.
Leaders hold, inhabit, and mobilize a deep commitment to purpose and vision.
“Great leaders face the uncertainty of today’s world with hope: they inspire through clarity of vision, optimism and a profound belief in their—and their people’s—ability to turn dreams into reality.” —Boyatzis & McKee, 2005
For more on how mentor-coaching aligns with educational leadership research, please see When Mentoring Meets Coaching p. 40-48.
2) Upcoming Mentor-Coach Training
Foundational Coaching Skills Training
Autumn 2024 Learning Sessions are here! Boost your coaching skills with our interactive online program.
Perfect for leaders and/or educators aiming to build capacity and inspire growth.
Don’t miss out on our 4 half-day sessions! Registration is now open.