Consulting / Collaborating / Coaching (The 3Cs) at a Glance
In their book Mentoring Matters: A Practical Guide to Learning-Focused Relationships Laura Lipton and Bruce Wellman describe a practical framework for mentors to consider. The chart below provides an at a glance guide to the 3Cs adapted with permission from their work. While these 3Cs are helpful as a frame, effective mentors demonstrate flexibility of stance and role based on the needs of the people they support. Mentoring relationships that flourish are reciprocal – all parties learn and grow!
Consultant
Offering Support and Providing Resources
CHARACTERISTICS
- Mentor shares key information about logistics, school or work site culture, policies and practices
- Beyond simple advice, a consultant provides the “why,” “what,” and “how” of their thinking
CUES
- Credible voice / Use of pronoun “I” / Phrases like “it’s important to”…. “keep in mind that”
CAUTIONS
- We tend to default to this stance / Overuse can build dependency on the mentor
Collaborator
Creating Challenge and Encouraging Growth
CHARACTERISTICS
- Mentor and colleague co-develop strategies and approaches
- 50/50 pattern of interaction and idea production
CUES
- Confident, approachable voice / Use of pronoun “we” / Phrases like “let’s think about”…. “how might we”
CAUTIONS
- Mentors need to ensure collaboration is authentic and they don’t take over
Coach
Facilitating Professional Vision
CHARACTERISTICS
- Mentor supports internal idea production through inquiry and paraphrase
- Ultimate aim is to develop colleague’s internal resources for self-coaching and independence
CUES
- Approachable voice, attending fully / Use of pronoun “you”
- Questions like “what might be some ways to?”.... “given all that you know, what options are you considering?”
CAUTIONS
- Stance can cause frustration if colleague lacks internal resources for idea generation