Editor’s Note: Coaching and Mentoring: The Perfect Time Is Now!

The global pandemic has disrupted every aspect of life, and has led to numerous challenges that we need to work through. Although employees are getting used to the virtual environment, the need for a proper support system at work is now more important than ever. In such a scenario, the importance of coaching and mentoring gains additional significance.

However, are companies viewing coaching and mentoring as critical today? What are the challenges faced by organizations? How do we neutralize our anti-mentors? Is tailoring training to a hybrid work environment easy? Get the answers to these questions and more in the May edition of Leadership Excellence.

This issue also includes an exclusive study by HR.com’s HR Research Institute, The State of Coaching & Mentoring 2021 that focuses on how the coaching and mentoring landscape is changing today. Check out the report here.

With the right mindset and resources, a well-developed coaching program can lead to a significant shift in productivity and engagement for employees who feel valued, validated, and appreciated. In turn, this can translate to increased resiliency for a workforce positively responding to the ongoing challenges of the pandemic and beyond. The cover article by Magdalena Nowicka Mook, Three Fundamentals For Building A Sustainable Coaching Culture, talks about ideas to make coaching a competitive advantage for your teams, and offers three examples of organizations that achieved success and pivoted their coaching initiatives in the wake of the pandemic.

Interested in learning the five key coaching skills that can help modern leaders to thrive in an uncertain world? Check out Karim Harbott’s article, 5 Essential Coaching Skills For Leaders. Jonathan H. Westover's article, 5 Characteristics Of Highly Impactful Coaches And Mentors lists down the common traits and characteristics the most impactful coaches and mentors share.

Bev Kaye's article, Consider The Art Of ‘Mentworking’ and Eliza VanCort's article, Bulletproofing Yourself Against Anti-Mentors are two interesting reads on the different aspects of mentoring.

Also, check out an exclusive interview with Alexandra Connell, CEO and Co-Founder of Pluma, where she talks about various aspects of coaching and mentoring today.

In brief, whether a workforce is back in an office or embracing a hybrid model or continuing remote, now is the perfect time for leaders to focus on coaching and mentoring.

We hope you enjoy reading all the articles in this issue and get back to us with your valuable feedback.

Happy Reading!