I have been a governance professional for nearly 25 years and during that time I have sometimes needed additional support to guide me through career challenges, career decisions and to help me stay resilient when things got difficult.
The governance professional role is uniquely interesting, but also challenging. It can leave us feeling isolated and lonely, particularly if we work on our own, or when working on confidential matters. There can be complex and challenging reporting lines and relationships to navigate, where we need excellent soft skills, on top of our technical knowledge. At other times we might need support to prepare for and achieve a promotion or to develop new skills. And it is not always appropriate to seek this support at work.
Whilst I have been lucky enough to receive support in these areas through paid-for coaching with a qualified professional, CGIUKI recognises that this option is not available to everyone, but that most governance professionals need support at some point in their careers. So, with access to governance veterans, CGIUKI can offer its members free mentoring though a specially set up scheme for CGIUKI members and students. The scheme is currently available to UK-based members only, but if you are based in Ireland please get in touch so we can assess demand for the scheme there.
When the scheme was launched, I signed up as a volunteer mentor and later became involved in running the scheme. My governance background, plus my accreditation as a coach mean that I understand what a powerful tool mentoring can be and I am a passionate advocate for it.
Why it works
In my experience, people usually seek out a coach or a mentor if they want something to be different. But change is hard, as David Rock describes in his interview with Jeffrey Schwartz in ‘A Brain-Based Approach to Coaching’ in the International Journal of Coaching in Organizations.
This is because the primitive parts of the human brain are wired to detect and resist change. We also use the automatic parts of our brains for tasks we undertake regularly, rather than the working memory, which has limited resources and tires quickly.
Remember the concentration needed when you first learnt to drive a car, and how now you can drive without thinking? This is an example of how a new skill transfers from our working memory when we are learning, to the automatic parts of the brain when the new connections have been made. If you want to make a change you have to focus on it until the new habit develops.
Rock also suggests that: ‘Focusing on the solutions creates solutions, while focusing on the problems can deepen those problems in our thinking.’ A CGIUKI mentor will help you to stay positive and encourage you to find the solutions that feel right for you and your particular circumstances. This is vital because we all resist advice sometimes, as I am sure you will have observed in your interactions with other people at work or even at home!
So your mentor will ask you thought-provoking questions to identify the outcome you want, the options you have and the actions you can take to help you achieve your goals. They can also provide you with opportunities to review your progress, notice what you are learning and set new actions. All of this helps your brain to form new connections and achieve your goals.
I have found that busy mentees use the opportunity to step out of the day-to-day detail to see the bigger picture and identify insights and solutions. Feedback on the scheme shows regular focus on career or personal development gets positive results for mentees.
It also provides bespoke continuing professional development. If you have ever attended a course and felt that it did not quite give you what you were looking for – or you did not implement what you had learnt when you got back to work – mentoring is the solution.
Soft skills are difficult to learn on a course because you need to practise them consciously until they become hard-wired. You can learn through experience, but you can do so faster by focusing attention on the skill and consciously applying it until it becomes a habit. Mentors can support you through this.
Even though many organisations have introduced in-house coaching and mentoring programmes, these may not be appropriate for governance professionals who handle sensitive issues or want to plan their next career move. Often, organisations do not have anyone who understands the scope of the role. CGIUKI’s scheme provides a confidential, safe space to discuss challenges with an impartial, experienced outsider.
Past mentees have used the scheme to help establish themselves in a new role, to develop soft skills or to help them plan their career. Senior governance professionals have used a mentor to help them work through leadership challenges or how to deal with difficult boardroom behaviours.
What does the scheme offer?
If you sign up for the scheme you will receive up to six one-hour sessions with a CGIUKI volunteer mentor, usually over a six to 12-month period. All mentors are members, are experienced governance professionals and have attended a one-day training course.
When you sign up we will match you with a mentor based on the information you give us about what you are looking for. It is important that you have a good rapport with your mentor and if you do not, we will find someone else for you. You can meet face to face if you work or live close together, but most mentoring sessions take place online.
What is expected of you?
You get out what you put into mentoring. You will be expected to meet your mentor regularly and agree actions which you will take between meetings. This will ensure that you gain the most from the mentoring and that you meet the goals you have set.
Your mentor will not give you advice or tell you what to do so expect to be pushed by your mentor to find your own solutions. They will help your thinking by asking questions to help you work through your challenges, see things differently and they may be able to make additional suggestions.
Scheme feedback
The scheme is confidential, so I have not attributed comments to individuals, but below are some examples of the experiences of some of the mentees in the past.
One mentee felt she was ready for promotion to deputy company secretary and needed some support and guidance to get there, as well as someone to act as a sounding board and to help her build her profile at work. She said that working with a mentor forced her to carve out time to focus on her goals, recognise her strengths and appreciate what she was achieving.
‘Our discussions were focused and fruitful and I was always challenged to achieve two to three goals before the next session,’ she said. ‘This meant I always made progress and ultimately achieved my goals.’
After six mentoring sessions, she achieved her ambition to be promoted to deputy company secretary and said it positively impacted her confidence and morale.
Another mentee had just been appointed to the senior management team and wanted to establish herself in the role. Working with a mentor who had been through the same process helped her to gain clarity, focus and perspective. She received advice and encouragement and found the mentor to be a valuable sounding board.
She also learnt new ways of approaching issues. This helped her to understand her authentic leadership style, how she contributed to the senior management team and how to convey this to her colleagues so she could make a real impact. She said: ‘I achieved better results than I could have hoped for.’
How to get started
If you are interested in learning more, email me at MentoringConsultant@cgi.org.uk. I will invite you to a welcome meeting for all mentees wishing to join the CGIUKI mentoring scheme at which I will tell you more about the scheme, what you can expect, the benefits of having a mentor, but also what is expected of you so you get the most out of the opportunity. You will also be able to ask any questions. If after attending the session you want to go ahead you will be asked to complete a short questionnaire to help us match you with a suitable mentor.
Want to become a mentor?
If you have read this and you are interested in hearing more about what it is like being a scheme mentor and how to get involved, find out more in my mentoring blog.
Written by Lesley Ward FCG.
