Business Mentoring
What is a Business Mentor?
A Business Mentor is someone who can act as a sounding board for your ideas and plans. They bring their own unique experience of life and business and are willing to share their skills and know how with you business coaching. We select people who we know will have the experience and knowledge you are looking for. Having a Business Mentor can help you to focus, to look at your business from a different perspective. This is essential to identify strategies and opportunities for improvement and growth.
Dynamic Business Mentoring
If you’re going to be a Business Mentor, some of the qualities you must have are:
- The ability to listen and empathise with people.
- A willingness to offer encouragement, sympathy and practical advice, ideas and opinions.
- A respect for other people`s views and the flexibility to take these in your stride.
- A supportive approach, that allows others to take responsibility for their own decisions.
What is Business Mentoring?
David Cartney and Chris Cartney established International Business Mentors in October 2001, in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
Since then we have seen numerous businesses promoting services such as Business Mentoring, Executive Mentoring, Business Coaching, Executive Coaching, Professional Mentoring, Career Mentoring, Senior Executive Mentoring, Corporate Mentoring, Business Owners Mentoring, Professional Transition Mentoring, CEO Mentoring, Business Advisors, Business Gurus, Business Development, Business Shrinks, Business Success, and many more strange and diverse names.
All profess, in varying way to assist key business people improve and succeed, but the methods they use, the business philosophies they adopt and the level of skills they possess, vary enormously.
At International Business Mentors we successfully mentor CEOs, Directors, Owners of Business, and Senior Executives with a view to improve performance of the individuals and the business.
Business Mentoring goes further than traditional coaching. Whereas coaching is goal-oriented and has a motivational bias, Business Mentoring is far more reaching, and has much greater depth in supporting and developing the individual within their business environment. A properly devised Business Mentoring program is proven approach to improving overall business performance.
One aspect of our methodologies encompasses a balanced scorecard approach. Over time, all aspects of the business are examined and discussed. Issues such as Finances, Marketing, People, Customers, Operations, KPIs and Strategic Planning would be addressed.
At International Business Mentors our services are pitched at CEOs, Directors, Business Owners, Family Businesses and Senior Executives.
In most cases our mentoring sessions are on a one to one, confidential basis. On occasions however, it may be appropriate to include others, at the request of the Mentee. In some cases, key staff or other owners or directors may be invited to attend sessions when the content involves their area of expertise.
In Family Businesses, other family members may need to be involved in some of the sessions depending on the circumstances and issues.
Flexibility is always a key ingredient for successful mentoring. The Business Mentor will be selected for their alignment with the Mentee, the business and the key issues and challenges that are faced at the time, and in the future.
You may need or want a Business Mentor for a variety of good reasons:
- You are facing immediate issues and need a fresh view
- The business strategy or performance needs to rise to a new level
- You want to maintain your edge
- You need to be challenged
- You need to develop and transform
- You need a sounding board for ideas
- You need assistance with transition
- You need guidance regarding the future direction of the business
- You would value personal support
To qualify as one of our Business Mentors candidates must have successfully:
- Run their own businesses or
- Have been CEOs or Directors
- Where they have gained broad business experience.
In most cases, they probably have:
- Formal qualifications,
- And they all have critical people skills.
Our mentors are driven by their need:
- To see those they are assisting succeed.
- They have a genuine desire to share their Skills, Experiences, Mistakes and Successes
That they have made, in order to help those they mentor.
Our Business Mentors are exceptional people.
Matching you with a Business Mentor
When we match a Business Mentor with a Mentee, it is vital to establish all the necessary criteria in order to obtain the right `fit`. At International Business Mentors we take our own measures to ensure we get it right.
This will give the Mentee confidence in his/her mentor, who will possess the skills and experiences they need but also feel comfortable personally which ensures useful and relevant exchange of information.
The Business Mentoring relationship works on many levels. It can be simple and complex, straightforward and subtle – working on specific issues, creating insights, and can also be motivating and uplifting.
One aspect of Business Mentoring is that a carefully matched mentor will develop the Mentee, through sharing his or her own skills and experiences.
We expect that learning and developing is a life long occupation, with the mentor facilitating that process.
For the Business Mentoring relationship to succeed both parties need to be committed and have an attitude of willingness.
The Business Mentoring relationship is built on trust, respect, positive attitude and a willingness to improve.
Each Business Mentoring relationship is different as we are dealing with unique individuals in varying businesses. Unlike some coaching programmes that follow specific and rigid steps that are delivered by people trained but not necessarily experienced, the programme and methodologies adopted by International Business Mentors are flexible and delivered by experience professionals.
The reasons why people need a business mentor are many, and it is vitally important the key issues are addressed first. In time all aspects of the business will be examined, but there will always be the need for specific expertise.
Business Mentoring can, in some instances, be a cost effective alternative to an independent non-executive directorship.
Significant differences between a consultant, a counsellor, and a Business Mentor
Consultant
A consultant`s role is “hands on” within the organisation, supplementing in-house expertise. It is usually carried out on a one off basis, and is more appropriate for larger companies.
Counsellor
A counsellor tends to focus on the personal aspects of behaviours and emotions within the work and social environment and can help with motivational dysfunction and improve behaviour.
Business Mentor
A Business Mentor works with the Mentee to improve their individual and business performance. The process enhances the skills and develops the Mentee to a higher level
At the same time the process helps:
To solve business problems and Facilitates the strategic planning process by helping the Mentee to consider Processes and Develop new insights
Summary:
Business Mentoring with International Business Mentors
An International Business Mentor listens to you, and helps you to think outside the square, considers the business and your self in a holistic fashion, which brings you greater insight. The Business Mentor helps you to solve business problems, which improves business performance, and the Business Mentor facilitates your personal development using their skills and experience.
Frequently Asked Questions
When a business leader reaches out to International Business Mentors for business mentoring or business coaching, we go to great lengths to understand exactly what their challenges and business goals are, as well as the areas in which the mentee wants to develop. We get to know the mentee. Then we search and individually match the mentee with the best possible business mentor or business coach, taking into account not only the skills, experience and background needed, but also finding a business mentor or business coach who would be a great personal fit.
Yes,most definitely. As part of the matching process at International Business Mentors, we find out all the issues a business mentor can assist with, then find the best possible business mentor or business coach to fulfill those requirements.However, we often find that once the initial problems have been dealt with successfully, and the relationship between the business mentor and mentee is established, more areas needing review open up.
Strategic planning is a regular feature of business mentoring programs, helping mentees to consider ways of diversifying or expanding with new products and markets. A well-matched business mentor or business coach is well positioned to guide mentees through this process.
One of the important factors of successful business mentoring or business coaching is that of challenge, and part of the challenge is to explore different way of thinking, particularly lateral thinking or thinking outside the square.
At International Business Mentors, we tailor business mentoring programs according to what is needed. For example, at one end of the spectrum a business leader may wish to review all the aspects of the business – business plans, readdressing mission vision and purpose, strategy and risk assessments, the workforce, and customer and stakeholder concerns, to name but a few. Covering all these aspects would require a very comprehensive business mentoring program. In other instances, the business leader may only need a confidential sounding board and a supportive ear – so the business mentoring program would be assessed very differently to the previous example.
Dynamic business mentoring atInternational Business Mentors is our evolving and interactive approach to mentoring, where by both parties contribute to the development of fresh ideas and critical analysis of the topics or issues confronting the business or the mentee at any point in time. This approach relies on complimentary yet overlapping business experience of the business mentor and the mentee and their fit together from a personality perspective.
Women have had additional challenges and opportunities in business. Over the years, we have seen progress in women’s leadership positions with more diverse workplaces, but there is still plenty of room for improvement. Our business mentors and business coaches can provide business mentoring for women that takes into account the specific issues facing women in their specific business goals.
There is no textbook for a business mentoring program – well, not at International Business Mentors. Our business mentoring programs are individually assessed to cover the challenges, problems and areas in which mentees would like to develop, as well as areas of the business needing improvements, etc. The business mentors or business coaches will strategise, prioritise and construct their meetings to cover all the aspects identified.
There are so many areas in which a business mentor or business coach can assist business leaders in achieving their goals. For example, a business owner may have goals to grow the business. A director may want to improve contribution and reporting. Family businesses may wish to develop a constitution or succession plan. A CEO may want confidential guidance in transitioning into the role. Senior executives may need development. Business mentoring and coaching can help with all of these areas and many more.
There really is no typical timeline. Once a great business mentoring or business coaching relationship is established, with rapport, trust and respect, the business mentoring program can last for years. Along the journey, many aspects of the business may be readdressed, such as the business strategy, plans, governance, opportunities, risk appetite and funding. In other instances, the mentee may only require assistance on specific issues, which may only take several months. It all depends on the needs.