January was National Mentoring Month. President Obama called upon public officials, business and community leaders, educators, and Americans across the country to observe the month with appropriate ceremonies, activities, and programs. As a result, many organizations saw this proclamation as an opportunity to celebrate mentoring. (more…)
Leaders often tell us that one of the drawbacks to being in charge is that they feel lonely and isolated. Ironically, at the very time when leaders need colleagueship the most, they experience it the least. Some loneliness is self-imposed and some is not. Many leaders have difficulty reaching out to others with comparable levels of experience and savvy. Many feel a lack of safety in sharing personal challenges and frustrations with internal colleagues. They are concerned that exposing their own vulnerability may one day bite them in the back, even if what is said is “in confidence.” Yet, particularly in new positions of responsibility and authority, leaders are more effective and less stressed when they bounce ideas off of, see a different perspective, find an experienced guide with and in a trusted advisor. (more…)
Successful leaders are self aware of just how important it is to manage their own strengths and weakness. We find Travis Bradberry and Jean Greaves’ toolkit-in-a-book a useful guide for how to use emotional intelligence to build and maintain relationships and strengthen leadership skills. Emotional Intelligence (more…)
Retaining Top Talent
Mentoring and retention form a natural partnership. Studies have shown that when organizations support their employees through mentoring, they retain them longer – increasing retention rates by as much as 80%. (more…)
The ability to build and maintain trust is critical to leadership success and the bedrock of a strong relationship.
Think about people that you feel the closest to. What is the trust level between you? How would you describe those interactions? (more…)
Ask any team member about the value of a diverse workplace and they will unanimously agree that it makes a positive impact in an organization. A diversity of opinions, knowledge and background adds value to problem solving by generating alternatives. Varied talents, experiences and perspectives tend to increase organizational performance, especially as more and more Gen Ys enter the workplace. (See Mentoring Across the Generational Divide). (more…)
