--- title: Leave it better! | Mentoring description: Mentoring | Thoughts and ideas, stories and reflections, discussions and suggestions and practical tools for having catalytic, life changing conversations. --- # Blog Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. [Peer advisory group](https://thebigbluebox.co.uk/leave-it-better/tag/peer-advisory-group), [Mentoring](https://thebigbluebox.co.uk/leave-it-better/tag/mentoring), [Coaching](https://thebigbluebox.co.uk/leave-it-better/tag/coaching) ## [Coaches and Mentors - Managing our own Reactions](https://thebigbluebox.co.uk/leave-it-better/coaching/coaches-and-mentors-managing-our-own-reactions) ![Picture of Chris Dyson](https://app.hubspot.com/settings/avatar/3b73c18fbf3403120e47268de464ec17) [Chris Dyson](https://thebigbluebox.co.uk/leave-it-better/author/chris-dyson) 2025/03/11 These are challenging times and uncertainty is having significant impacts on decision making, perfor... [ Read more ](https://thebigbluebox.co.uk/leave-it-better/coaching/coaches-and-mentors-managing-our-own-reactions) [Leadership](https://thebigbluebox.co.uk/leave-it-better/tag/leadership), [Mentoring](https://thebigbluebox.co.uk/leave-it-better/tag/mentoring), [Coaching](https://thebigbluebox.co.uk/leave-it-better/tag/coaching) ## [Listening: A Working Definition](https://thebigbluebox.co.uk/leave-it-better/coaching/listening-a-working-definition) ![Picture of Chris Dyson](https://app.hubspot.com/settings/avatar/3b73c18fbf3403120e47268de464ec17) [Chris Dyson](https://thebigbluebox.co.uk/leave-it-better/author/chris-dyson) 2025/01/23 [ Read more ](https://thebigbluebox.co.uk/leave-it-better/coaching/listening-a-working-definition) [Leadership](https://thebigbluebox.co.uk/leave-it-better/tag/leadership), [Mentoring](https://thebigbluebox.co.uk/leave-it-better/tag/mentoring), [Coaching](https://thebigbluebox.co.uk/leave-it-better/tag/coaching) ## [Listening: Using Emotionally Intelligent Relationship Management](https://thebigbluebox.co.uk/leave-it-better/coaching/listening-using-emotionally-intelligent-relationship-management) ![Picture of Chris Dyson](https://app.hubspot.com/settings/avatar/3b73c18fbf3403120e47268de464ec17) [Chris Dyson](https://thebigbluebox.co.uk/leave-it-better/author/chris-dyson) 2025/01/20 Coaching is highly effective at creating sustainable change for an individual and therefore has a pa... [ Read more ](https://thebigbluebox.co.uk/leave-it-better/coaching/listening-using-emotionally-intelligent-relationship-management) [Leadership](https://thebigbluebox.co.uk/leave-it-better/tag/leadership), [Mentoring](https://thebigbluebox.co.uk/leave-it-better/tag/mentoring), [Coaching](https://thebigbluebox.co.uk/leave-it-better/tag/coaching) ## [Listening: Using Emotionally Intelligent Social-Awareness](https://thebigbluebox.co.uk/leave-it-better/coaching/listening-using-emotionally-intelligent-social-awareness) ![Picture of Chris Dyson](https://app.hubspot.com/settings/avatar/3b73c18fbf3403120e47268de464ec17) [Chris Dyson](https://thebigbluebox.co.uk/leave-it-better/author/chris-dyson) 2025/01/17 In this series I am using emotional intelligence to explore how to further enhance the coach’s liste... [ Read more ](https://thebigbluebox.co.uk/leave-it-better/coaching/listening-using-emotionally-intelligent-social-awareness) [Leadership](https://thebigbluebox.co.uk/leave-it-better/tag/leadership), [Mentoring](https://thebigbluebox.co.uk/leave-it-better/tag/mentoring), [Coaching](https://thebigbluebox.co.uk/leave-it-better/tag/coaching) ## [Listening: Using Emotionally Intelligent Self-Management](https://thebigbluebox.co.uk/leave-it-better/coaching/listening-using-emotionally-intelligent-self-management) ![Picture of Chris Dyson](https://app.hubspot.com/settings/avatar/3b73c18fbf3403120e47268de464ec17) [Chris Dyson](https://thebigbluebox.co.uk/leave-it-better/author/chris-dyson) 2025/01/17 Self Management Managing oneself during a coaching or listening session ensures the focus remains on... [ Read more ](https://thebigbluebox.co.uk/leave-it-better/coaching/listening-using-emotionally-intelligent-self-management) [Leadership](https://thebigbluebox.co.uk/leave-it-better/tag/leadership), [Mentoring](https://thebigbluebox.co.uk/leave-it-better/tag/mentoring), [Coaching](https://thebigbluebox.co.uk/leave-it-better/tag/coaching) ## [Listening: Using Emotionally Intelligent Self-Awareness](https://thebigbluebox.co.uk/leave-it-better/coaching/listening-using-emotionally-intelligent-self-awareness) ![Picture of Chris Dyson](https://app.hubspot.com/settings/avatar/3b73c18fbf3403120e47268de464ec17) [Chris Dyson](https://thebigbluebox.co.uk/leave-it-better/author/chris-dyson) 2025/01/17 Self-Awareness Self-awareness – noticing one’s own feelings - is a fundamental life-skill, an essent... [ Read more ](https://thebigbluebox.co.uk/leave-it-better/coaching/listening-using-emotionally-intelligent-self-awareness) [Mentoring](https://thebigbluebox.co.uk/leave-it-better/tag/mentoring), [Coaching](https://thebigbluebox.co.uk/leave-it-better/tag/coaching) ## [Listening: Using Emotional Intelligence](https://thebigbluebox.co.uk/leave-it-better/coaching/listening-using-emotional-intelligence) ![Picture of Chris Dyson](https://app.hubspot.com/settings/avatar/3b73c18fbf3403120e47268de464ec17) [Chris Dyson](https://thebigbluebox.co.uk/leave-it-better/author/chris-dyson) 2025/12/30 This short series of posts examines listening skills through the framework of emotional intelligence... [ Read more ](https://thebigbluebox.co.uk/leave-it-better/coaching/listening-using-emotional-intelligence) [Leadership](https://thebigbluebox.co.uk/leave-it-better/tag/leadership), [Mentoring](https://thebigbluebox.co.uk/leave-it-better/tag/mentoring), [Coaching](https://thebigbluebox.co.uk/leave-it-better/tag/coaching) ## [Listening: What happens when we are listened to?](https://thebigbluebox.co.uk/leave-it-better/coaching/what-happens-when-we-are-listened-to) ![Picture of Chris Dyson](https://app.hubspot.com/settings/avatar/3b73c18fbf3403120e47268de464ec17) [Chris Dyson](https://thebigbluebox.co.uk/leave-it-better/author/chris-dyson) 2024/12/11 Listening is perhaps the single most important skill in the coaching and mentoring toolbox, it is al... [ Read more ](https://thebigbluebox.co.uk/leave-it-better/coaching/what-happens-when-we-are-listened-to) [Mentoring](https://thebigbluebox.co.uk/leave-it-better/tag/mentoring), [Coaching](https://thebigbluebox.co.uk/leave-it-better/tag/coaching) ## [Listening: Why is it so difficult to open-up?](https://thebigbluebox.co.uk/leave-it-better/coaching/listening-why-is-it-so-difficult-to-open-up) ![Picture of Chris Dyson](https://app.hubspot.com/settings/avatar/3b73c18fbf3403120e47268de464ec17) [Chris Dyson](https://thebigbluebox.co.uk/leave-it-better/author/chris-dyson) 2024/12/06 In this post I identify a few of the barriers to being listened to - the barriers that could prevent... [ Read more ](https://thebigbluebox.co.uk/leave-it-better/coaching/listening-why-is-it-so-difficult-to-open-up) [Leadership](https://thebigbluebox.co.uk/leave-it-better/tag/leadership), [Mentoring](https://thebigbluebox.co.uk/leave-it-better/tag/mentoring), [Coaching](https://thebigbluebox.co.uk/leave-it-better/tag/coaching) ## [Listening](https://thebigbluebox.co.uk/leave-it-better/coaching/listening) ![Picture of Chris Dyson](https://app.hubspot.com/settings/avatar/3b73c18fbf3403120e47268de464ec17) [Chris Dyson](https://thebigbluebox.co.uk/leave-it-better/author/chris-dyson) 2024/12/06 “Seek first to understand, then to be understood.” Quote by Stephen R. Covey I am reminded of many e... [ Read more ](https://thebigbluebox.co.uk/leave-it-better/coaching/listening) [Mentoring](https://thebigbluebox.co.uk/leave-it-better/tag/mentoring), [Coaching](https://thebigbluebox.co.uk/leave-it-better/tag/coaching) ## [Comparing our Coaching and Mentoring](https://thebigbluebox.co.uk/leave-it-better/coaching/comparing-our-coaching-and-mentoring) ![Picture of Chris Dyson](https://app.hubspot.com/settings/avatar/3b73c18fbf3403120e47268de464ec17) [Chris Dyson](https://thebigbluebox.co.uk/leave-it-better/author/chris-dyson) 2024/11/18 There is some confusion and debate about the definitions of coaching and mentoring and in their depl... [ Read more ](https://thebigbluebox.co.uk/leave-it-better/coaching/comparing-our-coaching-and-mentoring) [Mentoring](https://thebigbluebox.co.uk/leave-it-better/tag/mentoring) ## [A working definition of our Executive Mentoring](https://thebigbluebox.co.uk/leave-it-better/mentoring/a-working-definition-of-our-executive-mentoring) ![Picture of Chris Dyson](https://app.hubspot.com/settings/avatar/3b73c18fbf3403120e47268de464ec17) [Chris Dyson](https://thebigbluebox.co.uk/leave-it-better/author/chris-dyson) 2024/10/30 A Working Definition of our Executive Mentoring [ Read more ](https://thebigbluebox.co.uk/leave-it-better/mentoring/a-working-definition-of-our-executive-mentoring) [Mentoring](https://thebigbluebox.co.uk/leave-it-better/tag/mentoring), [Coaching](https://thebigbluebox.co.uk/leave-it-better/tag/coaching), [The Big Blue Box](https://thebigbluebox.co.uk/leave-it-better/tag/the-big-blue-box) ## [A working definition of our Executive Coaching](https://thebigbluebox.co.uk/leave-it-better/coaching/a-working-definition-of-our-executive-coaching) ![Picture of Chris Dyson](https://app.hubspot.com/settings/avatar/3b73c18fbf3403120e47268de464ec17) [Chris Dyson](https://thebigbluebox.co.uk/leave-it-better/author/chris-dyson) 2024/10/21 There are innumerable definitions of coaching, perhaps every practitioner develops their own. Coachi... [ Read more ](https://thebigbluebox.co.uk/leave-it-better/coaching/a-working-definition-of-our-executive-coaching) ## Drive people to your products and services Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Learn more