![Transformational mentoring Book review: “Transformational Mentoring – creating developmental alliances for changing organizational cultures” (1995) by Julie Hay](https://kimtasso1.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Transformational-mentoring-.jpg)
I’m reviewing some of the latest books on mentoring (reviews will be published soon) and I remembered this book. I read it back in 2000, during my studies to qualify as a professional coach/mentor. The author admits that it isn’t a book for beginners. But it had a huge impact on me as I found it both forward-thinking and inspirational. Partly because the author is a psychotherapist (Transactional Analysis and Neurolinguistic Programming) and also a human resources professional specialising in organizational development and transformation (i.e. culture change). Book review: “Transformational Mentoring – creating developmental alliances for changing organizational cultures” (1995) by Julie Hay.
Psychology and business communication: Intro to transactional analysis (kimtasso.com)
What is NLP (Neuro Linguistic Programming)? – Kim Tasso
Key ideas in transformational mentoring
This book would be my recommendation if you want to know about the process and tools to use in mentoring (i.e. a practical, nitty-gritty approach). Of particular value in this book:
- Reframing mentoring as a developmental alliance (“A relationship between equals in which one or more of those involved is enabled to: increase awareness, identify alternatives and initiate action to develop themselves”)
- Trends in organizational development. The author talks about: megatrends for women, the decency decade, the learning organisation, Kirton’s adaptors and innovators Leadership teams: Maverick Magpies and Predictable Pigeons (kimtasso.com), cashing-out, cocooning and flexible working. Considering the book was written in 1995 – many of these ideas have become reality.
- Mentoring formats: older/younger, training and development, expert/novice, friend/comrade, temporary deficit, spot mentoring, group mentoring
- Values and beliefs: people are OK, people want closeness, people can change, people want to grow, we create our own meaning, we can make decisions, our behaviour is purposeful
- Differences between counselling, coaching, traditional mentoring and developmental alliance (and the pros and cons of developmental alliances)
- Characteristics/qualities of mentors: compatibility, respect, ethics, self-awareness, self-development, attitude, attitude to ambiguity
- Mentor styles: personal styles (controlling, nurturing, logical, adaptable, spontaneous), thinking styles (experience, emotional response, logical consideration of future impact), working styles (from Transactional Analysis: Hurry Up, Be Perfect, Please People, Try Hard, Be Strong)
- Understanding mentees:
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- psychological styles (e.g. Myers Briggs see Creativity and personality profiling (kimtasso.com))
- personal styles (see the parent, adult, child (PAC) model helps with difficult interactions (kimtasso.com) and motivation
- Levels of learning: traditional, transitional and transformational and learning styles (Improve learning effectiveness – Using Kolb’s learning styles (kimtasso.com)) and the competence curve
- Helping strategies and initiating a corporate approach
Valuable mentoring frameworks
Seven stages of a mentoring alliance
- Alliance – preparation, build the initial relationship, bonding, contracting (see below)
- Assessment – review and describe the current situation and desired future, be empathic to encourage self-disclosure, use mind-mapping to understand personal constructs, portfolio building
- Analysis – gain awareness and understanding using frameworks and theories (e.g. lifelines, genograms, relationship style (parallel process between mentor-mentee), SWOT
- Alternatives – see things differently, identify options, steps to success (see below)
- Action planning – Force field analysis (forces for and against change), objective setting (3M – measurable, manageable, motivational), select the best options and develop a detailed action plan
- Application – mentee gains autonomy through awareness in the here and now, alternatives to choose from and authenticity
- Appraisal – review mentoring relationship, action and results
Four-cornered contract
- Organisation
- Mentor
- Mentee
- Manager
6S steps to success framework
- Situation
- Significance
- Solutions
- Skills
- Strategies
- Success
Ongoing appraisal – C4P4A4
- Contact
- Contract
- Content
- Contrast
- Personal
- Psychological
- Professional
- Parallel
- Aim
- Alternatives
- Action
- Autonomy
David Clutterbuck
Having had the privilege of working with mentoring pioneer and expert David Clutterbuck | CCMi Coaching and Mentoring Courses and Training (clutterbuck-cmi.com) decades ago, I must also recommend some of his books, notably:
- Coaching the team at work (2007)
- Mentoring executives and directors (1999)
- Mentoring in action (1995)
- Everyone needs a mentor (1985, 2004)
And I haven’t read it (yet!) but in 2022 “Coaching and Mentoring: A journey through the models, theories, frameworks and narratives of David Clutterbuck” was published (his 75th book at age 75).
Coaching Skills Academy
The Managing Partners’ Forum and PM Forum have a Coaching Skills Academy offering a range of training workshops for leaders and marketing and business development professionals Coaching Skills Academy – PM Forum during the latter half of 2024
- Coaching and Consulting Skills for marketing and business development (18th July)
- Coaching teams – a practical toolkit (1st October – Jamie Butler)
- Meaningful mentoring (15th October – Andy Lopata)
- Introduction to coaching and mentoring skills (5th November)
- Developing people’s resilience (25th November)
- Advanced coaching skills (19th December)
Related books on coaching and mentoring
Introductory coaching books:
Book Review: The Coaching Manual by Julie Starr – Kim Tasso July 2024
Book review: Coaching skills: A handbook by Jenny Rogers (kimtasso.com) June 2022
The following coaching books are for more advanced/experienced coaches:
Neuroscience for learning and development by Stella Collins (kimtasso.com) September 2023
Helping people change: Coaching with compassion (kimtasso.com) October 2019
Coaching models – book review of Stephen Gribben’s book (kimtasso.com) August 2017
Other books and some coaching qualifications are listed here: Coaching and consulting skills for M&BD workshop (November 2021) (kimtasso.com)
These books are helpful on organisational change:
Neuroscience for learning and development by Stella Collins (kimtasso.com) September 2023
Book review: Neuroscience for organizational change by Hilary Scarlett (kimtasso.com) May 2020
Change management – Change Catalyst book review by Kim Tasso September 2018
change management and organisational change (kimtasso.com) January 2017 “Making sense of change management: A complete guide to the models, tools and techniques of organisational change” by Esther Cameron and Mike Green
Classic management book reviews – The McKinsey way, Good to great (kimtasso.com)
Related coaching and mentoring skills articles
You’re not listening – What you’re missing (kimtasso.com) June 2024
Change Management – Ted Lasso leadership lessons, emotions (kimtasso.com) May 2024
Coaching and Consulting – People and Problem-Solving skills (kimtasso.com) February 2024
Why are questions so important? (Questioning skills) (kimtasso.com) February 2024
What is Socratic questioning? (Questioning skills) (kimtasso.com) February 2024
Learning & Development Update: Lean Learning (kimtasso.com) October 2023
Coaching and Consulting skills – Limiting beliefs, approaches to helping (kimtasso.com) February 2023
Don’t jump to conclusions – Coaching and Consulting skills (kimtasso.com) February 2022
Coaching and consulting skills for M&BD workshop (November 2021) (kimtasso.com) November 2021
Active Listening (Video) (kimtasso.com) November 2020
Book launch: Essential soft skills for lawyers – some research findings (kimtasso.com) July 2020
Soft skills: Introduction to coaching – Three frameworks (kimtasso.com) June 2020
Boost business development success with coaching (kimtasso.com) February 2020
12 thoughts on delegation, coaching and team management (kimtasso.com) January 2020
The art of giving feedback – top tips (kimtasso.com) June 2018
Emotional contagion, delegation, coaching and team meetings (kimtasso.com) January 2018
Delegation for leaders – a how to guide (kimtasso.com) August 2017
Coaching skills – the power of questions (kimtasso.com) May 2017
coaching and mentoring skills (kimtasso.com) December 2015
Before your set your goals – check your limiting assumptions (kimtasso.com) January 2015
Coaching skills – the importance of active listening – Kim Tasso November 2014
Seven takeaways from a coaching skills course (2014) – Kim Tasso November 2014
Personality assessment as part of the coaching and development process (kimtasso.com) June 2013