I was asked to judge a team of University of Calgary students - who are competing in Enactus - during their practice before the big competition. I was the first judge to arrive so I spent some time speaking to one of the professors who happen to teach project management. To be successful at any project, business or personal, requires that you manage your time effectively. For the Virtual Literary World Tour I now feel like I am stuck in a rut. Since the beginning of February 2013, I have read 57 books for the Virtual Literary World Tour by authors in 22 countries. People tell me that, that is an amazing accomplishment. The problem is that … [Read more...]
Mentoring Moment: How Good Is Your Customer Service?
December 13, 2012 by
How good is your customer service? How easy do you make it for your customers and clients to use your products and services? Do you assume that it’s intuitive and no instructions necessary? Or do you go the extra mile to make sure that satisfaction is guaranteed? And do you make it easy for your customers to contact you? I was stomped…my smartphone was ringing…I did not have a clue how to answer it. I saw what looked like a vibrating speaker, so I tapped it, and nothing happened. I missed a few calls that day. I know you’re thinking, “How stupid could she be?” and maybe you’re correct in thinking so. I got my first … [Read more...]
Beyond Traditional Mentoring – The Next Steps
November 19, 2012 by
Beyond Traditional Mentoring – The Next Steps was inspired while I was reading the article, “Beyond Mentoring: The Need for Champions” by Ida Abbott, which is in the November 2012 issue of the Mentor News newsletter. Abbott’s article is written for those in the legal profession, but it is relevant for any professional. What struck me is that the writer is saying some of the things that I have been saying on this blog. In Beyond Mentoring: The Need for Champions which I recommend that you read, Abbott emphasizes the need for having people who champion you in the workplace. Although having mentors, sponsors and champions are … [Read more...]
3 Mentoring Tips – What Mentoring Isn’t
September 24, 2012 by
In mentoring relationships, mentors guide and advise their protégés. The most successful mentorship partnerships are high trust relationships, where those involved, value and respect each other. Mentors advise their protégés but they cannot force them to accept the advice. Ever heard of the saying, you can lead a horse to water but you cannot make it drink it? It’s something like that. Protégés have the right to decide if the advice they receive is in their best interest. Mentors and protégés must listen actively to each other, which helps them to understand who they are and their limitations. A mentor should never try to … [Read more...]
Mentoring Trends, Types of Mentoring & Strategic Use of Mentoring
September 17, 2012 by
In the webinar, “Why Mentoring Programs Can Fail – The Common Pitfalls to Avoid,” led by Judy Corner Director, Consulting Services, Insala, she covered trends in mentoring, the reasons for mentoring, how mentoring is used and the types of mentoring. Please see Part One of this post 7 Common Pitfalls to Avoid With Your Mentoring Programs. Trends in Mentoring Mentoring is now a part of the business and organizational strategy. Organizations are moving from informal to more formal mentoring programs and tying it to their organizational objectives. Mentoring is becoming more strategic. Mentees are matched with mentors based … [Read more...]
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