Why did you decide to get involved in Mentor Me?
I have mentored quite a few people in the workplace during my career and the thought that I have played a small part in their development and that these individuals still keep in contact, gives me a lot of personal satisfaction. Now I am not in the position to carry out direct workplace mentoring, the Institute scheme attracted my attention. Hospitality is in my heart. I feel very strongly about professional standards and inspiring people to join our exciting industry. The Mentor Me scheme is a way that I thought I could continue to share my experience and knowledge and help motivate someone to achieve their personal goals.
What have you enjoyed most about being a mentor?
I always enjoy listening to someone talking about their workplace and individual development. Encouraging my mentee to explore answers to her own questions, challenging her thought process and seeing her response to this approach, re-motivated me! Talking with my mentee and being challenged back to consider situations also kept me alert!
I also felt I was able to give a level of support, away from the workplace, during this very difficult few months, where my mentee having started a new role in February was then faced with lockdown, being furloughed and the uncertainty of redundancy. Fortunately, I do have some experience of her sector and could understand some of the issues she was facing.
It’s always interesting to hear what is happening in the workplace, though the thought crossed my mind on several occasions that some things just don’t change!
Has it helped you to develop your own skills?
I am really at the end of my career and not looking for mentoring to be something I can use to enhance my career or management skills. However, I felt I have not lost the ability to build a positive relationship with someone quickly.
This was an important testing point for me as before, I would have known the individual I was mentoring at work and they would have known me so the level of trust that mentoring is based on would already be in place. I was now looking at a situation where we had never met before with just a cv between us. Whatever I did seemed to work!
What’s the best piece of advice you have given your mentee?
Probably best to ask my mentee! Although I think maybe our discussions about values and how to use values in the workplace with different situations may have been the most useful for her. I was also able to give her a recent example I have experienced where my values had been sorely tested which really allowed her to see the ‘value’ of having values.
What would you say to someone considering getting involved?
Absolutely do it! My mentee was very appreciative of the time I spent with her and the ‘nuggets’ of wisdom as she called them! We have developed a working relationship which we plan to continue. I think the mentoring programme shows that the generations coming into the industry do value the experience of those of us that have been there, done that and got multiple T shirts, providing we have the right mindset to communicate effectively.
Be part of our well-respected network, get trusted advice and take a positive approach to your learning and development.
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