Do Not Send Your Poor Performers To Mentoring

Reverse mentoring isn't performance management, and poor performers don't belong in mentoring. In this episode Mel Butcher and Michelle Redfern respond to a Lead to Soar Network member who was asked to fix a more senior colleague's performance under the label of reverse mentoring. Michelle explains why mentoring is for high performers, why performance management belongs to the manager, and how to design a reverse mentoring relationship that works. Truth Bomb "Your manager's job is to manage your performance." Michelle Redfern What you'll learn Why mentoring programs need high performers on both sides, and what happens to participants when a poor performer is placed in one. How a manager can open a performance conversation: describe what is observed, show the indicators, ask what is going on. How to build a skills matrix for a team in a spreadsheet, and use it before hiring. Three questions to settle before a reverse mentoring relationship starts: the outcome, the mentor's authority and the guidance for the senior mentee. How to manage up when a performance problem lands with the wrong person. About the hosts Michelle Redfern is a gender equity strategist, author of The Leadership Compass and founder of Advancing Women in Business and Sport. She co-founded Lead to Soar. Mel Butcher is a multidisciplinary strategist and consultant who helps leaders turn complexity into clarity. She has an engineering background across the public and private sectors. Go Deeper with the Network https://leadtosoar.network/landing Get full access to Lead to Soar Podcast at leadtosoarpodcast.substack.com/subscribe