1. Mentorship – The Ultimate Career Tool
Rakhi Henderson
President & Chief Entegrity Officer
Entegrity Consulting Group
April 21, 2015
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Today’s Objective
In this session, we will look at:
What a mentor is
How to find one
How to get the most out of the relationship
Our Learning Objectives:
The difference between mentorship and coaching
The Top 5 questions to ask yourself before seeking a mentor
The different types of mentorship models and deciding which one is right for you
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Fun Fact
Mentor – son of Hercules in Homer’s
Odyssey.
He taught Odysseus’ son, Telemachus,
everything he knew when Odysseus went
to fight the Trojan War.
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What a Mentor is
Someone who imparts wisdom and shares knowledge with someone less
experienced.
A person who guides you and helps you reach your goals.
Everyone has had a mentor at some point in their lives.
It could be your teacher, your friend, your yoga instructor or someone
at work
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What a Mentor Can Do
Introduce you to people
Advise you on situations
Offer guidance and consulting
Open doors
Provide opportunities
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Mentorship Up Close
The Karate Kid
Star Wars
X-Men
Mona Lisa Smile
Men in Black
The Last Samurai
Dead Poets Society
Wall Street
Good Will Hunting
Million Dollar Baby
Mentorship is a partnership between
someone with vast experience and
someone who wants to learn.
It’s a personal development relationship
where a more experienced or more
knowledgeable person (the mentor)
guides a less experienced or less
knowledgeable person (the mentee).
Source: Wikipedia
Another word for a mentee is protégé or apprentice.
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Famous Mentor/Mentees
Warren Buffet to Donald Graham and Michael Lee-Chin
Maya Angelou to Oprah Winfrey
Marc Andreessen to Mark Zuckerberg
Mitchell Sharp to Pierre Trudeau
Keith Moon to Joe Walsh
Usher to Justin Bieber
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Mentorship vs Coaching
Mentorship is about self growth.
Coaching is about reaching a specific goal.
Coaching is part of the mentorship
tool box
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Mentorship vs Coaching
Mentorship Coaching
Milestone Goal
Self growth Situation specific
Broader Picture Narrow focus
Long Range Short term
Provided by an independent person Provided by Boss / Manager
Guidance on future based behaviour Feedback on current situation
Develop Improve
Two way One way
Focus on career development Focus on job related issues
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Why Should I have a Mentor?
They are a trusted ally to go to whenever you’re feeling unsure or in need of
support.
Can help
inspire you to try new things
set and achieve career goals
make smart business decisions
overcome workplace challenges
learn new skills
offer an outside perspective when you’re facing frustrations at work
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When Should I Get a Mentor?
“NOW is a great time to start.”
Mentors are helpful regardless of where you are in your career.
We are always learning and evolving.
Even the most experienced professional doesn’t know everything.
“Mentoring occurs when a mentor supports and encourages a mentee to manage their own
learning so they may maximize their potential, develop their skills, improve their performance and
become the person they want to be." - Eric Parsloe, Oxford School of Coaching & Mentoring
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Everyone is doing it
Growing in use in high school, post-secondary schools, professional
associations, community programs, immigrant serving organizations, career
development organizations, youth programs, churches and workplaces.
Provides recognition, encouragement, support, professional and social
connections, career advancement opportunities, on- going learning and
most of all increased self-esteem and confidence.
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Am I ready for a mentor?
Takes commitment
Takes courage to be able to receive feedback
Needs to fit with your career
Needs to fit your lifestyle
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5 Questions to ask yourself first
1. What skills and knowledge shortcomings do I have that could be
supplemented by a mentor’s point of view?
2. What are the top 3 skills I want the mentor to have from a professional
perspective?
3. What are the top 3 ‘rules of engagement’?
4. What can I identify about myself that could hinder my ability to get full
benefit from an open, honest, skilled mentor?
5. What do I stand to gain from having a mentor?
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Who Should Be My Mentor?
Who inspires you?
Who are your role models?
Whose ideas have transformed your
thinking, your habits, your life?
“Inspiration is a tool and a trap. If you're going to be
inspired by anyone, be inspired by people who have
been exactly where you are now.”
― Douglas Copeland, Author
Think about……
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Selecting a Mentor – Choose Wisely
Your choice is important!! Look for someone who:
You respect professionally and who has a career you’d like to emulate.
Is successful in your field (or even a similar one).
Embodies the professional characteristics you’re working to achieve.
Willingly shares knowledge and has time for you.
Is Truthful and trustworthy, even in tough conversations.
Is someone you like. Is there chemistry? Do you get along?
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How will the Mentorship Relationship Work?
Define the relationship from the beginning - it has to work for both of you
Clarify expectations
Commitment
Two way street
My Experience as a Mentor
Mentee 1 Mentee 2 Mentee 3
Two Way:
Punctual
Had agenda
Flexible
Did homework
Shared articles
One Way:
Rescheduled last minute
I had to follow up
Was “busy”
Didn’t listen
Unprepared
Reverse Mentorship:
Taught me social media,
Twitter, blogging, Prezi,
youth leadership
techniques
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How to Get the Most Out of the Relationship
Proactively plan the sessions
Have a goal on what you want to talk about
Set an agenda
Maintain the appointments
Send a thank-you note and perhaps a gift (initial meeting)
Review your notes before the meetings
Take action on suggestions
Show interest
Participate in the conversation
Share information
From my experience, the more drive you show to your mentor, the better your relationship will be. Come to
meetings with an agenda of what you want to talk about - make sure you're not just meeting for the sake of
meeting.
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Companies Benefit from Mentorship Programs
Mentorship Programs are highly successful in the workplace:
Career Development: Employee engagement
High Potential Mentoring: Retain top talent
Diversity Mentoring: Empower diverse employees to share ideas,
knowledge, experience, cultural awareness, perspective
Knowledge Transfer through Reverse Mentoring: Senior employees
leverage the knowledge of younger employees.
Raises the profile of the company: Low attrition, corporate responsibility,
attracts future employees
Little effort to implement, great returns!
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Stats Prove that Mentorship Works
A group of 1,000 Sun Microsystems employees were enrolled in a formal
mentorship program over a five-year period:
25% of participants had a positive salary-grade change, compared to
5% on non-participants
Mentors were promoted 6 times more often than those who did not
mentor formally.
Mentees were promoted 5 times more often than those who were not
formally mentored.
Retention rates were higher for both mentees (72%) and mentors (69%)
than for employees who did not participate in a mentoring program.
2006 Gartner Group study
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Stats Prove that Companies Benefit
Value companies receive from their mentorship programs
Results of HR Executive's October 2002 survey
- "Workplace Mentoring"
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The Most Important Aspect of Mentoring
"Curiosity, intelligence — and a
touch of humility — are the
three personal attributes that
will open doors and minds.“
- Noreen Flanagan Editor-in-chief
at Elle
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Examples of Successful Mentorship Programs
Delta Hotels
Molson Canada
BMO
RBC Financial Group
TD Bank
City of Toronto
Deloitte
Big Brothers / Big Sisters
Because I’m a Girl
TRIEC – Toronto Region Immigrant Employment Council
Ryerson Tri-Mentoring Program
It is highly advised that any company who wants to attract and retain top talent
should have some form of mentorship program.
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Mentorship Models
TYPE
Matched mentoring
Self-Directed
Group mentoring
Peer-to-Peer / Buddy
Speed Mentoring
Reverse Mentoring
Mastermind Groups
STYLE
One-on-One
Group
Online
Formal
Informal
What type is the best for you?
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My Serendipitous Path
University
Human Resources
Risk Management
Governance & Compliance
Communications
Leadership Development
Project Management
Entegrity
Community
Services
Audit
My mentors
I mentored
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Mentors Along the Way
Timeline Who Areas Developed TYPE/STYLE
Student Father, Teachers & VP (Ms.
O’Keefe, Mr. Lightstone, Mr.
Clarke)
Academics, Leadership Self Directed
Informal 1:1
Early Career Senior Colleagues in HR,
Communications & Audit
Management, Self
Development
Self Directed
Informal 1:1
Professional Career
• 2 Year Leadership
Rotation Program
• 3 mentors, 3 different
perspectives
Strategy, Leadership Self-Directed
1:1, Group
• City Building
Diversity Program
• Assistant Deputy Minister &
Diversity Officer, Ontario
Government Knowledge Matched
1:1
• Current • Owner, HR Boutique Services
• Doctor of Psychology
Entrepreneurship
Psychology, Wellness
Mastermind
Informal
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How long does the relationship last?
As long as it works for both of you
There are no time limits on the length of a mentorship, although some
formal mentorships have specific timelines.
Can last six months, a year or a lifetime, depending on the nature of the
working relationship.
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When to Part Ways
Leaving a mentorship means that you’ve grown in some kind of way. Or
something has changed.
1. Have you changed your long term or short term goals?
2. Is your mentor still helping you develop your professional skills,
opportunities and networks?
3. Has your relationship changed?
Your instinct will tell you the right time to part ways.
When ending your relationship, take pains to do so in an positive and open
manner.
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Break Up Warning Signs
Lack of respect
Delegates too much work
Takes credit for your work
Cancels appointments
Lack of interest
One way street – uses your intel and contacts
Bad attitude about the organization or job
Personal life issues
Harassment
Stay professional at all times
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How to Find A Mentor
Your HR department
Your network of friends and relatives
Local library
Professional Associations
Read books or articles on your topic, then contact their authors
Seek out retired executives who might be willing to act as volunteer mentors
Watch online videos on YouTube on finding a mentor -> Play Jack Canfield
Video
Scott Allen's Blog: "Choosing a Business Mentor and Getting Them to
Choose You)
Online Sites: https://www.tenthousandcoffees.com/
Refer to Recommended Sites slide
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Proverbs
"A mentor is someone who sees more talent and
ability within you, than you see in yourself, and
helps bring it out of you.“
Bob Proctor
Author, Speaker and Success Coach
"Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed
him for a lifetime."
Chinese Proverb
"You miss a 100 percent of the shots you
don’t take."
Wayne Gretzky
"Do not wait; the time will never be
‘just right’. Start where you stand,
and work with whatever tools you
may have at your command, and
better tools will be found as you go
along.“
- Napoleon Hill
“Tell me and I forget, teach me and I may
remember, involve me and I learn.”
― Benjamin Franklin
“I am not a teacher, but an awakener.” Robert Frost
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More Famous Mentor/Mentees
Audrey Hepburn to Elizabeth Taylor
Mel Gibson to Heath Ledger
Sidney Poitier to Denzel Washington
Christian Dior mentor to Yves Saint Laurent
Keith Moon (The Who) to Joe Walsh (The Eagles)
Richard Burton mentor to Sir Anthony Hopkins
Reba McIntyre to Martina McBride
Isaac Asimov mentored Gene Roddenberry
Christian Dior to Yves Saint Laurent
Fidel Castro (President of Cuba) to Hugo Chavez (President of Venezuela)
Ralph Waldo Emerson to Henry David Thoreau
Batman to Robin
Obi Wan to Anakin Skywalker