Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving has an historical basis that is not unique to the USA. Most cultures give thanks in an annual harvest festival. The work of cultivating, sowing and tending fields is needed to produce the necessities of life. What did you plant, nurture, grow and gather, this year?

At this time of year, it is worthwhile to look back and give thanks. Experiences of all kinds are abundant with opportunities to learn and grow personally and professionally. What will you celebrate, mourn or realise?

If you were a mentor, chances are you may not know just how much of a contribution you made. Marcy Blochowiak said: “Never underestimate the power of one person to have an impact on this world, touching one person at a time … the mark you leave on people will endure and extend beyond your sight and beyond your reach.”

If you were mentored, it is likely that you had an impact on your mentor too. Most mentors find that the conversations they have allow them to pause, reflect and gain insight themselves.

With friends, family and mentors, we can enjoy and give thanks for what we have today. The new-year is fertile ground just waiting for us to plan and prepare for what we intend to create. That’s how mentoring works.

Reference: Blochowiak, M. (2005) No Glass Ceiling, Just Blue Sky. Simple Truths, Illinois.

Ann Rolfe

Mentoring Works

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Rescheduled Complimentary Webinar: How to Train Mentors and Mentorees

This webinar has now been rescheduled.

Join me on Monday 1 February 2009 at 11:00am (Sydney time) for a complimentary interactive webinar, "How to Train Mentors and Mentorees".

I will be discussing how you can train for mentoring with minimal interruption to work.

REGISTER HERE

Send me your questions and comments on training mentoring participants for discussion during the webinar.

Don't forget to check your local time, you can do this here.

Ann Rolfe
Mentoring Works
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Mentors Make A Difference

I spent Sunday afternoon putting together "easy to assemble" shelving in my new office. The directions on the packaging seemed simple. The only tools required a mallet and "a chisel to help the pins slide in" but the task proved more challenging than it looked. Even with my darling man's lifetime of experience in construction, getting the first set of shelves together took far longer than expected. Lucky I did not attempt to do this alone!

By myself, I would have persisted in trying to follow the instructions, got frustrated, hot and bothered and maybe given up. After initial futile attempts, precisely following the steps on the box, Leon was able to say: "Nah, that's not the best way to do it, we'll do these bits first". A bit more logic and experience (and a little trial and error) saw the first set of shelves in place and only four more to go! The next two were easy and by the last two we had an efficient partnership completing installation in minutes. It was satisfying and fun!

We celebrated with a picnic on the balcony and as I admired the view from my beautiful new home, which also houses the office downstairs that more than doubles my workspace, I knew I would not be enjoying all this without the assistance of my mentors.

I think of mentoring as conversations that create insight. You may have conversations that create insight by chance, informally, socially or at work, with colleagues, friends or strangers; You can have conversations that create insight with someone you think of as a mentor; and you can have a mentoring relationship deliberately designed around conversations that create insight, In a group or one-to-one situation

My life and my livelihood are all the better for the mentors in my life. Mentoring conversations released the inspiration, ideas, and motivation to make many of my dreams come true. Mentors have provided encouragement, information and practical assistance.

So thanks to you all - professional mentors and coaches, peer-mentors and mastermind groups, friends and family, colleagues and acquaintances, clients and workshop participants and those of you that I am fortunate enough to be in contact with through the magic of the internet. Together, we are living proof that mentoring works!

Ann Rolfe

Mentoring Works
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