For me, mentoring is a leader’s hobby, mindset, and responsibility, and the result of good collaboration should create value where one plus one is more than two.

As a Mentor

For me, mentoring is a leader’s passion, mindset, and responsibility. It’s a passion because I get to do what I truly enjoy, and it’s a responsibility because every leader’s role is to be a development partner and a driving force. I create a process where the value generated through collaboration is greater than the sum of the parties’ individual contributions—in other words, 1+1=3. I am an honest development partner to my mentee: I listen, provide feedback, share tried-and-true ideas, and if I spot potential pitfalls, I speak up directly.

Experience

I have gained experience in the field of education as a leader of both municipal and private schools for a total of 25 years. Having started as a young leader, I’ve learned many lessons that allow me to proactively guide my mentees today. I have been active as a mentor since 2015 and have continuously developed my skills through dialogue-based mentoring, group coaching, masterclasses, and other formats that support professional growth. I prefer face-to-face interaction and am happy to visit a mentee’s organisation to better understand their actual work environment.

Who a Mentor Works Best With

I work most effectively with mentees who are eager to contribute to their own development and are willing to take responsibility for achieving their goals. For me, the quality of mentoring is ensured by three principles: I am prepared, I am present, and I am accountable.

What a Mentee Gains from the Collaboration

The mentee gains greater self-confidence, a clearer focus, and a more measurable solution to their leadership challenges. The collaboration helps set goals, shape organisational culture and team satisfaction, resolve leadership dilemmas, and find a better balance between aspirations, beliefs, and actual leadership decisions.

Areas where the mentor adds the most value:

• New leaders
• Change management
• Communication and conflict resolution