We need each other more than ever before.
The impact of our on-again-off-again virtual schooling and working from home is taking its toll. Opportunities for connection and meaningful conversations are harder to find, and relationships are taking the hit. Social isolation and loneliness are now the most common complaints (read: derailers) for teachers, leaders and learners working remotely (Larson, Vroman & Makarius, 2020). If left unattended, researchers warn us, they will lead to more serious retention and succession issues.
Now is the time to reach out to your mentees (formal and informal). Help them step back, access the larger perspective, and reconnect with optimism – the best antidote for the stress and anxiety they’re likely carrying (Gervais, 2020). Having regular conversations with you will fortify the relationship with feelings of connection and belonging. This can be a game changer when intrinsic motivation is running low (Deci and Ryan, 2008). For more information, see When Mentoring Meets Coaching, Chapter 3, p 51.
So, to help stoke your mentor-coaching relationships, I’d like to share some tools and resources:
I hope you find them helpful.
Take good care,
