Speaking at the Irish Australian Chamber of Commerce on Business Mentoring. Behind every good leader has been a greater mentor. But understanding that relationship between mentor and mentee is not easy. Some mentors try and make the decisions for mentees and as a result the mentee never grows. Some mentees choose a mentor that is not challenging and forces them to make courageous strategic decisions about their lives and work.

1. Leading thought
Irish Australian Chamber of Commerce - ‘Mentoring’ 28 February 2012
Behind every good leader has been a greater mentor. But understanding that
relationship between mentor and mentee is not easy. Some mentors try and make the
decisions for mentees and as a result the mentee never grows. Some mentees choose a
mentor that is not challenging and forces them to make courageous strategic decisions
about their lives and work. There are some fundamental rules about the relationship and
these are discussed below.
Mentoring •
managers...understanding the island and the fit
Gaining understanding of mentee ‘instinctive
decision making’ (who is our mentee, what makes
Mentoring them tick?)
• Strategic understanding • Building the bridge between who the mentee is,
• Based on historical understanding of business, who they need to be, areas of growth and capability
people and change of the ‘business island’ - do they belong?
• Wisdom
Strategic Insight Plan
Mentee
• Making mentee fit on the island
• Understanding of ‘me’, different to the perception • Living values
of ‘me’ • Capability for role
• Unaware of potential conflict between ‘real me’ • True delivery on meaningful KPI’s
and business DNA
• Inclined to be linear ‘need’ - tactical Mentor
The Gap • Petrol not steering!
• Mentoring allows clear perception of who is ‘me’ What is Petrol?
and corporate DNA • Emotional
• Real me and ‘instinctive decision making’ The • Capability
decision making that is both genetic and learnt • Strategic rather than tactical
which is unmeasured and unknown - respecting
mistakes
• Links capabilities to engagement and change
The Kodak Conundrum For additional information please contact:
• Made money simple, cheap products and Kate Telfer, Publicity Manager
downstream product T: 03 8566 8816
• R+D developed digital camera and burned it M: 0433 224 249
• Now Chapter 11 (bankruptcy) E: kate@rewiregroup.com.au
• Where was the mentor?
DISC Profile Analysis
Nikki Domeney
Struggle for Mentors M: 0437 450 346
• Learning the organisational DNA of Host and key E: nikki.domeney@douglaslptpeople.com.au
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