As with many abstract terms, it can be hard to articulate how to maintain integrity. For me, integrity means that a person acts consistently honest and true to their morals, whether in private or in public. Think of our modern social media influencers; they may present themselves as living a perfect life while hiding their struggles and flaws. Many people often hide behind a false image of themselves, but we need to be authentic, honest and open to sharing our flaws and struggles with our mentee/supervisee when appropriate…

The idea that a mentor or supervisor should be treated with respect and dignity is far from a new or radical concept: it’s foundational to the work. Most mentors and supervisors enjoy working with others, but even the most easy-going person occasionally runs into someone they find difficult to work with. This can be because of a conflict in beliefs, attitude or actions, but a mentor/supervisor should never let this difficulty come across, and should focus on empathising with the client and helping them move forward. Within the Christian world, there is the recognition that everyone is a child of God and should be treated as such…

What does it mean to be principled in your practice? This is an essential competency for a mentor/supervisor… which we will be focusing on for the next few weeks. To be principled in practice means that you “adhere to core values and beliefs rooted in sound doctrine.” Every mentor/supervisor needs a code of conduct for their practice. There are likely already some set up for you, beginning with the legal requirements in the area you practise, including the denomination or professional association you are working within…

I am so excited to share this news… My new book, Creating a Vision for Health, is published! I’ve spent the last several years reflecting on well-being and exploring what health (mental, physical, emotional and spiritual) can look like for Christian leaders. My thoughts have finally come together in this book as I explore the five competencies essential to leadership: Vital Spirituality, Thriving Relationships, Emotional Intelligence, Sustainable Life and Reduced Risk, and the behaviours associated with each competency. I have also provided access to useful tools such as Verve Lead’s Well-Being Gauges, Well-Being Q Health Profile and the Mentor Q 360 Assessment.

Occasionally when mentoring or supervising professionally in the Christian community, you will need to have a difficult conversation about theology and beliefs. Even within the Christian community, there are many differences: between denominations—for instance,Catholics and Protestants, Calvinists and Moravians all vary drastically—but there are also subtle differences even within a denomination. For example, some mentees/supervisees may believe in predestination, while others are firm believers in freewill. Every person is influenced by their own experiences and their spiritual education, which leads to many different interpretations of God’s word and will…

Have you ever been working with a mentee or supervisee, and a few weeks, months or years in, you begin to sense that their momentum is slowing? During sessions, do they seem distracted or unmotivated? This could be because of a need for more focus and energy regarding their goals…

Over the last few weeks, we have been exploring how to confront and challenge our mentee or supervisee when it is necessary. We have mostly focused on how we, as a mentor or supervisor, can encourage our clients to open up, to speak frankly and to face difficulties in themselves and the world around them. Today, we are turning towards ourselves and how we handle those conversations…

The role of mentor/supervisor is a reflective practice. Our job is to help our clients learn to see what they are not seeing about themselves and their behaviour and encourage them to become more self-reflective on their path forward. Unfortunately, it’s not as simple as holding up a mirror….

Have you ever finished a session with a mentee or supervisee and were left feeling that something was wrong? That something they said was not aligned with what God wants for them? It can be difficult to see behaviours or attitudes in your mentees or supervisees that you recognise as unbiblical and unhealthy for their lives but it also allows for the opportunity for you to provide some insight and, hopefully, help correct their path forward.