The Benefits of Mentoring
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Developing a career as a leader in music education has provided wonderful opportunities to be involved in a wide range of exciting work, to forge relationships with countless talented colleagues and, not least, has ultimately led to my own development.
Working at Newham Music has been incredibly rewarding as I have had the privilege of shaping and driving the direction of the Hub, providing the highest quality music education for children and young people. I am extremely proud and honoured to be a part of this, however, whilst I am fortunate to have had a rewarding career thus far, this doesn’t mean I have put a halt on my own development, in fact, quite the opposite is true.
Being an organisational leader comes with significant responsibility, and involves taking a regular critical look at oneself to assess how personal growth in the area of leadership can continue. It’s easy to assume that with years of experience, those like me, are confident in our roles and shouldn’t need to be ‘mentored’. If only!
Through coaching, mentoring and peer development programmes, I have had the opportunity to engage in critical self-reflection, refine strategies for future development within my organisation, and learn from a strong network of leaders in music, education and the wider arts industry.
Never stop learning
The most effective professional development requires us to look introspectively, identifying areas for improvement. Us humans don’t always take criticism well, but well-placed constructive feedback is crucial for growth. It doesn’t need to come from a negative place and being able to identify areas for development is a strength. The value that can be taken from simply listening and learning from reputable professionals who are the best in their industries is beneficial in all sorts of ways. No matter how long we’ve been doing the job, there is always the potential to learn from others.
Mentoring, peer development and coaching
There are important differences between mentoring, peer development and coaching. Deciding which one is right for you depends on the challenges you’re facing and the goals you want to achieve.
Mentoring
Mentoring programmes are led by a fellow professional who will help you bring out the best of your skills. They won’t direct you, but will guide, advise and constructively challenge – a great option for leaders looking to build on the skills and knowledge they already have, or define and achieve long or short term goals.
Peer development
All Hub leaders have a wealth of experience that others can learn from, and peer development programmes make the most of this. By providing an opportunity to work closely with colleagues from other Hubs, they can help us to discover different approaches and ways of thinking that we may never have considered. As such, they help us to see new possibilities, as well as challenges; Should we be doing things this way? Why didn’t I think of that? How could I adapt that approach to my Hub?
Coaching
Coaching requires a deep level of introspection to realise where we can make improvements both personally and professionally. Your coach will help you to make sense of the situation you’re facing and identify how you can make the best decisions for the future of yourself and your Hub. This is excellent for personal growth and for strengthening your ability to resolve difficult issues, develop resilience and lead a team to success over the long-term.
The impact of mentoring
At Newham Music, all of our leadership team have taken part in mentoring, which has had a positive impact across the organisation. By helping us to identify the goals we want to work towards and how to achieve them, mentoring has contributed to more synchronised working culture, with colleagues sharing a way of thinking that centres around developing a motivated and confident workforce.
As I continue to work with an executive coach to mentor the next leaders, I look forward to continuing to see how longer-term changes and goals will continue to unfold across the organisation.
