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

You’re stepping up to mentor someone – well done. Having worked with employers and professional groups over several years to support their schemes, I’ve learned that the likelihood of a successful mentoring relationship is set at the start. If it gets off on the wrong foot, it can be hard to sustain. But if the… Read more

If you’re in need of some inspiration, try these words of wisdom from leaders who’ve been there and done that. “You manage things; you lead people.” – Rear Admiral Grace Murray Hopper “The key to successful leadership today is influence, not authority.” – Kenneth Blanchard “Fearlessness is like a muscle. I know from my own… Read more

Sometimes people ask me this question in the same way I’d imagine they ask their friends if they should get a tattoo. Just because your friend’s got one, just because you’ve read a bit about it, and just because they’re out there doesn’t mean you should get a mentor. Not until you can articulate two… Read more

I recently listened to an interesting podcast on BBC’s ‘The Bottom Line’ series entitled ‘Lonely at the top?’ Evan Davis hosted a discussion with an executive coach and two senior executives: one who’s worked with a mentor, another who at various times has worked with an executive coach. Unsurprisingly, there was a chunk of time… Read more