Our Approach to Mentoring

We help new managers turn their leadership potential into tangible results, expanding their ability to effectively lead their teams. Our mentorship program takes a human-centered approach to improving well-being for both managers and their teams. Mentees work with experienced mentors to develop a compassionate and authentic management style that gets substantial results.

​

This approach won't be right for every organization. A nonprofit's culture needs to have emotional and psychological safety already in place so that managers feel secure enough to practice what they learn. Organizations that are authority-based or that reward territorialism, gossip, and competitiveness typically don't support employee well-being. A healthy work environment is a prerequisite for managers to get the most out of our mentorship program.

 

We believe that a manager's everyday behavior directly impacts the quality of life for the people they manage and in turn the wider world. We are excited to work with nonprofit leaders who want to move beyond merely driving results to embedding kindness and empathy into their cultures. We work with organizations ready to deeply invest in the talent and well-being of their managers to incorporate self-reflection and vulnerability into their management style.

 

Mentorship Mapped to Your Organization's Practices and Goals
When you're ready to promote an employee to manager, set them up for success. Arrange a mentorship to give them a confidential place to bring their questions and concerns. A mentor will take the time to understand your organization's culture, human resources practices, and goals, as well as the individual needs of the mentee. 

 

Relationship-Centered Leadership
Our philosophy centers on confidential relational mentoring, creating a supportive and collaborative partnership between the new manager and a seasoned mentor, who models the skills and presence to be developed. We believe that effective leadership isn't just a set of skills, but a journey of growth and self-discovery. Through our one-on-one interactions, a mentor provides a safe space for managers to address their most pressing concerns while simultaneously building their overall leadership confidence.

​

A Balanced Approach to Leadership

Nonprofit managers face unique challenges. Effective, compassionate leadership requires a delicate balance of empathy, candor, and decisiveness. Mentors help managers find their footing in the context of the organizations they serve in the following areas:
 

Collaboration and Action
Mentors guide managers in fostering a collaborative team environment while still making decisive decisions and driving progress. Managers learn how to get buy-in from their team, turning initiatives into shared goals.

​

Navigating Challenges
Mentors provide a sounding board, as well as practical strategies for addressing specific, real-time issues, from handling difficult employees to managing team dynamics. Mentors draw on their own experience and insights to challenge a manager's self-limiting beliefs and offer alternative perspectives and tailored advice, when needed.
 

Building Confidence Through Empathy
Our mentorship approach encourages managing with curiosity, compassion, and kindness. Managers that actively cultivate trust, open dialogue, and transparency tend to create a sense of safety, belonging, and self-efficacy for their teams. Essentially building positive personal relationships with direct reports inspires loyalty, which in turn improves individual and team performance. An experienced mentor supports managers as they practice integrating these principles into their working relationships.

​