"The Mentor News" ... Very Informative Updates

Our good friend Rey Carr, CEO and Co-Founder of Peer Resources keeps us informed of many great developments in the world of Mentorship.   We encourage you to subscribe also stay in the loop with  The Mentor News - a publication of Peer Resources (http://www.mentors.ca).  

New subscribers can sign-up for a no-cost subscription by sending an email to mentornews@mentors.ca

 
Back issues of The Mentor News are now available online at http://www.mentors.ca/thementornews.html  



"Keep up the great work Rey!"

Complete the Circle - Share your Experience

In this POST we have another one of the many great tips suggested by Nicole Williams, in her October 25, 2011 article called:   Women and Mentoring in the U.S.

We encourage you to read her entire article when you have a moment. 

< http://blog.linkedin.com/2011/10/25/mentoring-women/ >

One of the things that we've found with those who have truly benefited from their Mentorship relationship, is the deep sense of appreciation and gratitude for the 'gift' that someone else gave to them, in sharing their time and experience with them.  When the Mentoring process had run its course and the Mentee is looking to move on, here is some great advise. We encourage you to complete the circle and share your experience with someone else in a Mentoring relationship. 

Quid Pro Quo: While the purpose of having a mentor is to further your learning and career, don’t forget that mentorship is a two-way street.  You’re going to get more out of your relationship with your mentor if you (a) don’t expect them to do the heavy lifting for you, (b) you make it easy on them (think closer to her office than yours when meeting face-to-face and (c) they are receiving something in return for their help.

Don’t underestimate the effects of reciprocity. While you want your gift back to be as work-related as possible, you can make the gift as thoughtful as possible. For e.g. save your mentee time that she can spend on you. Whether it’s taking care of her kids or organizing her closet, you need to show your mentor that you’re grateful for their guidance — and, frankly,  actions speak louder than words.

Additional opportunities to learn more about Mentorship are available for you right NOW, on our YouTube Channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/ProvisionMentorship 

30-Second Mentor - Video Clips ...

30-Second Mentor: Business lessons from Canadian entrepreneurs
  

Thirty seconds is not a long time within which to communicate your message.  None-the-less, these 'champions of change' provide stimulating food for thought as they respond to a variety of business questions and issues.

The Financial Post, together with the firm of Ernst & Young provide us access to many interesting insights and perspectives through the "30-Second Mentor" series. Before viewing some of the video clips, take a few moments to think about how you would respond to the types of questions addressed in the series. In fact, why not add your comments to this POST and let our audience know your thoughts on the following questions that we thought were interesting:

How would you respond to some of the questions:

• How are you prepared for the next downturn?
• What is the scariest part about being an entrepreneur?
• Who is the better hire? Under 30 or over 50?
• If your business plan isn't current, why not?
• How do you handle rude, aggressive customers?

These "Mentors" offer their insights, which at the very least provide us with the opportunity to consider these questions in more detail, and how we can apply creative solutions to the challenges faced in business today. 

Click here to view the "30-Second Mentor" video clips

The BIG Ask: "Will You Be My Mentor?"

There is no doubt that it can be somewhat (alright ... very) frightening to ask someone that critical question: "Will you be my Mentor?"  Nicole Williams talks about that in the linked article that we have quoted from below.

This POST draws out another great tip for finding Mentors using Social Media.  Please take a moment to read the entire article by Nicole Williams, October 25, 2011:   Women and Mentoring in the U.S.

< http://blog.linkedin.com/2011/10/25/mentoring-women/ >

Will You be My Mentor?:  You’re not going to get anywhere if you’re not willing to ask, “Will you be my mentor?”  In general, people, especially successful people, want to help others by sharing the knowledge they’ve gained.  While you don’t have to pose the question quite so formally, you do need to ask it.

Unless someone is actively seeking a mentee, you have to be proactive and set the grounds for a deeper relationship.  In fact, 67 percent of the women LinkedIn surveyed said they had never mentored another professional because, “no one had ever asked.”  And here’s the deal: When asking, don’t make it sound like a death sentence.  Mentorship is responsible work but if there isn’t a promise of fun, initiative or excitement on your part (which can literally be conveyed by having a smile on your face), don’t expect your would-be mentor to embrace the opportunity to help you.

Additional opportunities to learn more about Mentorship are available for you right NOW, on our YouTube Channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/ProvisionMentorship