Often within organisations, there are varying levels of mentoring. It may range from informal conversations at break times, to formalised, scheduled sessions.

One thing that can happen, particularly when the mentor has an investment at a more senior level, is the waters can get a bit muddied.

Let me provide an example.

A middle leader is mentored by a senior leader. The middle leader is struggling with supporting a team member to take on new organisation-wide initiatives. It is causing them sleepless nights, raised levels of stress, and they have also been on the receiving end of some less than constructive behaviour from the team member. This is not a new behavioural pattern from the team member. In fact, previous team leaders have also been subjected to their unprofessional behaviour, each time causing a great deal of stress to the middle leader. In this instance, each time the middle leader tries to address the situation, the team member is combative and closed, often not speaking to the team leader for a week afterwards.

It is here that I would like to provide some information from WorkSafe New Zealand on examples of potentially bullying behaviour, both at a person-related and work-related level.

As the middle leader’s mentor, the senior leader has listened to them, given them some strategies to try, let them vent, and then jollied them along, supporting them to pull their shoulders back, lift their chin up, and give it their best.

BUT when does this shift from the middle leader learning their craft through experience, and being jollied along, to it becoming an issue that needs to be referred on?

How much does the middle leader need to ‘endure’, before they are ‘given’ (or take permission themselves), to seek more substantial support?

What is the senior leader’s role in this? When should they/how might they know when it is time to step in and support from their level?

When is the time for hands-off, hands-around, and hands-in support?

Middle leaders are the lettuce/meat in the sandwich. They are the people who are charged with activating organisational initiatives. They sit alongside their peers, whilst also having to lead them. It’s one of the trickiest spaces to navigate. 

Where is senior leadership in support of them? What does this look like?

Where is the senior leader’s duty of care to their middle leaders who are in fact, their First Followers?

When is it appropriate to jolly-on, or refer-on?

Hoping there’s some food for thought for you this week…