Managers As Mentors, 3rd Edition

Mentoring Long Distance: Remote Learning

Marshall sat in the back row of a large, dimly lit auditorium filled with managers from a software company being treated to the last million-slide presentation of the day. Earlier he had spoken to this audience about the myths, merits, and methods of mentoring and coaching. A bright young systems engineer manager sitting three people to his right passed Marshall a napkin with a handwritten note: “Do you have any suggestions on how I can mentor my people in Guam, Paris, and San Juan? They feel ignored and I feel guilty.”

With seventeen slides, polite applause, and the speaker’s closing remarks to go, Marshall had a little time to think. He can’t remember now much about what he said—she seemed satisfied—but ...