Mentoring

““A wise or trusted adviser or guide””
— Collins Dictionary

Mentoring is based on developing a reliable, positive and supportive relationship, that encourages people to develop to their fullest potential.

What makes a successful mentoring relationship?

 

Creating and maintaining a close relationship that is built on trust

Clearly defined roles and responsibilities

Short and long-term goals are established

Open and supportive communication

Collaboratively solving problems.

There are two key roles in a mentoring relationship.

That of the MENTOR and the MENTEE.

They are best described as:

Mentor

 

A Mentors role is to act as a “wise counsel” and sounding board for the Mentee. They listen objectively and create the needed space for the Mentee to think.

The Mentor asks good, probing questions that encourage the Mentee to look at issues from a variety of perspectives, but offers the help needed to allow them to find their own answers. The Mentor challenges traditional ways of thinking and encourages the Mentee to discover strategies and create plans that maybe outside of their place of comfort.

When the time is right, the Mentor shares examples, (positive and negative), skills and learnings from their own experiences, which assists the Mentee in understanding the basis of where the Mentor’s “counsel” stems from.

A Mentor helps their Mentee set realistic goals and assists them in achieving these. The Mentor holds the Mentee accountable for achieving their goals, and at the same time offers encouragement and constructive feedback in the process

A Mentor with The Retail Mentors Voluntary Personal Mentoring program is a volunteer and must be willing to commit to a minimum of 6 months to support their Mentee. We have found that most of our Mentoring relationships do however naturally extend past the initial six months.

There are many benefits of being a Mentor. Not only will it give you the opportunity to share the knowledge and experience you have spent years developing, but it will also give you the opportunity to learn something new yourself.

More importantly, being a Mentor will provide you with such a deep level of personal satisfaction of helping, supporting and offer guidance to someone else.

To become a Mentor in The Retail Mentors Voluntary Mentoring Program

 Meet our Mentors

  • "If my experience and knowledge can support and influence someone else, even in a small way, then that is indeed a privilege."

    - Sally Coates – CEO + Founder of The Retail Mentors

  • "Every day I feel fortunate to be a part of an industry that I love, where community and connection are paramount.  Having had Mentors across my own career, I know just how much of a positive impact they can have on your growth, development, and confidence.  I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to give back to our industry and remind others about the abundance of opportunity available to us."

    - Emma Miller - Director Global Talent Management 

  • "I see Mentoring as an opportunity to help people reach their full potential."

    - Cheryl Rae – Culture and Leadership Consultant

  • "I can credit success in my career from leaders who have guided me along the way, it is great to be in a position to play that role as a Mentor to someone else."

    - James Domensino – Chief Digital Officer + Top 50 People in eCommerce

  • "I’ve Mentored (and been Mentored) in every role I’ve been in and my philosophy for Mentoring is simple… Developing others also develops me. We can always learn from others and situations, so supporting and nurturing Mentees to achieve their potential is not only rewarding to watch their progress but also helps me continually improve as a leader. I want to be someone’s shortcut to success!"

    - Adrian Smith – Executive General Manager

  • "Whilst there is talk of times being tough and retail being hard, I see only opportunities. I am really excited about working with The Retail Mentors. I can’t wait to support and Mentor those coming through the retail ranks."

    - Tara Broomfield – Divisional Merchandise Manager

  • "Participating in The Retail Mentors is an opportunity to ignite in others a lifelong love for retail and assist them in defining and attaining their dreams through the sharing of her knowledge, wisdom, and experience."

    - Sally Pieterse – General Manager

  • "Retail has provided me with an incredible career, it is time to pay it forward. The Retail Mentors program gives me an opportunity to spend time with the next generation of amazing retailers and support them in reaching their true potential."

    - Carly Richards - Director

  • "It truly has been so rewarding to give back to a retail community that has given me so much throughout my career. It has never been so important to support, encourage and nurture our retail talent. To have them strive to be great and to have them achieve more than they ever thought they would by just being there for a constructive chat.   I can’t recommend this process and organisation more.  It is such a rewarding way to give back."

    - Deborah Donehue – Executive Leadership and Career Coach

  • "I love connecting with people. I believe a strong Mentor / Mentee relationship helps both of you grow and develop. You can share experiences, give advice and problem solve! Watching someone grow and being a support on their leadership journey is incredibly rewarding and something I am very proud to be a part of."

    - Vanessa Stevens – Head of Product Development

  • "To learn is to grow and I never want to stop learning. As a Mentor, if I can share some of the insight I’ve gained along the way and it helps others to grow into their goals, all the better!"

    - Rebecca Mansergh – Channels Director

  • "I decided to become a Retail Mentor as I have been very lucky in the past, that I have had some very supportive people help develop me, along my career.  Not only did they support and develop me, but they also taught me how to have a good look at myself and work out areas that I needed to focus on.  I found it to have a positive impact on me, firstly as it’s a privilege to be a mentor and secondly because being a mentor is different than being someone’s boss your language, ideas, and thought processes need to adapt and I found that both challenging and rewarding."

    - Roger Twigg – Project Manager

  • "It has been an enriching experience, one that I strongly recommend to others who would like to just be there for a peer to listen, knowing (at times) how you have felt when they share a crossroads with you and want to test their ideas for a way forward. The Retail Mentors program is a fantastic initiative. I wonder where I would be today if I had the opportunity to engage with an experienced Mentor in my formative days."

    - Stephen Early – Supply Chain Specialist

  • "I joined The Retail Mentors to be able to be a part of a network of like-minded leaders and to give back to a wonderful industry that has given me so much.  It has given me a greater sense of purpose and I'm grateful to have had the opportunity to support others in a time of uncertainty. To be able to listen, to be an objective sounding board, to pass on what I have learned, and to help others reach their goals and grow."

    - Carly Bowra – Head of Marketing

Mentee

 

A Mentee is someone who has identified a specific goal or challenge and believe they would benefit from the guidance and support of someone to successfully reach these goals. i.e. a Mentor.

In a Mentoring relationship the Mentee is still responsible for their own development and, has a very strong interest in learning and developing. Before a mentoring relationship can begin, the Mentee must be, really clear on what their goals are what it is they believe the Mentor can help them with, and therefore what it is that they are hoping to get out of the relationship.

It is up to the Mentee to take ownership for the relationship and respect the time and information shared by the Mentor. The Mentee needs to ensure they are committed to the process and in turn, takes responsibility for setting up the meetings and own the actions by the agreed times, between the meetings.

This does not necessarily have to be a formal process for it to be beneficial, as some of the most long-lasting “coaching moments” are conversation that can be had in the moment and may only take a few minutes.

With their Mentor, the Mentee needs to establish the specific goals and objectives for their mentoring relationship and, take full responsibility for taking the agreed action within the agreed timeframes. Remembering that the Mentor has kindly donated their time to support their Mentee and their time and experience should be respected.

The Mentee needs to be open and ask specific questions of their mentor and, be open and welcome to receiving responses and feedback graciously.

A Mentee with The Retail Mentors Voluntary Personal Mentoring program must be willing to commit to the Mentoring program for a minimum of 6 months.

The Retail Mentors Personal Voluntary Mentoring Program is a life-changing experience for both the Mentee and the Mentor and one that will potentially continue way beyond the initial six months.

To become a Mentee in The Retail Mentors Voluntary Mentoring Program

 Mentee Experiences

  • "Blown away at the level of Mentors willing to give back to the industry in this way. Midway in my career, having a mentor has provided a fresh, honest perspective on my personal brand, my CV, approach, and next stage career path. I have found the experience invigorating, motivating, and extremely beneficial."

    - Carole Cast

  • “This Mentoring program has re-ignited flames of hope. What a humbling experience to be shown the light by those who have walked a similar path before!”

    - Farai Mutasa

  • "I have so much to thank the team at The Retail Mentors and my personal Mentor for. Not only my involvement in this voluntary program allowed me to tap into the endless knowledge and experience of my Mentor, but opened the door to their network as well. Through my Mentor, I have met other industry professionals, and have accessed so many resources and opportunities I would not have had otherwise".

    - Claudia Long

  • “Having a Mentor through this program has been an excellent experience. It was invaluable to be matched with the right person. Not coming from the industry, it’s been incredible to tap in to someone who has decades of experience.”

    - Sarah Shepherd

  • "Having a Mentor helped me to do the things that I knew I had to but avoided due to lack of understanding. It has given me the confidence to take my business further as I now have a strong foundation and understanding. I’ve turned what I am doing from a hobby to a business and hopefully soon an empire. I’m forever grateful for the time that my Mentor spends with me and the retail mentors for matching me with someone that is perfect for me and my business".

    - Princess Pounder

  • "Sometimes we think having a Mentor is about having access to someone wise, who has all the answers. I've found the greatest benefit is in having access to someone who helps shift my perspective and challenges me to think in a different way"

    - Justin Gerhardt

  • "A Mentor and this program will provide me with specific knowledge that can help me grow personally and professionally and also help improve in the advancement of any specific skills so that you I hopefully advance in my career and be more efficient in my role".

    - Lisa Triccas

  • "For me, this program has been a great way to connect in a time of isolation and to establish a network outside my day to day interactions within my workplace. It has been so beneficial to have real and frank conversations that sometimes can't be had with direct bosses or colleagues. It is guidance where you need it, support when you ask for it and accountability to keep focused on your goals".

    - Morgan Westman

  • "The Retail Mentors is an incredible community of like-minded retailers who either want to give back as Mentor's or are seeking guidance from a Mentor as they approach the next chapter of their career. Speaking with a Mentor each fortnight has not only helped to push me outside of my comfort zone, hold me accountable to the things I committed to doing, but importantly simply having someone there ready to listen and share their own perspective".

    - Rick Leathers

  • "Having a Mentor and being a part of The Retail Mentor program has helped me in many more ways than one. With regular guidance and monthly catch-ups with my Mentor, I was given the confidence to make certain career decisions that I was struggling to pursue and I was also able to seek advice from a trustworthy and credible working professional who would give me advice that aligned with my best interest. I will be forever grateful and appreciative for this learning experience."

    - Renee Khouri

FAQs

 

How long will the program go for?

It is envisaged that the program will go for an initial 6 months, with a minimum commitment of connecting in once a month, but it may well go beyond that time frame.

Can I do this program remotely?

Of course! You may find that your Mentee or Mentor lives in a different state or city to yourself, or with social distancing restrictions catching up remotely will be your best option. As the Mentor or Mentee, you will work out your best ways of working, together up front.

How much time will the program take up?

For the Mentor, the minimum time commitment will be approximately an hour a month. This will of course be solely dependent on what you agree to with your Mentee.

For the Mentee, the minimum time commitment with your Mentor will be an hour a month, but based on each of these meetings with your Mentor may produce things for you to work on before the next meeting, which you will also need to commit to doing.

As a Mentor will I get paid?

This is a way for you, as a Mentor, to support someone who will benefit from your experience, wisdom and expertise. Therefore, your payment will be the sheer satisfaction of knowing that you have had a positive influence on someone else.

Is there a cost involved for the Mentee?

No. This is a voluntary program offered to support those in the retail industry.

How do I enquire to be part of the program?

Please click below.

Become a Mentor or a Mentee.