Why Mentor Groups Are Effective

According to Forbes, 76% of people think mentors are important, but only 37% have one. Studies show that employees and leaders with mentors are happier at their current job than those without.

So what is a mentor exactly? Well, according to dictionary.com, a mentor is someone who is a “wise and trusted counselor or teacher,” or “an influential senior sponsor or supporter.” 

Mentoring and coaching are very similar. If you look up the word “mentor” in the dictionary, you’ll find the word “coach” under the list of synonyms. However, there are some subtle differences.

People often work with a coach to build a specific skill for a short period of time. Coaching is very goal oriented and structured. A Speaking Coach, for example, would help a client develop a speech and give feedback on how to deliver the speech in an exemplary way. A Writing Coach might help a client write a book by giving them clear deadlines for each chapter and offer feedback on the writing so the client can strengthen her writing skills. A Relationship Coach might help a couple learn to communicate better and edify each other to help heal hurt in a relationship. And an Executive Coach might help a client develop strong leadership skills in a new leadership position, brainstorm and implement new policies or team building strategies, and implement healthier work-life balance.

Mentors will often work with clients for longer periods of time. Mentoring focuses on long-term leadership and personal development and can often be less structured. Coaching Memberships, such as our Rockstar Leaders Membership, is a good example of a mentoring program that is ongoing and provides professionals with a place to get guidance when needed, while continually learning leadership skills in bite-size pieces.

Here at RAYMA Team™, our style is a little bit coaching and a little bit mentoring.

We've had some clients that work with us for a short period of time - say three to six sessions and then they are on their way. We also have clients that stick with us because they want the long-term mentoring type of relationship. These type of clients want someone that they can brainstorm with and get accountability and growth from continually, either on a weekly or monthly basis. These are some of my most favorite types of clients, because I get to work with them through all seasons of life!

Now that we addressed the difference between coaching and mentoring, let's talk about Mentor Groups and why they are so effective.

We've been implementing Mentor Groups for years at RAYMA Team™. The only problem was that back in our early days, we didn't call them that. We called them Coaching Programs, coaching experiences, or even six-week boot camps. No matter what we call them though, they are effective.

Our RAYMA Foundations™ Mentor Groups are a cost-effective way to offer mentoring, coaching, and leadership training in an environment that is proven to empower employees with confidence while fostering meaningful connections on a team.

The number one problem with one or two day leadership training events is that participants leave feeling excited and... overwhelmed. They might have good intentions about implementing what they learned, but then Monday rolls around again and they go right back into their normal routine. And they forget to implement what they learned.

Mentor Groups, on the other hand, offer participants a chance to immediately activate the leadership principles they learn by applying them to their personal lives, first. That's how change happens! You live it out personally and then let it naturally flow through you in the workplace. Mentor Groups allow participants a chance to hear from their peers and leaders. It gives employees and leaders a chance to consider different points of view in a non-threatening environment, while learning more about their teammates.

Corporate Leaders appreciate our Mentor Groups because it's a way to provide continued leadership training and support for their employees without having to be the one everyone leans on. Having an unbiased professional coach facilitate each session, and challenge people to live outside of their comfort zones, is an effective way to handle tough people issues so everyone can grow through them as well.

Here's how our RAYMA Foundations™ Mentor Groups work:

Our RAYMA Foundations™ leadership curriculum combines effective life coaching techniques with timeless leadership principles to develop quality leaders with strong teams and healthy coping skills. The curriculum includes five different leadership books, each with seven principles to step into a different legacy of leadership. The five books are:

• Resilient: 7 Principles to Step into the Shoes of a Resilient Leader
• Authentic: 7 Principles to Step into the Shoes of an Authentic Leader
• Yes: 7 Principles to Step into the Shoes of a Leader Who Says Yes to New Possibilities
• Motivated: 7 Principles to Step into the Shoes of a Leader Who Gets Motivated
• Assertive: 7 Principles to Step into the Shoes of an Assertive Leader

Participants will go through and implement the leadership principles from one of our five leadership books over the course of seven weeks. It's kind of like a book club, but with action steps and journal exercises that build your critical thinking and processing skills. You will learn and apply one principle per week, experience deep conversations and team building opportunities, and get coaching and accountability from an experienced coach.

Contact us today to get a customized proposal to bring our RAYMA Foundations™ Mentor Groups to your company or organization.

~Mandy B. Anderson

Certified Executive Coach, RAYMA Team™ Co-Founder, and Co-Creator of RAYMA Foundations™