A Mentor for the Senior Manager - Why Not?

The mentor in today's corporate world has been a hot topic. Much of the discussion surrounding today's mentoring relationships seems to focus on the manager taking the role as the mentor for someone who is grooming for management. There are a lot of benefits behind having a mentor for such an employee. What about a mentor for the senior manager? Is that even heard of? Are we to assume top level management has all the confidence needed on how to lead their teams or organizations? It may be naïve to think so. Let's look at some reasons why a top level executive may want to have a mentor and how to go about manifesting this type of relationship.

In the role of senior management, there are strategic and important decisions to make about the direction of the organization. Rather than having the appearance of vulnerability in front of shareholders, middle managers, and employees, a mentor may be a good source to discuss plans of action and how to confidently communicate those measures to the organization at large.

Sometimes there could be a lack of trust in your direct reports over a major decision that needs to be made. Maybe you are unsure how to handle the response if opposition is anticipated. An external source may be good practice to discuss your ideas and role-play.

A mentor may have come across a similar situation that is now before you. Why not pick up the phone and call your mentor on how he or she may have handled that situation? Maybe you'll get some insight on potential pitfalls that didn't come to mind.

Executive managers are human, too. They need to vent from time to time. A mentor can be a good outlet to discuss your feelings and thoughts.

What does the mentor relationship look like for the top level executive?

In a traditional mentoring relationship, we usually think of a manager taking the role as the mentor over an aspiring young manager. In manifesting this relationship, there are traditional ground rules that are often put into place, such as taking the time to learn about one another, communicating goals and experiences, and setting forth some ground rules about how the mentor relationship will be conducted. This type of format may not necessarily work for the senior manager. Unless an investment is made into an outside consultant, most likely, the mentor is someone you may have known for a period of time, and a firm foundation of trust has been laid. That means your mentor relationship is already past the preliminary boundaries and can be less formal. It can be as simple as meeting for lunch or setting up a phone call. The object is to discuss your ideas and thoughts and gain feedback before you present your ideas and decisions to your teams. This give-and-take relationship may mitigate vulnerabilities, enhance how you deliver communications, and provide some alternative ideas.

Working with a mentor outside the company has the opportunity to strengthen effective communication and help demonstrate confident leadership. We often hear perception is everything, so why not utilize a mentor before you give that next big presentation to the board of directors?

Germain, J. (2008), "Why a Senior Manager Needs a Mentor," from Business Services Industry, Website: http://www.findarticles.com