MENTORSHIP - The Ultimate Career Tool April 21

Mentorship – The Ultimate Career Tool
Rakhi Henderson
President & Chief Entegrity Officer
Entegrity Consulting Group
April 21, 2015

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

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.

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

What a Mentor Can Do
 Introduce you to people
 Advise you on situations
 Offer guidance and consulting
 Open doors
 Provide opportunities

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.

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

Mentorship vs Coaching
 Mentorship is about self growth.
 Coaching is about reaching a specific goal.
Coaching is part of the mentorship
tool box

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

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

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

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.

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

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?

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……

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?

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

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.

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!

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

Stats Prove that Companies Benefit
Value companies receive from their mentorship programs
Results of HR Executive's October 2002 survey
- "Workplace Mentoring"

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

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.

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?

My Serendipitous Path
University
Human Resources
Risk Management
Governance & Compliance
Communications
Leadership Development
Project Management
Entegrity
Community
Services
Audit
My mentors
I mentored

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

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.

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.

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

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

So are you ready?

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

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

Recommended sites
www.mentors.ca
www.wiseround.com
http://findamentor.com/
http://www.futurpreneur.ca/en/mentoring/
https://www.wxnetwork.com/mentoring/
http://www.thementoringpartnership.com/about-us/
http://www.primementorscanada.org/
http://chronus.com/how-to-start-a-mentoring-program

Questions?
For more information, contact
Rakhi Henderson, CISA, CRISC, CGEIT
Chief Entegrity Consultant
rhenderson@entegrityconsulting.org
www.entegrityconsulting.org

MENTORSHIP - The Ultimate Career Tool April 21

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