You Need a Mentor Coach

You need a mentor coach. It will make you a better coach. It’s that simple. That’s why coach credentialing programs make mentor coaching a requirement.

You need a mentor coach because talking with someone who has been where you are can go a long way to reducing stress. We humans are funny that way. When we are faced with a tough new challenge, we tend to seek out people who’ve tackled something similar. It makes us feel less overwhelmed.

We hope that someone who has been there and done that can give us some advice, share lessons learned. Point us in the right direction. Provide us with a shortcut. Anything. Everything.

Many years ago (and often) while I was on maternity leave, sleep-deprived and craving communication with the outside world, I would call on my then business partner for advice on the mommy challenge du jour.

After projectile spewing my frustrations in a jumble of words (mixed with a few tears), say calmly, “Well, I’m not sure what you should do, but I can tell you what I did. Would that help?” It worked every time. I always hung up the phone after our conversations recharged, validated and enlightened by another perspective.

In the simplest of terms, that is the role of the mentor. To be the voice further down the path that shares some wisdom and encourages us to keep putting one foot in front of the other. Who among us wouldn’t benefit from that kind of help from time to time? I know I do. I bet you would too.

Many organizations have mentoring programs that pair junior leaders with more senior executives. They regularly meet for sharing, discussion, and support.

The International Coach Federation (ICF) sees mentoring as such a critical tool for development that mentoring is now integrated into the credentialing process. Coaches seeking to attain an ICF credential must work with a mentor for up to 10 hours over at least three months. If you have integrated coaching into your job as a manager, or you are coaching full-time, you might want to think about working with a mentor coach. Here are some insider tips to get you started.

Mentoring for Coaches, Where to Start

Do some background work. You will get the most out of your mentoring relationship if you have put some effort in behind the scenes to figure out what your issues are.

• What are you hoping to accomplish with a mentor?
• What challenges do you continually experience in coaching conversations?
• What aspects of coaching come quickly to you?
• What big scary monster problems are you facing?
• How and where is your coaching bringing value to those you coach?
• What are your goals for your development as a coach?

The answers to these kinds of questions will give you and your mentor a head-start on your work together.

Know the requirements. If you are engaging a mentor coach for ICF credentialing, visit the ICF website and get up to speed on the mentor coaching duties and competencies. Also, be sure you understand what is needed to be ready to apply for your particular credential. This information will help you interview and select the right mentor coach for your needs.

Check out the ICF Mentor Coach Registry. The International Coach Federation maintains a registry of qualified mentor coaches as a service to coaches. You will be able to find information on potential mentors, view their websites, search the data by credential or geographic location. You are not required to use a mentor from the registry, but it is a place to start as you research your options. It’s also important to note that the ICF does not vet these mentor coaches, so be sure to do your due diligence to make sure your mentor coach is qualified.

Consider a group mentoring option. Many coaches choose to work with their mentor one-on-one, but this isn’t the only option. Of the ten hours of mentor coaching needed for the ICF requirement, seven hours can be earned in group mentor coaching.  You can be a part of a mentoring group in which you learn from a discussion with a qualified mentor and some of your coaching peers. This approach is not only more cost-effective, but it has the added value of allowing you to learn from a range of different perspectives.

I have had the benefit of working with many mentors over the years. From those who listened to my mommy struggles to those who have helped me launch a career, build a business, plan a whirlwind trip to Italy or figure out how to the heck to raise teenagers. Every mentor helped, somehow.

Wherever you are in your development as a coach, a mentor can surely help you along the way. Sometimes it’s a relief to chat with someone who’s been there and done that.

If you’re struggling to figure out how to get to your first, or next credential, I’d be happy to be your credential coach! Book an ICF credential coaching session!