Don’t assume they know. Tell them!

July 16, 2013 by Leave a comment

SuppotDon’t you just love it when you can see the lightbulb come on in others?

Recently, I had a conversation with one of our senior leaders and they were talking extensively about servant leadership and the importance of it in our business.  As I then sat through several meetings after that, I was very keen in my observations of those leading and participating.   

What did I see?  That we need more servant leadership.  We need to lose the egos and practice some humility.  We need to stop working in silos.  We need to be inclusive of other perspectives.  We need to be respectful of people’s time and opinions.  We need to champion and challenge each other.  We need to get away from what’s most important to ME and put others and the good of the organization first.  We need people to realize that ‘how’ we get there is just as important as getting there (if not more so).

In listening to Walmart CEO, Mike Duke, over the last few years he has been very clear that servant leadership is an attribute and behavior expected from our leaders at all levels.  So why is it that this message isn’t always filtering down or demonstrated? 

Then I remembered one of Tim Yatsko’s (EVP @Walmart) favorite Don Soderquist (former COO @Walmart) quotes, “Don’t assume they know.  Tell them.”  While this is a paraphrase and Don was referring to Integrity – I think the theme of the message is equally relevant here.  Maybe their leaders, mentors, and peers aren’t telling them.  Or holding them accountable to it.

So, I am telling you.   Be a good servant leader. 🙂

If you become known for this throughout your organization, I guarantee you that your career will blossom and flourish.

Servant Leadership is one of those topics that should be a regular course of conversation, because it’s important!  And not just at work, but in life in general.  It’s not something that we turn on and off.  It’s something that permeates who you are and is reflected in your thoughts, words, and actions.   

I realize that we all have different aspirations, styles and ambitions in life, but my personal experiences have led me to the truth that I am most fulfilled and accomplish the most when I am able to help or serve others.

If servant leadership is a new concept to you or is something you don’t understand, feel free to reach out to me, your mentors, or your leaders and inquire.  This is one of those “journey” things.  We all have to start somewhere.  Once we start, we find that there is always more to learn.  And the people that care about your growth and development should be happy to help you on your journey.  🙂

Special note for leaders:  Teach.  Teach servant leadership.  In your words.  In your actions. Talk to your teams about it. Don’t assume they know.  Expect it from the leaders on your team, whether up-and-coming or seasoned.  Hold them accountable to it.  Teach them to teach it.  If you want to leave a mighty legacy – invest this in others.

 If you take anything away  – let it be this –>   Be a good servant leader. 

 How do you demonstrate good servant leadership?

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Retweet: Three Words That Will Transform Your Career

May 31, 2013 by Leave a comment

Today we’re going to take a little different spin.  

Personally and professionally, I find a lot of value in LinkedIn.  I love seeing what kinds of articles people post.  Yesterday, I came across a quick read by Bruce Kasanoff (entrepreneur, writer, speaker) that really has a great message that we need to remember and act on (often).  As it’s short and to the point, I will post the entire article below or you can click on the link here to access it on LinkedIn.  Enjoy!

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Three Words That Will Transform Your Career

Every time you encounter another person, think: help this person. It’s not altruistic. Nothing else can so quickly supercharge your career and improve the quality of your life.

When you walk into Starbucks for a coffee, think help this person about the barista who serves you. Instead of being frustrated that he isn’t moving fast enough, see if you can make him smile. Better yet, tell him to keep the change.

When the phone rings on a busy day, don’t get frustrated by the interruption. Think help this person while you answer the phone. Doing so will change your demeanor, your thought process, and the entire interaction.

If you have a subordinate who isn’t pulling her weight, instead of criticizing her, every time you see her think help this person. This doesn’t mean let her slide, or ignore her shortcomings. It means help her either improve her skills or find a position better suited to her strengths. But don’t just brush her aside; really help her.

But wait a minute – I know what some of you are thinking. What about the people who take credit for other people’s work? What about the rich and powerful who have gotten that way by crushing others? Doesn’t their success prove me wrong?

Not at all. Sure, there are some people who take the exact opposite strategy. But it takes real skill and focus to succeed by being evil, and most of us just don’t have the fortitude to pull it off. For those of us with a soul and a heart, the only real choice is to succeed by helping others.

By first thinking help this person, you will change the ways that others perceive you. There is no faster or more effective way to change your interactions and relationships. You will be viewed as a positive, constructive, helpful and dependable person. People will think you are more perceptive, attentive and understanding.

That’s why this way of thinking is not altruistic; it is selfish, in the best sense of the word. The single best way to help yourself is to always be looking for ways to help other people. Sure, you’ll be making the world a better place, and in the course of your life you will help many thousands of people. But don’t do it because you ought to, or because it’s the “right” thing to do.

Think help this person because you’re selfish, and proud of it.

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Reach Out!

July 13, 2012 by 1 Comment

I was able to witness something awesome recently.  At the Walmart Shareholders Meeting this year, there was a brief moment that they were celebrating a young man named Tim Kerfoot from Canada that was named the International Associate of the Year.  Tim works at a distribution center.  Tim is also wheel chair bound.

Why was he the International Associate of the Year?  Well, when you listen to him (video below), it will take you about half a second to realize that this guy radiates positive energy and motivates others to be excellent.

Here is a man that has faced a huge adversity, could easily give up, or be ticked off at the world because of his lot in life, but you would never know it.  This doesn’t mean that he doesn’t have troubles or struggles, it just means that he chooses not to let them dictate his attitude.  – which is absolutely awesome.

In fact, while they were recognizing him he said something that I thought was incredibly profound.  He said, “In the midst of a challenge, find people around you that can support you through it.  And then…..find people around you that you can support.”

Think about that for a moment.  

What a great leadership lesson!

In the first half his statement, he basically says, when you need help – seek out those that can help you.  Ask for it.  Don’t go it alone.  Rely on others.  Get support.  Reach out!

This is such a fail point for so many leaders.  Often we think that we need to define ‘being strong’ as ‘doing it ourselves’ and ‘not showing weakness’.  There is nothing further from the truth!  We – you and I – need other people.  That’s how we’re wired as human beings.  There is no shame in asking for help. In fact, it may show greater leadership maturity if you do.   And quite frankly, we need other people to offset our own flaws, lift us up when we’re down, and strengthen us when we’re weak.  I’m sure that you’ve heard the old adage that a single stick is easily broken, but a bundle of sticks cannot be broken.   We need each other in order to succeed.

But, the coolest thing about what Tim said followed next.

“…then….find people around you that you can support.”  Wow!  This is POWERFUL! This simple statement brings the first half full circle.  It’s not just about asking for help when WE need it.  It’s about helping others when THEY need it.  This is very symbiotic and brings the whole concept of reaching out full circle.  When I hear this I picture someone reaching down in to the pit to help pull us out, but just as we’re about to be pulled out, we reach back and extend our hand to someone else.

Something important to point out here is that he used the word “FIND”.  This is an action word that we should pay close attention to.  When it comes to helping others, we shouldn’t wait for them to come to us.  We should FIND PEOPLE AROUND US THAT WE CAN SUPPORT.  Good leader’s don’t sit back and wait.  They take action to proactively and positively impact the lives of others.  This requires us to sharpen our skills of discernment and be aware and sensitive to what is happening around us.

REACH OUT – when you need help.

AND

REACH OUT – to help others.

As leaders, I challenge you to do both!  Both are healthy.  And if you are the kind of person that reaches out to help others more often than you ask for help, I guarantee you that someone will always be there for you when you need it.

Tim also made another neat statement.  He said, “Life is better with a team, with family and with friends.”  I couldn’t agree more.

With an outlook on life like this, it’s no wonder that Tim Kerfoot from DC 3059 in Nanaimo, British Columbia, Canada was Walmart’s International Associate of the Year.  Way to go Tim!

I’ve attached Tim’s acceptance video below.

Who needs you to reach out to them today?

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There Is Hope!

May 11, 2012 by 1 Comment

Yesterday, I had the privilege of attending the Mi Futuro mentoring program graduation. 

For those of you unfamiliar, Mi Futuro (which means My Future in Spanish) is an 8th Grade mentoring program that was started three years ago spawned from an idea shared by a couple Walmart Associates.  Volunteer mentors from  Walmart/Sam’s Club spend one hour a month with a group of handpicked students over the course of their school year.   They discuss topics ranging from goal setting, to public speaking, to high school prep, to college prep and beyond.  The goal is encourage the students to think broader and more positively about their future.

This is the third school year we’ve done this.  And the program has grown extensively, much to some Associate leaders’ vision and dedication.   The first class started with one school and 26 students.  This year, there were 8 participating schools with 13 mentoring groups and over 300 students participating in the program.

Initially, the program was targeted at Hispanic students that showed promise, but were at risk (whether due to family situations, social influences, etc.).  The program now represents total school demographics, but still targets those same promising students that are at risk.

Next year, the goal is to reach over 1,500 students and have over 50 schools represented across the United States.

The reason I write all of this comes down to a couple statements made by students during the program.

First, the self awareness of these students was a little surprising to me.  While talking about the program and her future, one of the students said, “I don’t want to get lost in the crowd.”  Then she continued on to talk about her dreams and how she was going to succeed.  Her determination was admirable!  It was a proud moment for every mentor in the room.

Second, and perhaps more impactful, was a statement made by one of the students from the first year of the program.  We had three students from the first year (now sophomores in high school) talk about the impact of the program on them and the lessons learned from their two years of seniority over the kids in the audience.  This student, who was the least formally dressed of the three, who started every sentence with “I guess…” said something incredibly profound.  He said, “I will be the first to go to college from my family.”  Then he said, “I want my little brother to follow in my footsteps.”

This statement took my breath away and made tears well up in my eyes.  Here is a sophomore in high school that was mentored and is now mentoring and setting an example for his little brother.   This is what it is all about.

In that moment, it was clear that this precious investment of time that the mentors provide these students is making a difference.

Often when we talk about mentoring at work we’re thinking about either our own professional development and/or how we are developing others in their positions or skills (which is important!).  Rarely though do I hear about people developing our next generation on a continuous basis.

But, as we get older, we realize how fast the time goes and we start to see the bigger picture.  If we don’t take the time to mentor, develop, grow, shape, and inspire our future generation what will the future hold for our society?

The good news?  There is hope!  I saw it and heard it yesterday.

My challenge to you is to find time to invest in the upcoming generation on a continuous basis.   Whether it’s Mi Futuro (for you Walmart/Sam’s Club associates), the Boys and Girls Club, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, a church youth program, or some other youth program – INVEST in the future of a child.  If we all joined in this investment just imagine what the future could hold.  There is great hope in our future!

Will you rise to the challenge?

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17 Truths from Above and Below

February 17, 2012 by Leave a comment

Inc. Magazine is one of my favorite “pick up and reads” when I have a little down time. I always seem to walk away with a few nuggets that I can tuck in to my own leader’s locker.

And then as I go through varying experiences, I’m able to pull those nuggets right back out of the locker and use them.

In the last 48 hours, I’ve had four different development discussions with mentees and colleagues, each of which centered around awareness of what was happening above and below them.  Meaning – situations that involved their boss, their employees, or both.

Often in these discussions, a number of questions surface – like “Why doesn’t my boss understand me?”, “Why am I being micromanaged?” or “Why won’t my folks listen?” and “Why can’t they just get it done right?”

To get to their answers, some times all you have to do is sit and listen and they work it out themselves. Some times they need a little prompting or encouragement. And some times (albeit few) they need to be told that they are causing the problem.

Regardless, the solutions usually revolve around them being more aware of the people they follow and the people they lead. Where you sit on the bus offers you a different perspective as compared to where someone else sits. Taking the time to understand where they are coming from or their perspectives often cures a lot of ills and misconceptions.

These discussions reminded me of an article I read in Inc. Magazine last month by Jeff Haden called 7 Things Your Employees Will Never Tell You. This was a great article chalked full of right-on-spot information. So, I set out to find it for you.

As I searched, I came across another Inc. Magazine article written by Haden a couple days ago that was trending in social media called 10 Things Bosses Never Tell Employees. As I read it, I was like, “This one’s true. Yep that one too. True. True. Oh, that’s just funny – but true.” Haden is a genius! In two brief articles, he provided the answers to many of the questions that were asked during my discussions – as well as many more.

So, my suggestion for you is to check out the two links above to the 17 truths inside Haden’s articles and get a good perspective of what’s going on above you and below you. Then use your new found knowledge to improve your understanding of your own work environment. You’ll also find that in your own role today as both boss and employee that you probably have these very same thoughts yourself.

What are some other things that a boss or employee will never tell you? (but should)

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A Conscious Legacy

November 30, 2011 by 1 Comment

Last night, I was doing some blog surfing when I came across a blog by a gentleman named Rick Forbus.  In one of his posts, he was recanting the recent loss of his father and the importance of the legacy that he left.

Rick made a great statement in his post, “Leaders are conscious of their legacy.”

As the night went on, my mind kept drifting back to this statement.

I think there is real truth and power in this statement.  I have one small tweak though  – “Good leaders are conscious of their legacy.”

And not only are they conscious, but they are also deliberate, passionate, and diligent when it comes to the legacy that they are creating.

They realize that they have the power to build up, grow, nurture, develop, encourage and inspire others; just as much as they have the power to do the opposite.  The question though is, “What will they choose to do with their time?”

One of my favorite leadership quotes is from baseball hero Jackie Robinson who said, “A life is not important except in the impact it has on other lives.” 

As stated by Al Duncan, what Jackie meant was “Do something to breakdown a barrier or carve out a path for someone else, not once, but as often as you can.”

Leadership is not about one time; it’s about as many times as possible.

There are many types of legacies that leaders can leave, but what I want to focus on here are four words for those of you aspiring to be good (or even great) leaders.  In thinking about the legacy you will leave, be:

  • Conscious.  Be aware of what you are doing.  Know what your words, body language, and actions really say.  Know how they impact others.  Be self-aware of the message you send – always.  Leaders are always “on”.
  • Deliberate.  Be intentional about growing and developing others.  Seek out opportunities to nurture others – don’t be a passive bystander.   The greatest legacy you will leave behind is that in which you have invested in others.   Purposefully and actively think through how those within your sphere of influence will best be encouraged – and then act on it.
  • Passionate.  Be fanatical in your advocacy and support of other people.  Clear their path, give them the tools, and then get out of the way – and not just once – do it over and over again.  When they don’t think they can do it, lend them your energy and inspire them to new heights.
  • Diligent.   Be tenacious.  Developing others is hard work. It may take you many attempts with some people, but I promise you that the reward of seeing them blossom is absolutely worth it.

Leaving a legacy is not something that happens after you’ve left this earth.  Leaving a legacy is about now.  It’s about the investments that you made yesterday, today, and the one’s you’ll make tomorrow.

So, be conscious – be deliberate – be passionate – and be diligent in the legacy that you are creating in others.

What are you doing about your legacy today?

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Mentoring Basics: Part 5 (series finale)

June 23, 2011 by Leave a comment

Throughout this series we have covered several basics of mentoring from the mentor’s perspective. Everything from creating some structure in your mentorships, to assessing a potential mentee, to some key do’s and don’ts.

This is the final post in the series on Mentoring Basicsand we are going to spend a little time talking about how to handle tough conversations.

Before we dive in to how to handle these types of tough conversations, I want to make sure we cover why you need to deal with these types of conversations in the first place. As a mentor, you have accepted a position of guidance and leadership over another. You have agreed to provide input and experiences that will help shape and grow them. You are tasked with being a good steward of the trust given to you by your mentee and you must be honest and objective in diligently executing your role.

Being a mentor is a big deal!  All this responsibility should sound pretty heavy.  It’s almost like there should be an official oath, a swearing in, or at least a cool handshake that has to be accomplished before you become a mentor.

And while the handshake would probably be fun, the point is that your role is important and should be taken seriously. That means you have to take the good with the bad. While there are plenty of good times in developing others, there are also plenty of tough conversations to be had. And a good mentor won’t shy away from these tough issues. Rather, they find a way to deliver the message that needs to be heard in an appropriate manner in the best interest of the mentee.

So what are tough conversations?

I find that these are talks with your mentee on topics that may be difficult to deliver. Based upon your own experience and personal style, some topics may be more difficult for you than others. These topics can revolve around all sorts of things (e.g., performance, attitude, style, grooming, etc.). One way to know that a topic may be particularly difficult for you is if you have that little voice in your head saying, “Oh man, this isn’t going to be fun.” Or if you have an immediate reaction to walk away rather than deliver the message. Or if you start seeking out ways for you not to have to deliver it. But if you don’t deliver it, who will?

I’ve been here several times before. And its not always easy. Sometimes its something that can be embarrassing for both you and the mentee, like telling them that their personal hygiene needs improvement. Or sometimes it may be something confrontational, like telling them they are wrong when they strongly believe they are right.  Or perhaps they are close to or have violated an ethical or morale principle.

As I think through my mentoring experiences, I find that these center around a few general themes.

  • Delusions of grandeur – when someone thinks they are greater than they are and/or are better at something than they really are.
  • Negativity or negative traits – when someone exhibits negativity in the workplace and/or negative traits (e.g., lying, gossiping, bad attitude).
  • Poor performance or failure to complete work – when someone delivers sub-standard performance or doesn’t meet expectations.
  • Highly personal issues – when there are highly personal, sensitive or potentially embarassing issues, including personal life issues that affect the work place.
  • Ending the mentoring relationship – when you need to end the mentoring relationship ahead of schedule.
These are just a few themes that I’ve encountered and I am sure there are many more.
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While the listed themes cover a wide variety of issues, the approach to handling these as a mentor are very similar. Here are five suggestions on how to handle the conversation that you can add to your leader’s locker.
  1. Be prepared. Make sure you know your facts before you engage in a tough conversation. This may mean that you need to fact seek and fact check before you have this conversation.
  2. Be private. Before you have a tough conversation, make sure you are out of earshot of others. Protect your mentee as appropriate from any additional embarassment.
  3. Be honest. One thing that should always set you apart as a mentor (which we have discussed in other posts) is honesty. You of all people should provide an honest assessment of the situation. While being honest can sting some times, if done properly in the right spirit you may do more for someone’s development than ever before.
  4. Be clear. When having a tough conversation it is very important to be concise and clear about what you are saying. Don’t ‘beat around the bush’. Get straight to the point. Talking around the situation only creates greater confusion.
  5. Be supportive. Tough conversations are just that. They can be embarassing. They can make someone feel inferior or badly. So, unless it’s your goal to destroy someone’s ego or self-confidence, you should find a way to deliver in a supportive and uplifting manner. Watch your tone. Be mindful of the words you use. Tell a story about a time when you did something similar and learned from it. There are things you can do to soften the blow if the situation calls for it.

Again, there are many other approaches that you can take in handling tough conversations, but these are just a few that you can add to your locker.

I hope you have enjoyed this series and if you’ve taken anything away it should be that there are many ways to approach mentoring. You need to figure out the approach that works best for you and then build upon it as you gain more and more experience.

Hopefully, the tools provided in these 7 posts on Mentoring Basics will serve you well on your mentoring journey. If you have other thoughts, please feel free to post comments and share with the broader audience or you can email me directly and I will find a way to incorporate.

Again, I hope you have enjoyed this series. If you have thoughts on other series or topics you would like to explore, drop me a line.  Don’t forget to ‘like’ The Leaders Locker on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.

Happy Mentoring!

~Jason

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Mentoring Basics: Part 4

May 24, 2011 by Leave a comment

There is an unspoken code of behavior that exists in mentoring relationships. Unfortunately, since it’s unspoken, both participants in the mentoring relationship, unknowingly and unintentionally, may end up doing the ‘wrong thing.’ All individuals come to a new relationship with different styles of communication, different points of view and different expectations. Working in a new relationship with someone very different from you is a skill. As with any skill, the more you practice, the easier it gets. At the very minimum, relationship skills required for mentoring include, showing kindness, practicing patience and flexibility, and conveying a sense of appreciation for the individual’s accomplishments.

To give full credit where it’s due, the previous paragraph was pulled from the website of the National Society of Professional Engineers.  In researching for this post, I came across their webpage on mentoring relationships and the words were perfect for how I wanted to introduce this week’s topic:  Dos and Don’ts of the Mentoring Relationship.

We are in the final stretch now, past relationship initiation and on in to the meat of the relationship.  Quite honestly though, this portion of the relationship is defined by you (the mentor).  Mentorships are just like any other relationship, they’re all different.  And you are going to have to find what works best for you with each mentee.  The best that I can do at this point is provide you with some basic tools for your locker that may help along the way.

As I mentioned, in doing some research – scouring the internet – I came across several recurring themes for successful mentorships.  I’ve distilled them down in to a list of 10 DOs and 10 DON’Ts for Mentors to help on your journey.

DO

  • Be Honest.  As a mentor, you should first and foremost be honest.  This doesn’t give you a license to be overly abrupt, insincere, or brutally forthcoming.  You need to lift your mentee up. It also doesn’t mean that you have to overly sugar coat or be Pollyanna-ish in your delivery.  You are in a rare position to provide an honest and balanced perspective to help your mentee grow and develop.
  • Be Respectful.   Build your relationship on the foundation of mutual respect.  As the mentor, you should set the example.  Respect your mentee; who they are, what they believe, their experiences, and their opinions.
  • Listen.  Do more than just hear the words your mentee says.  Listen and understand what they are communicating.  If you don’t understand, ask questions.  Listening intently allows you to understand so that you can better serve them, but also shows that you are interested and care.  Be in the moment and focus on them.  Remove any unnecessary distractions (e.g., blackberry, email, etc.) from the environment.
  • Encourage and Motivate.  You should lift your mentee up throughout the mentorship.  You are their “go to” for support and encouragement. This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be honest (see above); you should.   However, your words, tone, and support should strengthen and inspire them.  Find ways to motivate them to positive action.
  • Appreciate and Celebrate.  Thank your mentee for their efforts and appreciate them as they take steps towards their goals.  Celebrate the wins, regardless of the size.
  • Guide and Suggest.  Don’t give them all the answers straight away.  Guide them down the path, but let them learn along the way.  Try suggesting action rather than telling them how to do it (e.g., “Have you thought about…?”).  Better yet, ask open-ended questions that allow them to figure out the answer.  They will learn much more.
  • Build Trust.  Throughout your mentorship, you should maintain a relationship built on trust.  You both have to trust each other with the information you share.  Don’t do anything that would make them feel that their trust has been misplaced.  Keep information that your mentee share’s with you confidential and to yourself.
  • Introduce.  Help expand your mentee’s network.  Introduce them to people that they don’t know; especially those outside of their own network and work area.
  • Offer Perspective.  Provide a different or alternate perspective of events or situations. When appropriate, play the devil’s advocate.   Help them see the broader picture.
  • Be Professional.  I saw this tenet in almost every “mentoring tips” site that I visited; therefore I will emphasize the importance by making it the final DO.  Make sure to keep your relationship professional.  Becoming too good of friends can blur your objectivity and judgment, which will make it difficult to be effective.  You also don’t want to cross any other lines that may damage your reputation, integrity, or career.   Keep it professional.

 

DON’T

  • Assume They Know.  Never assume that mentee’s know information, how to act, what to do, or anything else for that matter.  This doesn’t mean to treat them like a child, but it does mean that you shouldn’t make assumptions.  So, ask them if they know.  If they answer with an unconvincing, “Yeah, I know”, have them explain it to you or tell you what they know.  Example:  “Do you understand our ethics policy?  Tell me what you know about it.” 
  • Be Inconsistent.  Don’t be erratic.  There is enough inconsistency in our environment; they don’t need it from you too. They need you to be a stable factor in their life.   Be consistent in the way that you act, hold meetings, and provide direction. Be punctual.  Do what you say you are going to do.  Expect the same out of them.
  • Be Vague. Don’t be ambiguous or veiled with direction.  You want them to learn for themselves, but you don’t want them to see you as wishy-washy, indecisive, or unclear either.  There is a balance to be struck between providing clear direction (when appropriate) and guiding them down the path so that they learn for themselves.
  • Expect a Clone.  Don’t think that they are going to turn out just like you, act like you, react like you, or process information like you.  Let them be them.  It’s okay – you don’t want a mini-me anyway.  You want them to meet the fullness of their potential, not yours.
  • Act on Their Behalf.  Don’t represent them without their knowledge or explicit permission.  Enough said.
  • Be Over Protective.  Don’t shield them from every pain and failure.  You have to let them experience and learn.  Help guide them, but don’t shelter them.  Be there to pick them up and dust them off.  Then motivate them to get back in the game.
  • Be Overly Judgmental.  Don’t judge their beliefs, their values, or experiences.  They are who they are.  Your role may require you to examine their professional behavior, skills and abilities and then make determinations, but don’t mistake that for free reign to criticize everything about them.  When you do need to comment on potentially sensitive areas, do so with caution and care.
  • Talk Negatively.  Don’t talk negatively about other people.  If they do, listen to them and ask them questions to understand further and/or to guide them out of their negativity. 
  • Be Their Supervisor.   You are NOT their supervisor.  So, don’t act like it. 
  • Set a Bad Example.  Uphold the highest standard of integrity and ethics.  Be a role model. Don’t curse.  Don’t talk badly. Don’t gossip.  Don’t complain. Be someone they look up to; not another person at that water cooler. Set a positive example.

 

This list is definitely not all-inclusive, but provides a good base for you to build from.  If you are interested in more tips, you can always search “mentoring tips” or “mentoring dos and don’ts” on the internet.

If you have some additional DOs or DON’Ts that you’ve found valuable and would like to share, please leave a comment on the post so that everyone can benefit from your experience.

In the next post, we will wrap up our series on Mentoring Basics with a discussion about how to handle some of the tough conversations.

Enjoy!

~Jason

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