Mentoring = Growth in Entrepreneurs

Learning and growth can happen in a wide variety of ways.  

There is no doubt in our mind that Mentorship can be a powerful vehicle to assist in that development.  One of the reasons we encourage Mentorship as a part of the entrepreneurial programs we facilitate, is because of the great potential for two-way learning to occur.  Naturally, you'd anticipate that Mentees (Proteges) benefit from the process, but Mentors can continue their growth when they too are active participants in this dynamic process. 

Let me try to connect this to something we've been excited to be a part of recently ...

This past year has likely been one of the most fulfilling and rewarding that we've experienced.  When it comes to working with groups of entrepreneurs one of the highlights, and something that we've really enjoyed, has involved a fairly large group from within in our community.  This is a very diverse group in terms of demographics, psychographics, and business sectors. It also has a blend of participants from across the business life cycle - those who are "new to business", together with those who've seen outstanding "successes".  And it's been quite the journey that we've been on, perhaps best describes as being, "a journey of discovery!" 

Here's just one of our discoveries, although we anticipated it would be a contributing factor to success.  While we were confident that we had good materials, a solid program, and proven processes, the greatest "discoveries" for participants may have been less connected to what we shared, and more about the personal alignment they began to see develop.  Regardless of their stage of business, as they explored the potential of the opportunity in front of them, they discovered ways to "shape" their business that "rang true" with their personal values and priorities.  As they worked on their business, there appeared to be a better fit with who they truly wanted to be, and what they aspired for their businesses to represent.

Coming back to "Mentorship" ... Interest has been expressed within the group to seeing more of a "Mentorship Program" added, and that's something we're looking at introducing as we go forward.  Having said that, there's already been much that's happened by way of informal mentorship.  It's been great to see what's happened as individuals get to know each other, gain that requisite level of trust, and build relationships with others in the group.  We've had an absolutely fantastic time together, and we're excited to see further development and growth with this group in the fall!

To close this post, please let us know if we can help you explore the potential of Mentorship within your organization.  We’d be delighted to work together with you to discover what Mentorship can do for you and your team!

BTW - We’ve captured some great comments and experiences from those who’ve been Mentors and been Mentored.  View them now for FREE on our YouTube Channel ...
CLICK HERE

PLEASE feel free to share your comments to our post. 

We'd be very pleased to hear from you and let others benefit from comments related to your experiences for improving Mentoring Relationships.

                                                                          

 
QUESTION:  Could you benefit from having a Business COACH and MENTOR?  
IF the ANSWER is YES ...  Take a look at our "NEXT Steps Program!   
 
If you're looking for flexible and cost-effective Business Coaching & Mentoring, you'll like our “NEXT Steps - Program”.  It's been created with you in mind, and provides 12 months of valuable assistance, designed to fit your busy schedule! 

For more information see:

"Option 3 – “PVS – NEXT Steps - Business Coaching & Mentoring Program” 

It's listed on our Website Registration page:

CLICK HERE

MENTORSHIP - A Huge Jump-Start

"Hey 

Mentorship 

Fans!" 

This post applies to a wide variety of career path choices!  

Sure - I've worked with entrepreneurs and organizations that help them grow and develop for many years. Here's what I've seen ... I've found that Mentorship provides one of the greatest methods of accelerating the development and potential of individuals, as well as the businesses or organizations these people work within, when there is a formalized and coordinated Mentorship Program!

One of the great things about being an entrepreneur and having your own business is the independence and freedom offered by that career path. 

Work with me on this for a moment! 

Imagine for a moment: Being your own boss, with no one telling you what to do, or when to do it …  Just the idea of that alone can have a lot of appeal! However, another side to be considered is that being the owner of a business, particularly a small business can also be a relatively lonely experience. That is even further exacerbated when confronted with a daunting challenge or a complex potential opportunity. So let me ask: Who would you turn to for some much needed perspective, or to act as a sounding board?

While there are many ways to mitigate that ‘sense of isolation', one option that we’ve seen to be both effective and highly beneficial is to have a Mentor!  A good Mentor can help you find your way through those inevitable challenges that you’ll face, in life, and in business. Having said that, to be perfectly clear, a good Mentor doesn’t come with a ‘magic wand’ and make things disappear! A good Mentor will help you (the Mentee/Protege) explore the situation that you face, review what’s transpired to this point in time, and then help you explore potential options. Once that’s been done, it’s still up to you to decide what you’ll do with that new-found insight and perspective. After all, it's your decision to make, right?

When we work with those considering establishing a Mentorship Program, we encourage them to go into it with a solid understanding of what they want the program to accomplish for their participants. In fact, that's something we like to work with them on prior to launching a Mentorship Program. Mentors and Mentees/Proteges are then brought together and provided with an opportunity to begin their Mentorship journey with a clearer understanding of what's ahead. Even better than that, participants come away having identified some specific, high-priority, individual goals to pursue over the time they agree to work together in the Mentoring Relationship.  

"Mentorship is a huge 'Jump-Start' on any career path. It gets things moving forward and in the right direction!" - Jim Ewing, Co-Founder - Pro-Vision Solutions Inc.

What have you experienced in a Mentoring relationship?  

• What was the BEST thing that you gained from Mentorship? 
• If you could offer even ONE suggestion to improve the experience for others in a Mentoring relationship, what would that be? 

Feel free to leave a comment. We'd be pleased to hear from you!

BTW ... if you're interested in establishing a Mentorship Program for your organization or for the audience you work with, please get in touch with us. We'd be happy to further explore that with you! 

Cheers,
 - Jim Ewing, for the TEAM
Pro-Vision Solutions Inc.

P.S. - Be sure to visit our YouTube Channel to view any of the Mentorship related videos we've made available. CLICK HERE

Mentorship adds Value for Lean Start-Ups

Innovation takes what is known and finds new ways of adapting it for the future! 

An interesting application of Mentorship is frequently incorporated into many of the Lean Start-Up events that catapult entrepreneurs into a new venture. We’ve participated in a number of hybrid events designed to assist new entrants and have also customized similar programs for some of our clients to meet their specific requirements. 

Participants learning at "Crash Course: Jump Start"

A few weeks ago we had the opportunity to view things from a different perspective - that of being a “Mentor” to participants in the “Crash Course: Jump Start” weekend. This event was hosted by the Mawji Centre for New Venture and Student Entrepreneurship at the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT).

As a Mentor, it was a privilege to assist several individuals and teams, together with other business professionals who volunteered. Each of us brought our unique backgrounds and areas of expertise into play and collectively, when combined with the imaginations and energy of these creative people, we helped move their innovative concepts forward!

(Left to Right) Vini Costanzo, Jim Ewing, James Petryk, David Lord

While the Mentoring experience in this type of event is different from that found within a Classical Mentorship model, the immediate input received by participants was certainly appreciated. And as a Mentor, it was definitely exciting to "jump in" with the team - listen to the challenges to be tackled, explore value propositions with each opportunity, and collectively discover ways to answer questions along the way!


Here are a couple of thoughts that were provided by some of my fellow Mentors who also enjoyed exploring the many great business ideas being refined by these enthusiastic upstarts!

David Lord, CPA, CMA  
"Getting a chance to work with the students is great because their energy and enthusiasm are infectious. It's rewarding being able to contribute advice and provide direction to the students to help them develop their ideas. But selfishly, the motivational boost I get from interacting with these young, ambitious students is something I get to take away and harness in my Financial Planning Practice: Red Seal Financial Ltd. When I volunteer my time, I find I often get as much as I give."
Website: RedSealFinancial.com
Website: DavidLord.ca
 
Vini Costanzo, Founder of ViniCostanzo Marketing Coaching: a company focused on guiding small businesses and startups to the rights decisions in marketing. 
"Being a mentor for me means learning. Every single entrepreneur has a different history and a different motivation. However, all of them share the same dream: They want to be big. Mentoring them helps me to understand better the challenges they have towards their goals and improve the services my company provides."  
Website: vinicostanzo.com

The experiences and comments shared by my fellow Mentors in the “Crash Course: Jump Start” echoes my own, and that of other Mentors I’ve known and worked with over the years. Mentorship really is a two-way street, where both the Mentor and the Mentee/Protege benefit from the Mentoring relationship. 

Please let us know if we can help you explore Mentorship within your organization. We’d be delighted to explore what Mentorship can do for you and your team!


BTW - We’ve captured some great comments and experiences from those who’ve been Mentors and been Mentored. View them now for FREE on our YouTube Channel ...
CLICK HERE

PLEASE feel free to share your comments to our post. 

We'd be very pleased to hear from you and let others benefit from comments related to your experiences for improving Mentoring Relationships.

                                                                          

 
QUESTION:  Could you benefit from having a Business COACH and MENTOR?  
IF the ANSWER is YES ...  Take a look at our "NEXT Steps Program!   
 
If you're looking for flexible and cost-effective Business Coaching & Mentoring, you'll like our “NEXT Steps - Program”. It's been created with you in mind, and provides 12 months of valuable assistance, designed to fit your busy schedule! 

For more information see:

"Option 3 – “PVS – NEXT Steps - Business Coaching & Mentoring Program” 

It's listed on our Website Registration page:

CLICK HERE

Going "Full-Circle" with Mentorship

In a Mentorship Post of last month we mentioned the powerful imagery seen in the painting, “The Creation of Adam" by Michelangelo. However, what we didn’t go into at the time, and what we’d like to focus on here, is something we see as being at the heart of Mentorship.

 In fact, it goes beyond that very important "point of contact” - the point at which there is an authentic impartation of transformative teaching by the Mentor, that is matched by a genuine appreciation and appropriation of that learning by the Mentee.

Having successfully achieved that notable objective, it would seem to be somewhat anticlimactic to then have the two parties simply walk away from Mentorship. Rather, we would encourage both Mentor and Mentee to find ways in which each can continue participating in future meaningful mentoring relationships.

We’ve seen great value in Mentors continuing to mentor others and at the same time find those who can be a Mentor to them in aspects of their continued development. And for those who’ve been Mentees and benefited from the input of a Mentor, we encourage them to take on a new role of mentoring someone else. This is the type of ‘full-circle’ mentorship that continues to add tremendous value to both organizations and individuals. It’s an aspect of Mentorship that we like to see built into Mentorship Programs. After all, if there was something to be gained by having participated in Mentorship the first time, surely there must be even more that can be shared the next time!

PLEASE feel free to share your comments to our post. 

We'd be very pleased to hear from you and let others benefit from comments related to your experiences with Mentoring Relationships.

                                                                          

 
QUESTION:  Could you benefit from having a Business COACH and MENTOR?  
IF the ANSWER is YES ...  Take a look at our "NEXT Steps Program!   
 
If you're looking for flexible and cost-effective Business Coaching & Mentoring, you'll like our “NEXT Steps - Program”. It's been created with you in mind, and provides 12 months of valuable assistance, designed to fit your busy schedule! 
 
For more information see:

"Option 3 – “PVS – NEXT Steps - Business Coaching & Mentoring Program” 

It's listed on our Website Registration page:

CLICK HERE

Where's the Benefit within Mentoring?

There is a striking image that grabbed my attention early in my researching of Mentorship. You’ll likely recognize the image as well as the artist. The image is from, “The Creation of Adam" by Michelangelo, and it was painted on to the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel c.1508–1512. While I wasn’t there personally at the time of it being painted, I did have opportunity to see to it several years ago when visiting Rome and the Vatican.

There is something that happens within a successful mentoring relationship. 

And while we typically acknowledge that the Mentee is intended to receive value from a Mentoring relationship, what does the Mentor receive? Shouldn't the Mentor also benefit from having participated in the Mentorship relationship?

The answer in my opinion and experience with good mentoring relationships is that BOTH the Mentee and the Mentor can gain value from the experience. As one of the Mentors in our very first Mentorship Program so aptly responded when I asked why he was a Mentor: “I love to give back and help others, and being a Mentor helps to keep me sharp!" 

To quote Lois J. Zachary, a well know authority on Mentorship and author: “Mentoring is a reciprocal learning relationship in which mentoring partners agree to a partnership in which they work collaboratively toward achieving mutually defined goals that focus on developing mentee skills, abilities, knowledge, and/or thinking.”

Here are a few of the Benefits of Mentorship that we’ve seen for entrepreneurs …

Benefits for Protégés (Mentees):

·      Receive support and advice on strategic, technical, financial and ethical issues
·      Increase the chances of succeeding in business
·      Learn business strategies and techniques in a non-threatening way
·      Grow through greater awareness of challenges and opportunities available
·      Introduced to other business resources and networks


Benefits for Mentors:

·      Positively influence another individual by sharing skills, values and experiences
·      Enjoy the satisfaction of seeing others succeed
·      Make productive use of own knowledge and individual expertise
·      Enhance technical, communication and leadership skills
·      Expand professional contacts through interaction with other Mentors
·      Revitalize interest in own work through connection to new entrepreneurial energy
·      Boost self-esteem through recognition by Protégé (Mentee), peers and community

To close, defining the perimeters and boundaries on "the front end" provides important direction over the life of the Mentoring relationship. We’ve used Mentoring Agreements that are negotiated between the Mentor and Mentee to set "the ground rules" that guide participants forward.

Our experience has been that both the Protégé (Mentee) and the Mentor should see benefit from this important relationship. Both should be able to look back over their experience and feel that they’ve seen individual growth and development that leaves them better prepared as they move forward and help others find success! 

PLEASE feel free to share your comments to our post. 

We'd be very pleased to hear from you and let others benefit from comments related to your experiences for improving Mentoring Relationships.

                                                                          

 
QUESTION:  Could you benefit from having a Business COACH and MENTOR?  
IF the ANSWER is YES ...  Take a look at our "NEXT Steps Program!   
 
If you're looking for flexible and cost-effective Business Coaching & Mentoring, you'll like our “NEXT Steps - Program”. It's been created with you in mind, and provides 12 months of valuable assistance, designed to fit your busy schedule! 
 
For more information see:

"Option 3 – “PVS – NEXT Steps - Business Coaching & Mentoring Program” 

It's listed on our Website Registration page:

CLICK HERE

MENTORSHIP for SUCCESS

"If you're going to set up a Mentorship Program, planning would be a very good place to start!"  
     - Jim Ewing Co-Founder
       Pro-Vision Solutions Inc.

For mentoring to be truly successful and garner the results that Mentees and their Organizations desire, serious foresight, planning and support are required.

We've seen this in programs where we've been involved, and with programs we've developed in the past. The quality of the structure and support provided by the Mentorship Program and all of those involved will have a significant impact on the results that are produced. Of course, it's tempting to say that what comes out of Mentorship relationships is entirely up to the Mentees and their Mentors. And while they are important actors in the process, they will greatly benefit from getting off to a great start with appropriate resources, training, and ongoing support. For those who want to be seen as proactive champions of meaningful and successful Mentorship programs, there's much more to creating a positive Mentorship environment than simply putting out a call to potential Mentees and Mentors!

To quote a leading expert in the field of Mentorship program development, Dr. William A. Gray, "Successful Mentorship Programs don’t just happen, they need to be designed, refined and aligned …” It's been my privilege to have both learned from and worked with Dr. Gray who's developed over 150 Mentorship programs. Many organizations and groups can benefit from Mentorship. For entrepreneurs, a group I’ve worked with for 30+ years, Mentorship provides a valuable support structure, accelerating them towards a more successful future through timely access to experienced business mentors. Well-crafted Mentorship Programs can lead to improvements in productivity, reduction of exposure to unnecessary risk, and a maximizing of potential growth opportunities.

This Post continued from what we wrote on December 1, 2017 where we touched on the value Mentorship can bring to organizations looking to increase the diversity and depth of their leadership pool. Below, we are very pleased to make available Part 2 of our interview with Doug Piquette, Executive Director of the Edmonton Region Immigrant Employment Council (ERIEC)

Doug Piquette

Doug Piquette, Executive Director of the Edmonton Region Immigrant Employment Council (ERIEC) addressed several key aspects of mentorship and their mentoring of professionals who are new to the Canadian work experience.  The ERIEC Career Mentorship Program matches skilled immigrants (mentees) in the Edmonton region with local employers (mentors) who share a similar occupational background and creates networks through real-life connections and experience.

Doug Piquette has over 20 years' experience in the non-profit sector. Since 2008, he has served as Executive Director of the Edmonton Region Immigrant Employment Council (ERIEC) a business led council that brings leaders together to create and champion solutions to better integrate immigrants in the Edmonton Capital Region. As part of his endeavours at ERIEC, Mr. Piquette led business stakeholders in the creation of a new strategic plan to increase the impact and scale of ERIEC's work.

The ERIEC Website is at: http://eriec.ca

Our interview has been uploaded in two separate video clips. The first being made public in December 2017 and the second in January 2018. The introduction and closing have elements in common for those who may not have viewed the other video, however specifics addressed include:

CLICK HERE TO VIEW VIDEO - 1

- The unique needs and requirements in Mentoring newcomers.
- Suggestions to help improve the overall quality of the Mentorship relationship.
- The value gained by those involved in the Mentoring relationships.
- Thoughts for those considering Mentorship.

CLICK HERE TO VIEW VIDEO - 2
- Comparing Formal versus Informal Mentoring relationships.
- The matching process involved in Mentorship.
- A Mentorship "success story” they’ve experienced.
- Thoughts for those considering Mentorship.

At Pro-Vision Solutions Inc. we encourage our clients to explore a wide variety of approaches, and draw out the most beneficial aspects from formal and informal mentorship relationships, individual and group mentoring, face-to-face and long-distance mentoring, cross-departmental, cross-sectoral and cross-cultural mentorship experiences.

PLEASE feel free to share your comments to our post. 
We'd be very pleased to hear from you and let others benefit from comments related to your experiences for improving Mentoring Relationships.

                                                                         

QUESTION:  Could you benefit from having a Business COACH and MENTOR?  

IF SO ...  Please take a look at our "NEXT Steps" Program!   

Our “NEXT Steps - Program” provides flexible and cost-effective Business Coaching & Mentoring for entrepreneurs. It can be tailored to fit your busy schedule and was designed to provide you with 12 months of valuable assistance! 

For more information see: 

"Option 3 – “PVS – NEXT Steps - Business Coaching & Mentoring Program” 

It's listed on our Website Registration page: CLICK HERE

Mentorship adds DEPTH to the Leadership Pool

What’s happening in the leadership pool? 

Great leaders and their organizations have an ability to bring diverse and differing parts of an organization together, in ways that unite us around a common vision. They bring out the best in each of us - for the betterment of all.

In today’s globally competitive environment, organizations must continually seek creative ways to maximize their potential for success. That involves not only tapping into, but intentionally cultivating and developing the great potential that others bring to the table. It just makes sense to take steps to incorporate the expertise, experience and connections that others bring to our organizations!

Mentorship can help us add depth to our leadership pool and build new bridges that serve us well into the future! We encourage our clients to explore a wide variety of approaches, and draw out the most beneficial aspects from formal and informal mentorship relationships, individual and group mentoring, face-to-face and long-distance mentoring, cross-departmental, cross-sectoral and cross-cultural mentorship experiences.

The potential to increase capacity through mentorship is huge. Here’s one example of efforts being made to bring a greater level of diversity and perspective to proactive organizations.

Doug Piquette, Executive Director

We were pleased to have the opportunity to get together with Doug Piquette, Executive Director of the Edmonton Region Immigrant Employment Council (ERIEC) to talk about several key aspects of mentorship. Of particular interest was their mentoring of professionals who are new to the Canadian work experience.  The ERIEC Career Mentorship Program matches skilled immigrants (mentees) in the Edmonton region with local employers (mentors) who share a similar occupational background and creates networks through real-life connections and experience.

Doug Piquette has over 20 years' experience in the non-profit sector. Since 2008, he has served as Executive Director of the Edmonton Region Immigrant Employment Council (ERIEC) a business led council that brings leaders together to create and champion solutions to better integrate immigrants in the Edmonton Capital Region. As part of his endeavours at ERIEC, Mr. Piquette led business stakeholders in the creation of a new strategic plan to increase the impact and scale of ERIEC's work.

The ERIEC Website is at: http://eriec.ca

Our interview has been uploaded in two separate video clips. The first being made public in December 2017 and the second installment to come in January 2018. The introduction and closing have elements in common for those who may not have viewed the other video, however specifics in Video - 1 include:

- The unique needs and requirements in Mentoring newcomers.
- Suggestions to help improve the overall quality of the Mentorship relationship.
- The value gained by those involved in the Mentoring relationships.
- Thoughts for those considering Mentorship.

CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE YOUTUBE VIDEO

"Mentor Interview ERIEC 1"

PLEASE feel free to share your comments to our post. 
We'd be very pleased to hear from you and let others benefit from comments related to your experiences for improving Mentoring Relationships.

                                                                         

QUESTION:  Could you benefit from having a Business COACH and MENTOR?  

IF SO ...  Please take a look at our "NEXT Steps" Program!   

Our “NEXT Steps - Program” provides flexible and cost-effective Business Coaching & Mentoring for entrepreneurs. It can be tailored to fit your busy schedule and was designed to provide you with 12 months of valuable assistance! 

For more information see: 

"Option 3 – “PVS – NEXT Steps - Business Coaching & Mentoring Program” 

It's listed on our Website Registration page: CLICK HERE