Practical tips. Prompts to get you thinking. The odd rant.

when we’re new in a role, we can default to doing what we’re good at – but that may not be what’s really needed. First, find out what needs fixing – watch out, it may not be what you think…

Good for you – and here’s hoping it’s good for your mentee too. Here are some reasons why people step up to the role of mentor in their organisation, professional body or community. Good mentors want to: Help and support others’ development Develop their soft skills Share their experience Broaden their perspective Be a better… Read more

Got a mentor? Lucky you! You are in a very fortunate position if you have someone to turn to, as well as your line manager, who knows the ropes. Typically, a mentor has experience that the mentee can learn from and importantly, they’re not directly responsible for the work you do. What that means is… Read more

  This is the second part of a pair of posts about mentoring: the signs that it’s not working as it should and what to do. You can find Part 1 here, where I set out the first 3 signs. 4. Little or no progress When mentoring works well, each meeting ends with the mentee… Read more

When mentoring works well, it can benefit all involved: the mentee reaches their goal, and the mentor develops their management skills whilst supporting someone’s progress. Whether it’s within a workplace or via a professional body, benefits abound. However, there are times when mentoring doesn’t work well – for the mentee, their mentor and the people… Read more

At different times and in different situations I’ve been fortunate to benefit from the wisdom of mentors – and been privileged to have mentored others. I also help clients get their mentoring programmes working well. For a mentoring relationship to deliver the results required, it’s essential that conversations between mentor and mentee encourage reflection leading… Read more

At different times and in different situations I’ve been fortunate to benefit from the wisdom of mentors – and been privileged to have mentored others. I also help clients get their mentoring programmes working well. For a mentoring relationship to flourish and deliver the desired results it needs to be more than ‘just a chat’… Read more

  Note: if you’re new to mentoring, let alone how and where some tools may be helpful, I suggest you first take a look at my tips and tools for getting the mentoring process off to a strong start. In this post, I want to focus on tools for getting down to work in the… Read more

Q. Why do mentors and their mentees need tools? A. Because in a professional context, mentoring isn’t ‘just a chat’: it’s a process through which people gain clarity, insights and self-knowledge, enabling mentees to achieve goals. If you’re a newcomer to mentoring (mentor or mentee), I recommend you read my posts ‘Essential questions mentors need… Read more

I’ve been having some interesting discussions about mentoring recently, advising companies, mentors and mentees on the why and how of the process. If you’re thinking about becoming a mentor, check out my post ‘So you want to be a mentor?’ What if you’re about to become the ‘mentee’ (clunky word, but at least it’s clear… Read more