EXTERNAL MENTORING

The need for external mentoring

Senior managers are in high pressure positions: there is little opportunity for them to reflect on their decisions and performance. They are also in isolated positions: there are few people inside the organisation that they can turn to for objective advice and support and that they can talk to openly.

By using an external mentor, senior managers are buying a space which is focused entirely on them, a space which is safe because the mentor is detached from the politics and culture of the organisation, and a space which is developmental because the mentor helps them to review their performance, learn from experience and plan effectively for the future.

How Learning Curve can help

Learning Curve provides experienced mentors to support the personal, professional and career development of individual managers and executives. Our focus is to help the individual to maximise their internal resources by providing a space and context in which they can reflect on and evaluate the key choices they are making in the ways they manage themselves, their work and their relationship to work.

We are skilled at developing relationships in which the individual can openly discuss issues and concerns, be given objective feedback that will raise their critical self-awareness and receive the support they need to affect change.

The process

We meet with the individual to decide together whether there is the potential for an effective mentoring relationship. We do not embark on relationships if we do not feel that we will be able to add value, both to the individual and their organisation.

If there is agreement to proceed, we recommend a commitment to a block of sessions, (typically four x 90-minute sessions at monthly intervals). The relationship is reviewed at the end of this block and further sessions planned if and as appropriate. The relationship is fully confidential - no feedback is given to the organisation.