How to Transform Your Company Culture Through Mentorship

Empower Your Teams by Leading Less and Mentoring More

Here’s a question to consider. Do you like being told what to do? 

Probably not. And neither do your team members. When we tell people what to do, we take away their independence and autonomy. We rob them of their ability to make decisions. 

That’s why at Bold Kindness, we believe in mentoring people, not managing them. People need leaders who mentor first: who serve as consultants and advisers and help guide and develop their growth. We provide the what (the goal, including the measure of success) and the why and challenge our teams to come up with the how (the solution). By mentoring teams, we help individuals develop their potential to grow and accomplish goals.

Why Team Mentoring Is So Important

Not convinced? Consider this. According to PwC’s Global Culture Survey, 69% of Canadian employees don’t feel like company leaders always consider and act upon the team’s feedback. Not only that, 44% of Canadians and 35% of Americans believe leaders at their companies are not consistent role models.

That’s why now, more than ever, it’s essential we rethink our approach to leadership and instill mentorship with our teams. This isn’t about instilling a mentorship program; this is about incorporating the belief and philosophy of mentorship into our daily lives and culture.

How to Create a Mentoring Relationship

How do we begin making the shift from telling people what to do to mentoring them instead? Here are four ways to get started:

Build a meaningful relationship through one on one mentoring. 

You can’t successfully mentor others until you have a relationship based on mutual trust and respect. So take the time to get to know your team members. Take them for coffee. Chat about life. Be interested in who they are and where they are going. Be a sounding board. Share knowledge and promote open communication. When you build a meaningful relationship with your team, they are more likely to take initiative and reach out for support.

Provide the what and why not the how.

Let your team know what you want to achieve and why you want to achieve it. Then empower them to come up with the solution. If your team doesn't know what the goal is and why it exists, they won't be set up for success and understand how their actions contribute to the bigger picture. How do you do that? Get out of the way. Don't attend every meeting. Be open to solutions, even if you think they might not work. When we empower our teams to come up with solutions, the results can be phenomenal.

Remove fear and cultivate confidence. 

Fear is a very real part of life and shouldn’t be discounted. It’s a big reason why people may not strive to do more or worry about making mistakes. As a mentor, a key part of your role is to talk about their fear, uncover truths and misperceptions, and empower them to proceed, despite their trepidation. And we do that by being human and real. Our team members gain confidence when we support their professional growth, welcome their contributions, and encourage them to show their true selves.

Let go of ego. 

As leaders, we need to step out of the way and let our team shine. It’s actually not about us; it’s about our team. They are the ones who are making it happen; we’re just supporting them along the way. Letting go of our ego isn't always as easy as we might think. But when we come from a place of ego in a mentoring relationship, it's impossible for team member to be fully engaged and excel in their jobs. People whose egos are driving their decisions are not focused on developing others or creating a culture of continuous learning in which people thrive.

The Mindset of Team Mentoring

The most important thing to remember about mentorship is that it’s a mindset. You need to believe in the importance of this work and cultivate a culture and environment that enable you to practice this day after day. A change in mindset or behavior doesn’t happen overnight. It takes practice, discipline and belief.

To find out more tips and ideas about team mentorship and career development, check out Bold Kindness: A Caring, More Compassionate Way to Lead.