Reflections on leadership mentoring and the zone of proximal development.

1. Reflections on leadership mentoring and the zone of proximal development. Mike Gasper and Paul Watling.

2. Introduction • Mike Gasper had 27 years experience in Early years education and 9 years involved in research, particularly in multi-agency working. • Paul Watling has over 20 years experience in community development as a leader and manager in both the Voluntary and statutory sector. • We are both currently tutoring and mentoring on the National Professional Qualification for Integrated Centre Leadership programme for Warwick University and Worcester University. • Leadership mentoring provides a supportive link between the leader and their learning and their workplace and other roles. It is intended to make it easier for leaders to address the challenges of leading within integrated centres. We would say, in the same way as when learning to dance, the teacher cannot solely use a didactic model but has to engage in a dialogue of thought, movement and action to achieve new learning and success.

3. Leadership Mentor Role Supports the Process Zone of Actual Development Zone of Proximal Development Zone of Future Development ZPD and Mentoring • ZPD and mentors Role We feel an affinity with the ZPD as the gap between the actual and potential development levels. Rather than problem solving with ”more capable” we would suggest an equal partnership in learning.

4. Links between professional heritageand the value of mentoring • As my MA Dissertation at Pen Green this was a study of whether peoples professional background influences their view of leadership Mentoring. • It was a study of leaders in Integrated Children’s Centres and participating in the NPQICL. Exploring the axiom “The value of the mentoring experience on the NPQICL is dependent on an individual’s professional heritage and therefore some professions value the approach used more than others”. • Using a mixture of expert witnesses, semi structured interviews and thematic analysis I was able to identify that it was more about the people than the professional heritage.

5. Non Deficit Approach • Knowles’s Andragogical theory highlights the need for a non deficit approach. Mentee comments CREC “Mentor set framework for meetings and I was able to lead where I wanted to go with discussions” “Good rapport established, active listening used to good effect enabled me to reflect on my practice” “Ideas flowed from one topic / issue to the next. Good follow up to questions asked and information e-mailed as requested.” “I have seen the outcome in my practice and am encouraged that I can see the difference it makes”

6. Mutuality It often occurs that the desire of the more experienced person to pass on accumulated wisdom exceeds greatly the desire of the less experienced person to listen. Most people may have the instinct to be a mentor, but to do the role well requires a capacity to hold back and allow people to learn for themselves.’ Clutterbuck, D., 2004 • The willingness of the participant to move, or to recognise the new vision and celebrate new possibilities, is critical to success. • Some of the process may not be comfortable. • The skill of the mentor lies in enabling a gradual journey, allowing adjustment to the new vision. • The process aims to activate critical thinking.

7. Conclusion “As leadership mentors we are scaffolders, rather than architects, of the learning experience during the mentoring process”.