© Clutterbuck Associates 2006 C1C1 How difference makes the mentoring relationship stronger David...

© Clutterbuck Associates 2006 C1

How difference makes the mentoring relationship

stronger

David Clutterbuck


Coaching v Mentoring

Performance Career

Directive Influence

Non-Directive Influence

Traditional Coaching

Developmental Mentoring

(Europe)

Executive/ Developmental Coaching

Sponsorship Mentoring

(US)

Personal Development


COACH GUARDIAN

NETWORKER

(Facilitator)

COUNSELLOR

Dimensions of Mentoring

Influence(Directive)

Influence(Non-directive)

Men

tor

Need(Intellectual)

Need(Emotional)

Mentee


Phases of Reflective SpaceExternal Energy

Internal Energy

Normal Working (High Activity)

Framing

Implication

AnalysisInsight!

Options

Action

Re-framing

Time


Open dialogue

Shared expectationsOpenness to

mutual benefit

Sense of urgency

Task focused

Debate ratherthan dialogue

FriendshipLack of directionOpportunistic in

dealing with issuesShort term

perspective, but ...May be long-term

relationship

“Going throughthe motions”

Low rapport

Low clarity of purpose

High clarity of purpose

High rapport

Clarity of Purpose vs Rapport


Barriers to Diversity Dialogue

• The hierarchy gap (“speaking truth to power”)

• Political correctness (overcompensating)

• Same words/ different meanings

• Avoiding exploring own feelings, attitudes & values

• Problem denial


The Skills of Diversity Dialogue

• Managing stereotypes

• Permission to explore

• Fearless questions

• Analysing assumptions, behaviours and values

• Achieving clarity

• Valuing the insights from different perspectives

• Circles of advantage/disadvantage


What do we know about the role of

difference in mentoring?


Same race, same gender, or different?

Four key issues:• Perspective• Networking• Power• Dependency


Same Race/Gender vs Difference

IssueIssue

Perspective

Career outcomes

Networks

Power

Role modelling

Same GroupSame Group

More empathy

Less likely

Sharing same concerns

Easier rapport

Occurs more naturally

Different GroupDifferent Group

Wider perspective

More likely

More influential

Insight into politics

Promotes wider range of responses


Mentoring as a diversity dialogue


Diversity Mentoring: Benefits to Mentee

• Encourages mentee to set and work towards ambitious career goals, increasing their confidence

• Provides mentee BME employees with visibility and influence at senior levels

• … and with insight into management thinking and organizational politics

• Encourages mentee to recognise their value and enhance their self confidence

• Stimulates more effective and wider networking


Diversity Mentoring: Benefits to Mentors

• Provides senior managers with personal understanding of diversity issues

• Opens dialogue across differences

• Allows input to achieving diversity/ equal opportunity management targets

• Helps the mentor see issues from more than one perspective (so better decisions are made)

• Brings stereotypes and micro-discrimination into focus for the mentor

• Helps mentor recognise and manage intrinsic and extrinsic barriers to achievement

• Stimulates more effective and wider networking


Diversity mentoring competencies include

Empathy with the mentee’s dilemmas

Positioning disadvantage appropriately

Ability to value differences

Ability to reconcile differences

Being a role model for open-mindedness

Ability to role adapt appropriately between

sponsor/guide/adviser/ and developer of self-sufficiency

standard


Difference

From Mentoring Across Differences, 2003 – report on mentoring in US law firms

As a mentee, it doesn’t hurt my feelings if someone acknowledges the [racial] difference between us. In some ways I like those relationships better. It makes me feel more comfortable – we’re not dancing around the issues in some artificial way. What’s uncomfortable for me is when we have to pretend there isn’t a difference.


Cross-Gender/Race Relationships that Worked*

• Established confidence by beginning with work-related issues

• Identified common interests and values

• Made efforts to learn about each other

• Showed empathy

• Were clear about needs and expectations

• Avoided stereotypes and untested assumptions

• Risked discomfort to make the relationship work

* From Mentoring Across Differences, 2003 – report on mentoring in US law firms


The critical role of the mentoring

coordinator


Aspects of culture*

• Universalism v particularism• Individualism v

communitarianism• Affective v neutral• Specific v diffuse• Achievement v Ascription• Sequential v synchronous• Internal v external control*Trompenaars / Hampden-Turner


Some issues for discussion

In the context of cross-cultural mentoring, how would each of these seven areas of potential cultural dissonance affect:

• The ability to build rapport?• The style the mentor adopts?• The goals of the relationship and

measures of how/ whether these are achieved?

• The design of global or multi-country mentoring programmes?


7 conversations in coaching and mentoring

1. The coach’s/ mentor’s inner preparatory reflection

2. The learner’s inner prepatory reflection

3. The spoken conversation4. The coach’s/ mentor’s inner dialogue5. The learner’s inner dialogue6. The learner’s subsequent reflection7. The coach’s/mentor’s subsequent

reflection


Mentoring scheme standards

• Clarity of purpose• Stakeholder training and briefing• Processes for selection and

matching• Processes for measurement and

review• Maintains high standards of ethics• Administration and support

© Clutterbuck Associates 2006 C1C1 How difference makes the mentoring relationship stronger David...

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