Lead: Especially for Established Leaders

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	As an established addictions leader, it is important to pass on your knowledge and skills to emerging leaders who will direct the field in the future. This section is divided into two main areas: Becoming a Mentor Succession Planning and Preparing Your Organization for the Future Becoming A Mentor Mentoring: Pairing of a more skilled and/or experienced person with a lesser skilled and/or experienced person with demonstrated potential.1 Mentoring is a powerful form of human development. It links emerging and future leaders with experienced professionals for career development and helps shape the addictions treatment field’s future. An established leader can facilitate personal and professional growth by sharing knowledge and insights gathered through the years with an emerging leader. Mentoring also provides opportunities for both parties and can facilitate the expansion of each other’s leadership skills. A mentor’s job is to help an emerging leader, or protégé, clarify individual goals and provide guidance in professional leadership development. In addition, mentors should inspire and motivate their protégés. This process should prepare emerging leaders for successful leadership positions in the future.2 Mentor Roles and Responsibilities Protégé Roles and Responsibilities Benefits of Mentoring for Established Leaders Signs of a Successful Mentoring Relationship Mentor Roles and Responsibilities3 Teacher Answers protégé’s questions and steers them to other sources when necessary Shares wisdom of past experiences Provides candid feedback about perceived strengths and developmental needs Guide Assists in the development of a protégé’s individual leadership development plan and professional goals Highlights and shares leadership development and career opportunities Offers advice on real or perceived roadblocks to effective leadership Motivator/Coach Provides encouragement and support Provides positive feedback Counselor Establishes an open and trusting relationship Sponsor Links the protégé with others who can enhance the learning experience Provides an opportunity for exposure when appropriate back to top Protégé Roles and Responsibilities4 Communicator/Initiator Be proactive in asking for mentor’s help when needed Be proactive in seeking mentor’s advice when needed Listener Listen carefully to what is presented and consider new options Accept praise and constructive criticism Student Be eager to learn Absorb mentor’s knowledge Practice and demonstrate what has been learned Prepare appropriate “homework” for mentor Trainee Participate in all leadership and professional development opportunities Focus on leadership skills without getting lost in the process back to top Benefits of Mentoring for Established Leaders5 Mentoring serves as a link to the front line. It provides important feedback and offers perspective regarding the views of people serving at different levels in the field. Mentoring strengthens one’s own skills and leadership growth while challenging and coaching an emerging leader. Mentoring can help develop many rewarding professional relationships and contacts. Mentoring is a source of recognition and respect within the field. Mentoring gives the established leader a sense of contribution to addictions treatment field and is an opportunity to pass on a legacy to the next generation of leaders. back to top Signs of a Successful Mentoring Relationship6 The protégé or emerging leader is open to change and transition, exploring possibilities, helping others and learning from others. The mentor and protégé are both inspired by the relationship and gain a great deal of satisfaction from the partnership. The mentor and protégé are both committed to understanding, growing, confronting and solving problems. The protégé is connecting with the mentor and views the relationship as one of value in which mutual interest, respect, and straightforward communication are constants. The protégé is comfortable seeking the mentor’s counsel and support. The protégé takes responsibility for meeting his/her own needs in the relationship. The mentor uncovers new aspects to the protégé’s potential and in turn, allows for self discovery. The mentor has established a comfortable environment for learning and discussion, and enjoys watching the protégé’s growth. As time passes, the relationship is on equal footing, and each regards the other as a friend or peer from whom he/she can seek future advice. Because of the relationship, the protégé has increased his/her self-knowledge, self-acceptance and self confidence. back to top Succession Planning and Preparing Your Organization for the Future Developing a Succession Plan for Your Organization A succession plan should identify those employees who currently have the skills needed to become leaders, as well as those who possess critical knowledge or hard-to-replace skills. A Succession Plan Should Answer Two Basic Questions:7 What career paths are open to future leaders within the organization? What acquired skills would they need to achieve these goals? Managers and administrators need to recognize that a succession plan safeguards the long-term viability of the organization. It can also be used to identify skill gaps in their employees which should be addressed with professional development opportunities. Additional Information on Succession Planning: Succession Planning Transition Guides back to top Steps to Prepare Your Organization for the Future There are actions an established leader can take to prepare an organization and its future leaders before reaching retirement. In 2004 leaders were asked what steps should be taken in order to prepare the field for the challenges it faces in the future. The resulting paper summarizes the views of 36 leaders nationally. The complete report can be found on the Partners for Recovery Web site. back to top Key Steps to Preparing Your Agency or Organization for Success in the Future8 *Key issues identified in Voices from the Field: Leadership Development in Substance Use Treatment and Recovery:* There is a difference between management and leadership. Need training instruction that has uniformity in what we train; quality assurance. Leadership development needs to be comprehensive and systemized. Culture of training: Ignite the passion; make people feel they are part of something bigger and that they are being professionally developed. Set expectation for current leaders making it clear that it’s their responsibility to groom and train leaders. Professionals themselves also have responsibility to let others learn by doing; create culture around that for their own training. When attending training, people serve as ambassadors for their agencies. Strategies and actions: Do environmental scan of leadership training Integrate learning from training back into working environment Create and sustain support mechanisms for leadership growth Support learning opportunities outside our field Facilitate continuing networking and relationships back to top