Are you mentoring or are you manipulating? One is constructive and builds both trust and confidence. The other is destructive…and corrosive. At times, each can look like the other. So how does one know the difference? The motive behind mentoring is to serve the needs of the person being mentored. The motive behind manipulation is to serve the needs of the mentor himself. And while it is often hard to determine, a person’s true motive will be revealed in time.
As leaders, we are entrusted with the responsibility to coach and mentor those around us. Done well, it is a critical component of a company’s success. Done poorly, or with bad intentions, organizational health declines precipitously along with performance…and the damage done by a manipulative leader is often severe and irreversible.
My experience tells me that an average leader who has great intentions for the people they coach will outshine a person with superior leadership skills who puts himself before his people. If your motive is to serve yourself, please step aside. If your motive is to serve those around you, then please step forward.
Be intentional about it…
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