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The Best time to do Certification Courses is during your Full Time Job

by Mentoring Side Up – Case Studies

When you are in a corporate job as an #humanresources professional, try & seek as many certification courses as you can from your employer.

– Understand from your role & organization perspective, which course(s) is relevant for you.

– Scout the market & evaluate all options objectively.

– Consult & take guidance from your seniors on the benefits of the selected course.

– Seek sponsorship of the course from your employer. Be ready to settle in for part sponsorship.

– Negotiate on doing this course during work-hours (without cutting on your Earned Leaves).

I say this with experience, by being on both sides of seeking & giving approvals, if you’re passionate, persistent and committed to do this course, your HR Head would give you the approval, budget and time to do this.

However, what is extremely important for you to do post the completion of the course is:

– Share what you learnt with your team.

– Apply the newly acquired knowledge to your job.

#learning is the only way to #growing.

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Theoretical Models of Mentoring

by Mentoring Side Up – Theory

Mentoring has evolved into a powerful tool for personal and professional development. Rooted in the principles of guidance, support, and knowledge sharing, Mentoring has become an essential aspect of various fields, including education, business, and personal growth.

At the heart of mentoring lies a symbiotic relationship between the mentor and the mentee. While the mentor contributes wisdom, experience, and guidance; the mentee brings enthusiasm, curiosity, and a willingness to learn. This partnership creates an environment where knowledge, skills, and experiences are transferred from the mentor to the mentee, shaping the latter’s personal and professional journey. The mentor’s role is not only to instruct but also to inspire, motivate, and provide a safe space for exploration.

To comprehend the dynamics of mentoring relationships, various theoretical models have been developed. These models provide frameworks for understanding how mentoring functions and how it contributes to the growth of both mentors and mentees. Some of the prominent ones are:

Social Learning Theory:

Albert Bandura is a prominent psychologist known for his work on social learning theory. This theory suggests that people learn from observing others’ behaviors, attitudes, and outcomes of those behaviors.

Cognitive Apprenticeship:

The concept of cognitive apprenticeship has its roots in the cognitive psychology domain. It was popularized by researchers like Allan Collins, John Seely Brown, and Paul Resnick. Cognitive apprenticeship focuses on how mentors can provide guided instruction, coaching, and real-world experiences to help mentees develop cognitive and problem-solving skills.

Self-Determination Theory:

Self-Determination Theory (SDT) was developed by psychologists Edward L. Deci and Richard M. Ryan. It focuses on the factors that drive human motivation and how individuals develop a sense of self and autonomy. SDT is applied to mentoring by emphasizing the importance of fostering mentees’ intrinsic motivation, autonomy, and personal growth within the mentoring relationship.

If used well, Mentoring can be an extremely beneficial tool for a growing professional.

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Uses of Mentoring in Corporate World

by Mentoring Side Up – Theory

Many companies recognize the value of mentoring and have established formal mentoring programs to support their employees’ growth and development. Here are a few examples of companies known for their structured mentoring initiatives:

  1. IBM: IBM has a renowned mentoring program called the “Mentoring Circles.” It connects employees across different levels and locations to foster learning and development. Mentors and mentees engage in group discussions, workshops, and one-on-one interactions.
  2. Google: Google offers several mentoring programs, including the “EngEDU Tech Mentorship Program” and the “Veterans Network Mentorship Program.” These programs pair experienced employees with newcomers to provide guidance and support.
  3. Microsoft: Microsoft’s “MySkills” program is an example of a comprehensive mentoring initiative. It focuses on skill development and career growth, allowing employees to connect with mentors, set goals, and track their progress.
  4. Deloitte: Deloitte’s mentoring program, “Aspire,” aims to support women’s advancement within the organization. It provides opportunities for career guidance, skill development, and networking.
  5. Cisco: Cisco’s “Reverse Mentoring Program” encourages junior employees to mentor senior executives, especially in areas related to technology and digital trends. This promotes cross-generational learning and knowledge exchange.
  6. PepsiCo: PepsiCo has a “Mentor Matching Program” that connects employees seeking guidance with mentors who have relevant expertise. This program spans various areas, from leadership development to diversity and inclusion.
  7. Procter & Gamble (P&G): P&G’s “Mentor Moms” program helps working mothers navigate the challenges of balancing work and family responsibilities. Experienced employees serve as mentors, offering advice and support.
  8. General Electric (GE): GE has a mentoring program focused on developing leadership skills and fostering career growth. The “Leadership Mentoring Program” pairs emerging leaders with seasoned executives.
  9. Salesforce: Salesforce offers a formal mentoring program called “MentorHer.” It is designed to empower and support women at the company by providing mentorship and networking opportunities.
  10. Accenture: Accenture’s “Mentorship Program” is part of their commitment to fostering diversity and inclusion. It provides a platform for employees to connect, share experiences, and receive guidance.
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What is Mentoring?

by Mentoring Side Up – Theory

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The term “mentoring” was added to the Oxford English Dictionary in 1886. It is defined as “The action or process of acting as a mentor; the relationship between a mentor and his or her disciple.”

In ancient Greece, the philosopher Socrates is often considered one of the earliest mentors. He engaged in dialogues with his disciples, encouraging them to think critically and explore their ideas. In ancient Rome, apprenticeships were common in various crafts and trades, where experienced artisans mentored younger individuals in their craft.

Over the centuries, Mentorship continued to play a role in education. Philosophers and thinkers often took on proteges, guiding them in intellectual pursuits. The late 20th century saw the emergence of formal mentoring programs in various sectors, including academia, business, and non-profit organizations. Corporate mentoring programs gained popularity as companies recognized the value of pairing junior employees with experienced mentors to facilitate skill development and career advancement.

When you read this, your mind tends to think that this is what teachers also do, then how is mentoring different? Not only teaching, there exists a lot of confusion between Mentoring & Coaching too.

The main differences between teaching, coaching, and mentoring lie in their goals, approaches, and the nature of the relationship between the educator and the learner. Teaching emphasizes content delivery, coaching focuses on skill improvement and goal achievement, and mentoring centres on guidance based on personal experiences. Each approach has its own strengths and applications, and they can complement each other in various learning and developmental contexts.

They are all possible ways of learning something new. Depending on your need, you could go for a teacher, mentor or coach or all of them.

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Having a Mentor is a must for every corporate professional

by Coaching Side Up – Theory

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Having a Mentor is a must for every corporate professional. A good mentor can help you get:

– Clarity

– Direction

– Acknowledgement & Validation

As part of the Management Trainee program, I was formally assigned a mentor in my first year of corporate world. @ChrisTobit, a CEO of immense repute was my first Mentor. I used to feel anxious before our sessions, but I clearly remember how each session with him made me more confident & determined to achieve.

Post my lovely experience with Chris, I started seeking mentoring on my own. I started consciously seeking time from the leaders I worked with. And despite their busy schedules, they always give me knowledge, ideas, direction, and more importantly, their warmth & time.

Here’s how mentoring has helped me over the years:

– I had to deliver a critical project for the CEO and despite my best efforts, I was not getting the required data. I had reached a dead-end and just one frantic call to my mentor helped me get clarity. Mentor’s simple advice was- break down the data into smaller chunks and then play with what you have. It worked.

 – The workplace competition was getting to me. Every day I would go to office just to win. My mentor saw this & sat me down- this is not who you are, what do you really want to gain with all this? I re-prioritised immediately to focus on what was true for me. 

– A tough functional leader was not giving me time for an important career framework discussion. I was on the verge of giving up when my mentor told me how he struggles with time with senior leaders too and the strategy he uses to get this done. I pursued the leader and not only got his time but also his appreciation on my designed career path framework.

Even today, I make attempts to meet my mentors as often as I can. During our conversations, I try and understand what difficult complex people issues are they managing, how are they doing this and challenges they may face with this. I try and get a sense of how they look at their careers, what more they want to achieve. I also ask them for guidance for a new project I would have picked or the next steps that I am planning for my self-growth. 

 Now, as I have become a mentor myself, offering mentoring as a service to mid-career humanresources professionals, I feel extreme gratitude of having mentors in my life.

If you’re an HR professional with 5-15 years of work experience wanting to get a mentor for yourself, feel free to reach out to me at storysideup@gmail.com to book a free discovery session. 

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Managers are by definition meant to Manage

by Coaching Side Up – Theory

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

They were creating a content module on coachingconversations for all the peoplemanagers of their organization. Due to my experience in both humanresources and coaching , they asked me to review the content.

My immediate reaction was- Please don’t do this! Your Managers can never have the time, patience and/or skills to do effective coaching with their reportees.

On their insistence, I reviewed their content, but throughout the process kept feeling the pain a Manager would go through with this concept.

Managers are by definition meant to Manage.
They are always under the pressure of targets (revenue, productivity, engagement, attrition etc.). They can never have the mind-set of coaching. And even if they do on one fine Saturday, by Monday they would be required to get back on action mode- give direction, delegate, manage team members.

Coaching is a holistic journey; mastering the art of coaching requires hours of practice, mentoring and learning. Just by providing nude questions to Managers & giving them a guide on when to use each question is like sending them to hardware shop to buy milk. Pointless.

The more these two roles are kept separate, the better it is for every one in the organization.

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What is True to Client?

by Coaching Side Up – Theory

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

During one of the coaching sessions, my client said she wants to quit her job because she wants to spend more time with her kids. Her dilemma was, she didn’t want to do it with the fear of losing her identity and self-worth.

I work with women a lot, specially young-mid professionals. This is a common dilemma- the conflicts of each role that define our identity.

As a coach, I worked with her to identify what is true to her.

What does spending more time with kids mean for you?

What would that make you feel?

What would you miss?

How would that make you feel?

Is there a way you can get to spend time with kids and still not miss what is important for you?

We are currently working on a plan where she can engage her skills constructively for at least 3-4 hours in a day, once she leaves her job.

Coaching is powerful. It helps an individual pause, reflect, plan & move ahead.

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A Workplace Coach

by Consulting Side Up – Theory

The more I get into depths of problems with a client organization, the stronger my belief gets that every organization should have:

– A Workplace #Coach: An in-house coach, who only coaches. Any employee should be able to schedule a session with this coach. 

– Mentors: Well-chosen mentors from amongst internal teams. #mentoring should be a formally run program in every organization. 

– A Communication Expert: An in-house expert, whose job is to ensure #workplace #communication happens across stakeholders. Any employee should be able to reach out to this expert to learn how to use Communication to solve for conflicts, engagement & performance. 

These are workplace enhancement tools, which should be made accessible to employees at all stages of their career. 

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Learn & Practice Effective Communication

by Consulting Side Up – Theory

I have been working with a client company for the past few days where the #humanresources team does not exist. It is a start up, and they haven’t yet felt the need to invest in a full time #hr team.

In the past few months, they have started experiencing dis-engagement & low #performance levels from their bright & well-educated young professionals.

I came on board as a #consultant and one of the first things I did was to #communicate with each individual of the organization.
And guess what! Just these well-intentioned, specific conversations have already given plethora of data points highlighting the reasons for the dip in performance and #engagement .

As I sift through these data points to make an action plan with the leadership team, I can’t help but wonder- what makes #communication such a difficult skill to acquire?

While it is the only way to achieve goals & revenue, yet the least amount of time & conscious effort is spent on improving our everyday #workplace communication.

They didn’t need a #hrconsultant , they just needed someone to come and have conversations with their teams.

If you’re leading a team, or part of HR team of your organization, then learn & practice effective communication. It’s no more an option, it’s a necessity.

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70:20:10 principle of learning

by Consulting Side Up – Theory

70:20:10 principle of #learning had gained a lot of prominence in corporate world in early 2000s. 

It said that an individual learns in 3 ways:

70% through experiential learning. 

20% through social learning (peer learning, mentoring, coaching etc.)

10% through formal learning courses (training).

Despite being critiqued heavily by management gurus at that time, this model gained a lot of popularity amongst #Humanresources fraternity. I remember clearly that almost every HR event during those times had at least one slide & case study on this learning model. 

I don’t hear of this model much these days, specially in new & fast-paced industries. I wonder if it’s because they have started using other learning models like Kirkpatrick or Kolb for their learning strategy now.

One of my manufacturing clients recently surprised me when they talked about their intent to implement this model. I had a wry smile on my face and left the meeting room thinking how strange it is that some industries invent, adopt, use & discard working models during short spans of their existence and there are some, that prefer to carry on with one model for years.