All imagery was taken by the talented Beth Moseley Photography.
An Inspiring and Uplifting Discussion About Mentorship
The 10th meeting of the Norfolk Women’s Marketing Network entitled ‘Discussing Mentorship’ changed direction from the regular NWMN format. For the first time, we left the pubs of Norwich behind to gather for an inspiring and uplifting panel discussion at the Forum.
The event introduced us to 4 Norfolk marketeers, all with direct experience in the world of mentorship. Over 45 engaging minutes, the panel discussed:
- If everyone should have a mentor
- What makes a good mentor?
- How to get the most out of mentorship as a mentee
- How to find a mentor
Read on to discover the key messages shared during this insightful and thoroughly enjoyable evening.
Should everyone have a mentor?
This initial discussion point kick-started the evening with an interesting debate, with panel members feeling mentorship can be a loaded term bogged down with formality. There was, however, consensus that everyone can benefit from having a mentor.
There was also discussion around what mentorship is, namely:
- Proactively looking for someone you want to aspire to, observing them and seeking their help to guide and steer you.
- Finding a range of people throughout your life who can act as mentors as it’s unlikely you’ll get everything from one person. This can range from long-term formal relationships to short and informal ad hoc conversations.
- YOUR approach to YOUR development.
There was also recognition that informal mentorship is an easier path when employed in a larger organisation that provide workplace opportunities. In cases where you work for a smaller company or freelance, there is a stronger case for finding a more formal mentor relationship.
What Should You Think About as a Mentee?
- Be prepared to learn. You’ll need to be open-minded and prepared to learn and grow.
- Be prepared to be vulnerable. You’ll need to be open, honest, and freely give over information that will make you feel vulnerable.
- Be prepared for challenge. You’ll need to recognise that a mentor will say things you don’t want to hear. But remember that it’s always given with good intentions.
- Be committed. Know what you want to get out of it and fully commit to active engagement in the relationship.
Top Tip: Be the one to set the expectations for the relationship. RESULT: A stronger commitment from you and a more successful outcome for you.
Top Tips for Finding a Mentor?
- Cement your goal. Fully understand what you need before looking for a mentor. Having this clarity will define the connection you are looking for. For example, if your struggle is managing work around a family, find someone you feel is doing this successfully.
- Look under your nose. Once you’ve cemented your goal, look at the people you regularly interact with. Keep your eyes and ears open – you might have overlooked someone right in front of you.
3. Speak to your line manager. If you are employed, speak to your line manager about your reasons for wanting to find a mentor. To respect boundaries and foster openness, your line manager shouldn’t be your mentor, but they might know someone who is exactly right for you.
4. Seek referrals. Talk to your community: your friends, family, suppliers, colleagues etc. Again, they might know the perfect person.
5. LinkedIn Stalking. Connecting with people on LinkedIn can be a safer way to reach out. Look at people attending events that interest you or sharing viewpoints you agree with or aspire to. Slide into their DM’s and have an honest and authentic conversation about what you are doing and why you are looking to them. Be polite, friendly, and kind.
6. Cast the net wider. Look at Mentors Me for more formal options available in your area. And if you are young, several youth mentorship schemes are available through your college, university, or graduate scheme.
Top Tip: Don’t be afraid to ask. Remember that anyone you ask to be a mentor will be chuffed to pieces. Even if they can’t help you, they might know someone who can.
A Final Word
The evening concluded with questions from the audience, including how mentoring differs from counselling and what reverse mentoring means.
What is Reverse Mentoring?
Reverse mentoring is where a mentee is already at the top of their game, but they need help to see the perspective of those around them. In these cases, a mentee will be looking to connect with people from perhaps a different generation or an under-represented demographic.
Find out more about reverse mentoring here.
How Does Mentoring Differ from Counselling?
A mentor and counsellor might use similar techniques, but a mentor is not a counsellor. Counselling talks about the past, whereas mentoring looks at where you are going. The role of a mentor is to give the mentee confidence, the toolkit, and the power to move forward.
About the Panel
We’d like to say another huge thank you to our fabulous panellists.
Holly Bamford
Head of Client Services of Borne
Holly believes in learning from others in a holistic rather than formal mentorship format. With an ingrained ethos of learning from others, Holly feels that ”50% of me comes from observing and learning from others”.
Stephen Balmer-Walters
Owner of Ask Stephen
Stephen is a mentor, coach, and team builder whose first experience of a mentoring relationship was as a professional dancer in his youth. Stephen believes mentoring isn’t a formal process but “a lifelong relationship and connection – a vibe and safe place. So, I put mentorship at the heart of everything I do.”
Hayley Edwards
Marketing Manager of Fountain Partnership
Hayley has plenty of experience in informal mentoring. Her ethos is to use a mentoring approach with your teams “I want people in my team to want my job”
Tom Haczewski
Director of The User Story
Tom has undertaken one-to-one mentoring for others but never had a formal mentor. He believes “for your teams to succeed, you need to mentor them and help them get to where they want to be.”
Finally, a huge thank you to Borne
And finally, thank you again to Borne, who kindly sponsored this event and has supported the Norfolk Women’s Marketing Network from our early days.
Borne works with comms and marketing teams from across a broad range of organisations in multiple sectors, markets, and growth stages. Their work is strategically led, creatively focused, and developed in collaboration.
Borne is currently hiring for several exciting positions – read more here.
