Mentorship INSIGHTS from Jared Smith, Principal at "Incite"

September was such a busy month ... but I was really pleased to have been able to get together with Jared Smith, Principal at "Incite" in Edmonton.  Jared and his team have done some amazing things within the business community, and the community at large!  Always interested in helping others to develop, Jared took some time out of his very busy schedule to talk with us, and shared some of his Mentorship experiences. 

Take a moment to to listen to this interview and you'll understand the significance of the relationship-driven approach that this business takes with customer care. It's no surprise that Incite has developed meaningful, long-term client relationships that have resulted in profitable and sustainable marketing strategies for their valued clients.

Here is a direct link to Jared's interview on our YouTube Channel: 

         http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y3Aw-xHLwpI

Investing in Others - the Mentor's ROI

"ROI" - Return on Investment.  What is the investment that a Mentor makes into the life of a Mentee?  Here are a few thoughts.

I recently connected with Elisa Birnbaum, a freelance journalist, producer, and communications consultant living in Toronto.  Ian Hope kindly pointed out Elisa's article that was seen in a July 21, 2011 publication of Charity Village.  (Thanks Ian.) I contacted Elisa and was very pleased to receive her permission to quote from her work, which can be seen in full, as of the date of this Post at:  http://www.charityvillage.com/cv/research/rcar63.html

I love the introduction that Elisa has used in her article. I think that many of us can identify with the dilemma, that inner conflict that we can go through, as we try to balance the many 'good things' that call for the attention of our limited time and resources. What commitments do we accept, what do we retain and which do we release?  These are all questions that course through our minds, right?

* The challenge that I would put to you is simply: "Try to describe the inner conversation that you have when deciding whether or not to continue in a mentoring relationship."

Suggested Video Clips: You may find the Video Clip interviews done with David Abday and Dan Gaynor to be helpful as they both touch on how to work through some of these delicate issues within a Mentorship relationship. View either, or both of these on our YouTube Channel:  http://www.youtube.com/user/ProvisionMentorship

Here is the introduction to Elisa's article. I encourage you to read it in its entirety at the link provided above.

"M is for Mentor" - By Elisa Birnbaum (July 21, 2011)

In the 100th episode of NBC's 30 Rock, the mentor-mentee relationship between Jack Donoghy and Liz Lemon is at a cataclysmic crossroad. Jack, played by Alec Baldwin, is re-evaluating his decision to take Tina Fey's Liz Lemon under his wing. Concluding the relationship is weighing him down, he decides to move on, then imagines the consequences of not stopping Liz from moving in with her deadbeat boyfriend. Guessing they'll get married and move to Jacksonville, Florida, he's aghast. "Jacksonville?!" he cries, "Her hair can't handle that humidity!" With that, he rushes to his mentee's aid, re-affirming his status in her perpetually conflicted life.

Not all mentors are as dedicated to their mentee's intractable tresses, but many stories attest to the impact of these relationships on one's professional — and personal — paths. Far from being one-shot deals, mentees report turning to a variety of mentors over the course of their careers, each offering something new and valuable that helps one to grow and succeed.

Elisa's full article provides a couple of wonderful examples of people sharing their experiences with mentorship and how it has helped to shape both their careers and their lives. She goes further and provides some great suggestions to help people fine the right mentorship match, where to look for potential mentors and addresses the delicate art of managing expectations within the Mentorship relationship. Her article makes for an interesting and informative read, which I fully recommend. 

Thank you Elisha for allowing me to share from your work. Elisa is also president of Elle Communications and can be reached at: info@ellecommunications.ca

Finding a Mentoring Partner - Ian Hope's Comments

Ian Hope, of Hope and Partners took some time out of his busy schedule to talk with me regarding mentorship. He provided a wealth of information. Thank you Ian! Our interview is NOW available for viewing on our YouTube Channel where you can hear additional comments from Ian.
     * Check it out at http://www.youtube.com/user/ProvisionMentorship

NOW, here are a few of the key thoughts that Ian provided to encourage those who are considering being involved in a Mentorship relationship.

I’d urge anyone interested in developing others, or in developing themselves to seek out such a relationship.  Best also that the mentor not have a direct responsibility in the workplace for the performance or results of the mentoree.  Mentorees should be sure to find a mentor who they feel comfortable with, and who they feel has the skills and qualities that they would like to develop within themselves.

Mentors should be sure that they have a real interest in the mentoree’s career, that they have the time and energy to commit to the relationship, and that they will be comfortable communicating with that person.

FYI – see other comments from Ian Hope on our Mentorship Blog under the Posts:

July 1/11 - Stories of Mentorship
June 25/11 - TIPS - to Develop the Mentorship Relationship
May 23/11 - CONFIDENTIALITY - Key Success Factor
May 1/11 - What is MENTORSHIP?

TIPS - Finding the Right Mentor

Let's be honest ... Mentorship IS a "Relationship" - and like all relationships they require an investment of time and effort if they are to become what we would like them to be. So it really makes sense to have a good understanding on the 'front end' of what you are looking for in the relationship, and assess the likelihood of any potential mentoring partner in helping you reach that destination. 

Here are a few tips that may help you in finding a great Mentorship relationship. After reading them and watching the recommended video clip, please add a few tips of your own as a comment to this post!

Credit where credit is due - This Post was sparked by reading a recent article that I encourage you to read in full. It was called: How to Benefit from a Mentor Relationship - written by Heather Huhman and posted on July 8, 2011 at http://money.usnews.com/money/blogs/outside-voices-careers/2011/07/08/how-to-benefit-from-a-mentor-relationship-

Huhman rightly points out that, "... a mentor can be a great resource, especially if you find one who has navigated your industry before and has ample experience. This individual is a prime source of support, constructive criticism, and unbiased advice when it comes to your job opportunities, workplace conflicts, and much more."

This exact point is wonderfully illustrated in an interview that I had with Tony Bishop, a long-time personal friend and one-time colleague.  Tony has spoken with hundreds of business owners and seen many business plans as a former private sector Business Consultant and recently, a retired instructor at the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT).  In our conversation, Tony provides some great suggestions on how an entrepreneur can find information and insights on unusual types of businesses.  The example he uses is that of a scrap steel business where industry information is more difficult to locate. This is where having a Mentor with specific industry experience can prove to be invaluable!

Huhman also recommends that Proteges "... be prepared to dedicate time towards the relationship, as not much is gained from a relationship with little effort and time put into it."

To this point, Tony adds some outstanding tips in our interview on how to make the best use of the limited time with your Mentorship partner.  He stresses the importance of understanding what the time commitments are going to be, setting some rules for when the two of you will get together and being disciplined in the relationship.  (As a side note, I love the quote that Tony heard from Jim Pattison of The Jim Pattison Group.)

Watch Tony's full interview on our YouTube Channel at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dOTCndIaxks&feature=related

Huhman also suggests the following practical tips to find the right mentor:

• Look for someone with goals similar to your own.
• Take the initiative to contact the individual.

Stories of Mentoring

Stories have a way of speaking to us and can reach us at many different levels. I recall hearing a couple of Mentorship stories that were shared by Professor David Clutterbuck, Practice Lead, Clutterbuck Associates during his presentation at the APEGGA Mentorship Conference in Calgary, Alberta (October 2010).

Professor Clutterbuck very kindly took a moment out of his travels to email me the text version while he was in Ghana.  (Thank you very much.) With his permission, I am pleased to post them for you now. 

• What thoughts, truths or principles come to your mind as you read these stories?
• Are there some additional mentorship related stories that you could recommend to our readers?

Add your comments to this post, and we'll look forward to sharing them with others soon.

Here are two stories provided by Professor Clutterbuck:

Stories of mentoring - I have been trying for some time to collect stories from different cultures, which parallel the ancient myth of Mentor. It seems that the concept of an older, wiser person, developing the wisdom in a younger person, is very common. Two of my favourite stories – one positive and one showing the dark side of mentoring – are below:

Positive: From West Africa. A young boy’s father is dying. He tells his son: "Under the big rock outside the hut is everything you will need to become a great warrior.” Encouraged by his mother, every day the child attempts to move the rock. Although he pushes with all his strength, it does not budge. Eventually, at the age of 16, he feels a small amount of give. Then at 18, he rolls the rock away and finds underneath it a sword and shield. “How will this make me a great warrior?” he asks, disappointed. “Just look at your muscles,” says his mother...

Negative: India (the story of Eklavya from the epic Mahabarat). The poor young boy watches the guru train the children of rich men in archery. He copies what he sees and, through practice, eventually becomes so good that he is able to win an archery competition, beating all the guru’s students. Buoyed up with his success, he approaches the guru to ask if he can become one of his protégés. By custom, the guru may demand a gift from new acolytes. This guru, offended at the young boy’s success, tells him the gift he requires is “Your thumbs”

TIPS - to Develop the Mentorship Relationship

We would really like to gather TIPS on developing the Mentorship Relationship from you. What have you seen that would be mutually beneficial?


Here is one that we've put into our "Ten Tips to Effective Mentorship" document:

Tip # 2: To help your relationship to develop, make an effort to share insights regarding yourself with your Mentor or Protégé. Be prepared to open up and show your personal side, the real you, as well as the professional you! Talk with your mentorship partner about your personal attributes, dreams, personal goals, strengths, as well as some of those areas you still want to improve!

NOW IT'S YOUR TURN ... add your TIP as a Comment to this Post.  :)

What’s the differences - coaching and mentoring?

People often ask:  What’s the differences between coaching and mentoring? It’s a good question, and if you’ve done some research on Mentorship, you will have noticed that responses widely differ, leaving a lot of confusion. To shed some light on this, here are some enlightening comments from Professor David Clutterbuck,  Practice Lead, Clutterbuck Associates. These are taken from the notes that I took during his session at the APEGGA Mentorship Conference in Calgary, Alberta in October 2010, Please give them some thought, see if they help you, and feel free to add your thoughts as a comment to this post. Thanks.

David Clutterbuck’s comments: If you know where the conversation is going, and have a clear scheme in your mind for the discussion ... it’s not mentoring.  Where you get to in a Mentoring conversation may not be where you originally intended ... it’s a journey of discovery, a creative conversation.

On the other hand, coaches typically have you do something. They observe you and provide you with some feedback. As a result of following their direction, improvements can quickly result.  While there may be some long-term develop that occurs, the main focus is on improving your immediate results.

Coaching is always about performance, it’s about ‘doing’. Whereas, Mentoring is about development, it’s about ‘becoming’ more than what you are now.



Following the APEGGA Mentorship Conference, I came across the following from an article by Professor David Clutterbuck.  It seemed to address this puzzling question and was titled, ENSURING COACHING & MENTORING DELIVER REAL VALUE TO INDIVIDUALS & ORGANISATIONS (2005).

Confusion about what is meant by coaching, mentoring and other forms of development, he says, leads to a mismatch of expectations between participants. Enjoy the balance of Clutterbuck’s explanation and then share your comments to this post.

Terminological confusion: There are at least two major types or styles of both coaching and mentoring.

Traditional coaching, as typified in sports coaching is a system for imparting skills and improving performance, using observation and feedback by the coach.

Developmental coaching has the same goals, but uses a much greater level of self- observation, reflection and self-feedback by the learners – the coach’s role is essentially to help them coach themselves. There is often a high emphasis on behaviour change.

Sponsoring mentoring, derived from US practice and still the dominant model in N. America, is a relationship in which a senior person uses their influence and experience to guide the career of someone more junior. It is generally a one-way learning activity that places high emphasis on career achievements and on direct intervention by the mentor.

Developmental mentoring is largely independent of the power issues, although the mentor’s greater experience is important. It is a two-way exchange of learning, where personal growth is the critical outcome (which may or may not lead to career achievement). The emphasis is on helping the other learning partner do things for him/herself.

People describing themselves as executive coaches or life coaches, for example, might operate in any of these styles, or a blend of several. Successful learning relationships therefore need to define clearly what each party expects in terms of approach and behaviours. It’s also important to examine the experience and qualifications of people offering coaching and mentoring services to determine how relevant they are to the approach expected.