- Evaluate the team member’s understanding with
questions like, “What have I said that could be a little
clearer?” or “If you were explaining this to someone
else, how would you do it?” - Encourage your associate to feel perfectly comfortable
asking questions by telling her to feel that way ... and
by responding maturely when the questions come.
Fast learner or not-so-fast learner, your associate can learn
from your patient approach to her training needs.
- Pressure to attend to “business as usual”
Finding time in your already overcrowded schedule to
mentor one or more team members will take some doing.
But it can be done. Thousands of successful coaches are
making it happen. Many follow the simple but effective
“15-5-10” formula.
•15
Rank your daily duties in order of importance and
break out the bottom 15 percent.
•5
Delegate that 15 percent to selected team members,
using 5 percent of the time you saved to continue
directing them and reviewing their work.
•10
Use the remaining 10 percent for mentoring activities.
And where does patience come into play in this area? The
inclination to resent or begrudge the time you spend away
from “normal” job activities will grow as you progress in
your mentoring projects. It’s a natural tendency. You will
be tempted to postpone or skip mentoring opportunities in
the interest of “more important things.” When that
happens, remember:
- You aren’t “losing” time while you mentor — you’re
using free time made available because you
delegated duties. - Your associate will know in a minute if you view your
time with her as a time-wasting inconvenience.
Coaching, Mentoring and Managing4
The “15-5-10”
Formula