Leadership Tip

How to decide who gets to be coached or mentored

Not every executive will benefit from working with a coach or mentor. If you’re the person who decides which leaders get to work with an outside expert, you want to spend your budget wisely. To assess whether a struggling leader is ready for coaching or mentoring, watch for a few red flags.

  1. Be wary of an executive who always has an excuse when things go wrong. Coaching and mentoring requires self-awareness and introspection, so someone who consistently blames external factors for their problems may not be a great choice.
     
  2. Think carefully about a leader who favours quick-fix tactics. The best candidates for coaching and mentoring are willing to challenge their assumptions and beliefs about how to get things done.
     
  3. Beware of managers who delay the start of coaching or mentoring to “do more research” or “find the right person.” It may be a sign that they're just not ready to confront their issues.

The above leadership tip...
was sent in response to a question from a participant on our 10/10 leadership development and mentoring programme and adapted 4 Signs an Executive Isn’t Ready for Coaching by Matt Brubaker and Chris Mitchell. Whether you're a first time manager or an experienced leader, straightforward, practical advice on best practice is hard to find. Until now. To find out how you, your team or your organisation can benefit, please join us on our next complimentary webinar or contact us.

Subscribe

Free weekly email on things you didn't know last week with links to articles on leadership excellence. To view previous editions click here.


Learn how to lead effectively

Gleaned from wisdom acquired by working with hundreds of highly successful leaders from the world of business, media and sport, our workshops are fortified with practical tips to help you better lead yourself, your team and your business.

Read More

Leadership Articles

10 actions for effective communication

High-quality communication is an essential element in business and organisational performance. Effective communication relies on engaging with people, having a commitment to building strong and productive relationships and realising that we communicate... read more

10 actions for advancing your career

Standing out at work isn’t about wearing a flashy hat - though, that could help. The more effective way to make an impact is by developing the skills that will get you noticed. Here are 10 strategies for advancing your career: Make skills... read more

10 actions for achieving best performance

Success does not begin with radically changing the way you work or acquiring new skills: the first step is to take what you already do to the highest level.  However trivial it may seem, if you can do a task more smartly than you did before, and... read more

Leadership Tips

How to improve interpersonal conflicts

In today’s fast-paced and often high-pressure work environments, the ability to navigate interpersonal relationships is more critical than ever. Even the most capable teams experience conflict - it’s a natural byproduct of collaboration, diversity of... read more

How to build value through visionary leadership

Real Madrid has reclaimed its position as Europe’s most valuable football club, with a 23% year-on-year increase in enterprise value, reaching €6.3 billion as of January 2025, according to Football Benchmark. Real Madrid’s financial and sporting... read more

How to make the most of your downtime

Rest isn’t a luxury - it’s a leadership skill. Stepping back isn’t about doing less; it’s about restoring the energy and clarity to lead well.  This holiday, give yourself permission to pause. Leadership starts with how well you lead yourself,... read more