Executive Mentoring
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Why have a mentor
Benefits of mentoring
The role of the mentor
Spark mentoring model
Mentoring Case Studies
Mentoring at Spark
Resources
Why have a mentor?
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to develop the organisation
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to gain insight
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to focus
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to generate creative ideas
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to change behaviour or style
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to manage stress
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to transfer skills and knowledge
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to create and progress a career development plan
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to improve self-awareness
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to consider life purpose and lifestyle balance
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Benefits of mentoring
Benefits to the organisation
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improve recruitment and retention of employees
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attract the best talent
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rapidly induct new recruits
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reinforce cultural change
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improve networking
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increase effectiveness of formal training
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manage of stress
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enhance overall performance
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develop and maintain a sharp, cutting competitive edge.
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focus on strategic organisational needs and development
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develop strategic thinking
Benefits to the executive, director or manager:
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exploit the learning potential of real work experience
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focus on the strategic organisational development needs
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develop and improve leadership and organisational skills
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increase personal productivity and effectiveness
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release creativity and innovation
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gain insight to help with business development
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transfer skills to new situations
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engage in analytical, creative and innovative problem solving
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accomplish organisational and personal goals
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inspire trust and commitment
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enhance social and communication skills
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shift leadership approach
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apply business models and theories to practical situations
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The role of the mentor
What makes a good mentor? These are some of the qualities that mentee's value
in Spark mentors:
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Asks good questions
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Good listener
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Patient
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Good at networking
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Helps mentees become themselves
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Good role-model
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Enables insight
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Can balance process and contact
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Enabling
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Dependable
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Has experience outside the organisation
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Adaptable
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How we mentor
Our model for mentoring is best viewed graphically.
Click here for the graphics version of this page.
Intellectual processes
We challenge the executive's thinking and them to apply
different concepts, business models, diagnostic tools and strategies.
Emotional processes
We encourage executives to develop self-awareness and emotional intelligence.
Business processes
We enable executives to use emotional and intellectual insights to direct their
learning, development and career.
Mentoring helps executives understand and change their behaviour and its affects
on the organisation.
Mentoring ...
...increased personal performance
...improved business results.
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Mentoring case studies
(some people we have worked with recently)
Allan needs insight to develop his organisation
Allan is isolated and lacks a sounding board for ideas.
Mentoring helps him focus on the important issues, think creatively and
develop a greater understanding of his situation.
Allan's position as business owner means he lacks people to spark off.
Mentoring provides him space and time to be creative. It helps him gain
insights to develop his business and his own personal effectiveness.
Belinda needs to release her potential
Belinda, an experienced trainer, was asked to train other trainers but felt
uncomfortable with running such an advanced course. Mentoring developed her
confidence to deliver. She identified existing skills and experience and
applied these to her new role.
Belinda was not performing up to her potential. Mentoring helped her bridge
the gap between her potential and her performance. She now coaches trainers
and assesses others running training for trainer courses.
Colin needs to transfer skills to a new situations
Colin needs to be performing well as a change consultant for an international
development agency. Colin has relevant knowledge and skill but lacks the
necessary specific experience.
Mentoring enables Colin to transfer his skills and experience as a management
consultant
into the new context. Through mentoring the development agency ensures that
Colin's performance at key stages of the consultancy matches their high
standards.
Diane makes career decisions
Diane, a senior executive, used mentoring to explore
her situation and life goals including her current career. A key decision for
her was whether to explore opportunities overseas or remain in Britain. She
chose to remain in Britain and move to a new post with another engineering
company.
Mentoring helped Catherine consider her career and personal development.
Eric uses new understanding
Eric recently reflected on the different Miers-Briggs Type Indicators of
himself and his Director. He has now changed how he presents
information to his Director and understands their different approaches
when discussing new initiatives.
Mentoring helped Eric apply management models, diagnostic tools and theories to
his
situation. He improved communication and now presents his ideas more
productively.
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Mentoring at Spark
At Spark we believe:
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Mentoring is crucial to organisational development
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Mentoring can help business organisations keep a sharp cutting edge
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Mentoring supports those skills and behaviours which are difficult to develop
through traditional training
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Mentoring can help key professional managers maintain and develop the complex
combination of skills, understanding and attitudes required by their role in
the organisation
Our mentors will:
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Create space where executives can reflect and learn from their experience
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Ask tough, strategic questions
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Support change and personal development
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Provide an insightful sounding board
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Make links between behaviour and results
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Recognise when it is necessary to challenge resistance to change
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Help executives to be themselves
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