most up to date and aligned description of modern professional mentoring available.
- Experienced and Trusted
- Guidance, Support, and Encouragement
- Focus on Mentee's Development
- Skills, Knowledge, Career, and Personal Growth
- Trust, Open Communication, and Mutual Respect
And I said I'd post about and unpick each of them to test them for myself and with you. This is the first of those posts.
Experienced and Trusted
“Mentors aren't just anyone; they bring valuable experience and have earned trust through their expertise and integrity.”
Let’s unpick this…
“Mentors aren't just anyone”.
But they could be. And more of us should be.
We all develop and bring our accumulated knowledge, skills and experience, both personal and professional, into and alongside our work and career. The older we get, the more of each we develop and employ.
As colleagues, managers, learners, our behaviour makes an impact, whether we are aware of it or not. Sometimes in a good way, sometimes not.
But if we bring our full selves, behave with respect, openness, curiosity – and we deliver, and help others to develop, grow and deliver – then we are already mentors. You may be in that space already but just don’t know it yet.
“They bring valuable experience and have earned trust through their expertise and integrity.”
When I first announced I was starting my professional mentoring business, many in my network very kindly responded by amplifying and commenting on that post.
Several endorsed the qualities they considered I would bring to the role of mentor and my client conversations and outcomes. They included “strategic insight, genuine care, perspective, calm guidance, executive-level mentor skills, depth of experience, humour and humanity, and wisdom.
These accolades are not given lightly.
They reflect years of graft, delivery and impact. They reflect years of learning, application and working with others in a consistent, open, honest and transparent manner. And thereby, trust has been earned.
I’m already in conversation with several prospective and actual clients and I hope that they already feel that we are meeting in that respectful and impactive space.
What's your thinking here? Anything missing? Any questions? Comments? I'd love to hear your views.
Next up, I'll unpick Key Element 2: Guidance, Support, and Encouragement
In the meantime, if you think you, a colleague or friend would benefit from entering into such a professional mentoring relationship, feel free to contact me for a no-obligation exploratory chat.
No comments:
Post a Comment