Be Passionately
Curious

IF YOU’RE NOT LIFTING YOUR PEOPLE UP YOU ARE HOLDING THEM DOWN.

When I realised I had been stunting the growth of others by helping them so much, I knew I needed to take a step back and lead from behind. I also reframed my mindset on how I spend my time: my time was better spent mentoring others to support their growth, instead of doing any tasks in the business.  So, I decided to spend more time truly mentoring my high-potential team members, and I blocked time in my schedule exclusively dedicated to mentoring.

Mentoring is an invaluable tool for professional development, offering guidance, support, and personalised feedback to individuals seeking to enhance their skills, overcome challenges, and achieve their goals. 

You will develop a next level of rapport and trust: a bond that will get stronger over time and lay the groundwork for any future difficult discussions. With mutual respect, it will be easier, and they will be much more likely to involve you, if they are unhappy about something or just need someone to have their back.

What to do:

❶  Clearly define the goals of the mentoring program. Determine what specific skills or areas of development individuals are seeking support in. Identify how mentoring can help them achieve their objectives and overcome barriers.
❷ Identify experienced and knowledgeable individuals within the organization who can serve as mentors. These individuals should possess relevant expertise, experience, and a willingness to support others in their growth and development.
❸ Match mentees with mentors based on their goals, interests, and areas of expertise. Consider factors such as personality compatibility, communication styles, and learning preferences to ensure productive and effective mentor-mentee relationships.
❹ Provide resources, workshops, topics to discuss, review the past, change the future, and ongoing guidance through past experiences and unwavering support.
❺ Encourage both mentors and mentees to reflect on their experiences, identify lessons learned, and provide feedback to one another. Foster open and honest communication to ensure both parties feel comfortable sharing their thoughts, concerns, and ideas.
❻ You may adopt or create your own agenda, templates and activities, or consider any of the activities listed in the TOOL: CAREER JOURNEY CANVAS.