Having an experienced mentor is invaluable to anyone new to leadership for several reasons. Firstly,  a mentor brings a unique perspective gained from years of experience in educational leadership. There is no one induction that can ever prepare you for every eventuality in your role. A mentor, however, can provide invaluable insights into the challenges and opportunities unique to the role. The mentor’s role can be wide and varied from providing a listening ear to offering guidance on everything from managing staff dynamics to navigating complex administrative processes.
A mentor can be with you every step of the way on your learning curve by sharing best practices, strategies for effective leadership, and importantly lessons learned from their own successes and failures. This knowledge transfer can be instrumental in supporting any new leader to navigate the successes and pitfalls that come with leadership.