Retiree Business Mentor Program. Foreword. A fundamental element to the economic success of a region is the availability of strong human capital.

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Beverly Melton
7 years ago
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1 Retiree Business Mentor Program Foreword A fundamental element to the economic success of a region is the availability of strong human capital. Human capital can be described as a collective of individual and community skills and is made up of talent, knowledge, abilities, training, experience, wisdom and intelligence. Council is considering how we can draw on our human capital more thoughtfully to improve economic prosperity in the Naracoorte Lucindale area. It is clear through observing our vibrant businesses we are certainly putting our human capital to good use. But what about those who've retired from business or roles of responsibility within our townships? How are we using their human capital? I believe that when we retire, we retire from work, not from life. Our knowledge and skills are still very useful. It was Winston Churchill who once said we make a living by what we get, we make a life by what we give which begs the question: are there people in our community who have made their living and are now willing to help others to do the same? I suspect the answer is yes which is why we have developed the Naracoorte Lucindale Retiree Mentorship Program. Through this program we aim to harness the knowledge and experience of our retired residents to facilitate productive relationships between them and the business community. I commend this program to you and encourage you to consider how you can help a business or learn from a mentor. Mayor Erika Vickery

2 What is mentoring? Business mentorship is a relationship in which one person, in this case a current or retired professional, helps to guide another. It is essentially a partnership between someone who has skills, knowledge and experience (the mentor) and someone who wants tolearn (the mentee). A successful mentor provides insight to the mentee, helping them to take considered action in their business. In the case of this program, mentors are not formal advisors or consultants, they volunteer their time to help a local business person to grow and develop. For the business person (the mentee ): Mentoring helps you to: look objectively at your business; organise your time so that you can work on your business; develop ideas for the future; overcome issues through confidential discussions with an impartial adviser; remain accountable for actions and projects; learn from the expertise and experience of others; and develop your analytical skills and confidence in decision making What are the benefits? For the mentor: a chance to share your knowledge and expertise with the wider community; and an opportunity to contribute positively to the future of your hometown and region.

3 The Guidelines There are no hard and fast rules on how to build a mentoring relationship. The following are some guiding principles which could be considered when working together: 1. Respectful- the parties should respect and listen to each other's ideas. 2. Informal to build rapport meetings should be relaxed and as informal as possible to allow for the flow of information. 3. Confidential all business discussed during mentoring meetings should be treated as confidential. 4. Productive the mentoring relationship should produce positive outcomes for the mentee s business. Mentoring relationships can help to solve short term issues or can last a lifetime. As such there is no set amount of times you should meet. As a guide however, four sessions at 1 1 ½ hours would provide a good amount of time towork on one or two issues or ideas.

4 How do I become a mentor? If you are interested in becoming a mentor you are asked to complete the attached Mentor Registration Form. Your details will then be kept by Council in a portfolio that will be distributed to mentees who register their interest to participate in the program. It is the mentee s responsibility to make contact with their chosen mentor. To be an effective mentor it is advisable that you have: extensive experience and knowledge in business (either in an ownership or management capacity); available time; good listening skills and have the ability to listen objectively and ask the right questions; tact, patience and diplomacy; and clear communication skills.

5 How do I find a mentor? You are encouraged to contact Council to receive a copy of the mentor portfolio. From there you can choose a mentor who you think most suits your learning needs. It is your responsibility to contact the mentor to arrange a meeting. Prior to the meeting you are requested to forward a completed Business Information Form to the mentor so they can prepare for the meeting. As described previously there is no set number of times you need to meet with your mentor, however being prepared and clear about your business issues or ideas will help you and the mentor to make the most of your time together.

6 What is Council s role? The Council would like to play a facilitative role to bring mentors and mentees together. In terms of involvement, Council: will not be prescriptive in how the mentoring relationship should work; may provide training to registered mentors to assist them with their role; will promote the mentor program and may, with permission, use an existing mentor relationship as a case study to demonstrate the benefits of the program; may organise networking events for the mentors and mentees; will seek feedback from mentors and mentees on the success of the program; and does not accept any responsibility for advice or support provided by mentors nor does it accept responsibility for outcomes that result from the mentoring process.

7 Summary of the mentoring program 1. Retired or semi retired professionals can register their interest to become a mentor by submitting the attached Mentor Registration Form to Council. This is placed in a portfolio. 2. Business people looking for a mentor contact Council and receive a copy of the portfolio. From there they choose an appropriate mentor based on their needs. 3. The mentee contacts the mentor to set up a meeting. 4. Prior to the first meeting the mentee completes the attached Business Information Form and forwards it to the mentor. 5. At the first meeting the mentor and mentee co-sign the attached Mentorship Agreement. 6. The mentor and mentee are then responsible for managing their relationship. 7. From time to time Council may contact the mentors registered in the portfolio to evaluate the success of the program and to gain an understanding of how many and the types of businesses are participating. 8. Mentors who are no longer available to offer their services or who have committed their time to one or multiple mentees can request their profile be removed from the portfolio temporarily or permanently. More Information: For more information or to register your interest in the program please contact: Sally Klose Manager Governance and Community Development

UMHS LEADERSHIP AT ALL LEVELS BROWN BAG. Mentoring, Sponsorship, and Networking. Sonya Jacobs, M.S., Director of Faculty Development 11.16.

UMHS LEADERSHIP AT ALL LEVELS BROWN BAG Mentoring, Sponsorship, and Networking Sonya Jacobs, M.S., Director of Faculty Development 11.16.11 Explain the difference between mentoring, sponsorship, and networking