by Center for Mentoring Excellence | Mar 14, 2011 | Uncategorized
A plant manager got up at his monthly operations meeting to address his 245 employees. “I am very proud to announce,” he said stone-faced, with his eyes glued to his notes, “we have been named ‘most productive operation’ in the company. It’s a great day for all of us.” No one clapped, no one cheered, and no one believed him. (more…)
by Center for Mentoring Excellence | Mar 2, 2011 | Uncategorized
Why self-awareness?
Without being self-aware, personal growth is unlikely to occur and we end up concentrating on others people’s weaknesses rather than our own. Let’s look at Judy, a new manager, who lacked self-awareness about her openness to others’ ideas.
Judy felt competent in her own management skills. After all, she had a master’s degree in leadership and a coveted management position in one of the fastest growing companies in the Bay Area. After three weeks into her new job she launched an initiative to change the department’s billing procedures. It wasn’t long before her staff grew increasingly resentful. They couldn’t understand why she started overhauling a program when she had little understanding of what it was all about. She hadn’t even asked for their input. Despite Judy’s assurance to the group that she wanted to hear from them, she became red-faced, stern and angry whenever she got pushback or resistance from them. Everyone knew that any ideas that didn’t support her own weren’t welcomed. Staff, peers and managers tried to encourage Judy to slow down and be more patient with changing things. Many suggested she hold meetings with staff to explain her goals and then get staff to provide the solutions. Judy assured everyone that she was doing just that. Her lack of self-awareness made it impossible for her to recognize that anger and intimidation were keeping people at bay. After morale sunk to a new low, Judy was relieved of her position. No one was surprised except Judy.
Lesson Learned? Judy needs to develop self-awareness. Unless she does, she is destined to repeat this problem in future management roles.
A Little Self Awareness Goes a Long Way
by Center for Mentoring Excellence | Feb 22, 2011 | Mentoring Questions
Think for a moment about your experience in facilitating someone else’s learning. Did it go well? Were there some things you could have done better? Chances are if you are like most mentors, you could become even more adept at facilitation. Help is on the way: (more…)
by Center for Mentoring Excellence | Feb 17, 2011 | Mentoring Questions
Knowing the right type of questions to ask and how to ask it, is an important mentoring skill. It facilitates deeper learning and engages the mentee as an active learner. (more…)
by Center for Mentoring Excellence | Feb 14, 2011 | Facilitating Learning
If you can confidently answer yes to the questions below, it will enhance your mentee’s learning experience immensely.
Are You Up to The Task?
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by Center for Mentoring Excellence | Jan 27, 2011 | Uncategorized
One of the biggest challenges meeting leaders face is managing people who derail meetings. By being intimidating, negative, contentious, argumentative, dominating or snarking, meeting derailers can change the focus, structure and flow of the meeting.
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by Center for Mentoring Excellence | Jan 22, 2011 | Facilitating Learning
Mentors are skilled facilitators. Mastery of facilitation skills enables a mentor to engage a mentee as an active partner in his or her own learning. Facilitation encourages self-reflection and ownership. (more…)
by Center for Mentoring Excellence | Jan 20, 2011 | Uncategorized
When a participant hijacks a meeting, energy dissipates and attention drifts away from the focus of the meeting. (more…)
by Center for Mentoring Excellence | Jan 13, 2011 | Uncategorized
When meeting leaders take time to thoughtfully prepare before meetings it increases the likelihood that meeting objectives will be achieved and participants will be engaged. (more…)
by Center for Mentoring Excellence | Jan 3, 2011 | Uncategorized
The #1 complaint about meetings is that nothing happens. When there is no action or forward movement, frustration mounts. And, we wonder why people don’t show up to meetings or develop blackberryitis during an endless meeting! (more…)