Estelle Roux-Stevens The Power of Mentoring

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The Power of Mentoring: A Personal Journey

Today, we dive into the impactful universe of mentoring and how it has significantly shaped my life. I hope that my story can inspire you and that you can glean some actionable insights from it. Success is a relative term, and for me, it's heavily defined by my encounters with various individuals and my unflinching adherence to my core values - growth, recognition, freedom and meaningful work.

A Journey through Corporate Life

Growing up, my dad, a serious banker, occupied the world of finance, while my mum, a stay-at-home parent, was the creative force in our home. As such, I didn't have a prominent female business role model during my formative years. Venturing into my dad's old-school, male-dominated business world, a young girl in brightly coloured dresses amidst men in grey suits, I wondered where all the women in business were. For me, it was a wake-up call, a challenge I took upon myself to turn the tide.

The Role of Mentors

Mentoring has long played a pivotal role in successful careers. Stats reveal that 80% of learning happens between mentors and mentees, and 75% of private sector executives credit mentoring as crucial to their career development. Even Fortune 500 companies have embraced mentoring, with 71% offering mentoring programs.

Finding the Right Mentor and Discerning the Difference Between Mentoring and Coaching

Choosing the right mentor is crucial, and having had two mentors in my life who have significantly impacted my career trajectory, I learned valuable lessons. But before diving into that, let's clear up a common confusion - the difference between mentoring and coaching.

Coaching is a partnership formed when you need clarity on your path and goals. A coach helps you gain clarity and brainstorm a tactical action plan. On the contrary, a mentor is someone you partner with when aiming to develop a specific skill set. They share their knowledge, experiences, and even mistakes, creating a valuable learning platform.

There are three clear types of mentors everyone should have on their journey: Peer Mentor, Career Mentor, and Life Mentor. A peer mentor helps you during your early career stages, a career mentor guides you on long-term career decisions, while a life mentor aligns with your core values and guides you to combine your career, community, relationships and personal goals.

Lessons From My Mentors

My first «mentor» matched none of the descriptions above, an HR head I reported to—who played politics and reeked of negativity—taught me the kind of businesswoman I didn't want to be. Ironically, this negative experience motivated me.

The next woman on my journey, another mentor, understood my strengths, weaknesses, potential, and helped me harness them to forge a successful career. She gave me the nudge I needed to plunge back into HR, aligning it with my passion to help others grow.

To sum up my mentorship journey, I quote Steven Spielberg: "The delicate balance of mentoring someone is not creating them in your own image, but giving them the opportunity to create themselves." I have found this to be the cornerstone of a successful mentorship relationship.

Whether you're aspiring to become a mentor or seeking one, feel free to connect. Remember, success is deeply personal and tied to your dreams, and the right mentor can empower you to reach your full potential.

Don't hesitate to dive into this enriching experience of mentoring, be it reverse mentoring (learning from those younger or less experienced), maternity mentoring or diverse mentoring. The world of mentoring is wide, diverse, and full of promising opportunities for personal and professional growth.

"In the end, it's not about being successful by the amount in your bank account or the assets you own, but about achieving your core values and impacting those around you in the process. That's the true success in life."


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