National Mentoring Day gives you a chance to get a taste of the benefits of mentoring. Let us explain what it is, how you can get involved and where it can lead.
National Mentoring Day was launched to celebrate mentoring and its impact. And rightly so! Business Mentors has been offering support for almost three decades and seen the incredible impact mentoring can make. Together our Business Mentors have given hundreds of thousands of hours in support to over 75,000 business owners throughout the country. A contribution of over $225 million at times is certainly something worth celebrating. National Mentoring Day is a chance to do just that.
Volunteer hours are only the beginning when it comes to the contribution of our Business Mentors. There are tens of thousands of individual stories that show the power of shared experience, wise guidance and generous support. National Mentoring Day puts the spotlight on these. It’s why Business Mentors is so pleased to join with thought leaders, professional organisations and visionaries throughout the world to recognise the great work Mentors are doing to support individuals and businesses.
Everyone can take part in National Mentoring Day
Getting involved in National Mentoring Day is not only rewarding; it’s easy! In fact, within a few minutes of reading this piece, you can contribute to the impact of mentoring.
Firstly, if you’ve ever had a Mentor, consider reaching out to them to say thanks. Our Business Mentors get deep satisfaction simply by seeing others succeed, but their generosity deserves acknowledgement.
On National Mentoring Day, we challenge you to take few moments to consider mentoring someone. Every businessperson has skills and experience to share as a Mentor; a single conversation can be all that’s needed to effect a positive change in someone. Here are few things to think about that will help you to get you started.
- What’s one lesson you’ve learned in business that you could share?
- What’s something most people misunderstand that your expertise allows you to help them with?
- What’s one technology or efficiency tool that you could show someone else how to use?
- What kind of encouragement would you like to offer people in business?
National Mentoring Day may be just the first step
What comes to mind when you start thinking about all you have to share? We’d love to hear about it on our social media channels. You can join the conversation at [BMNZ Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter Links]. The hashtag is #NationalMentoringDay.
If you have a particular area of expertise, we likely have someone on our database who would love to connect with you. As a result, National Mentoring Day may well become the first step in a rewarding new chapter. We know that Mentors regularly find they get as much from the process as those who are supported.
Tech highflier Angela Finucane began mentoring earlier this year, and she’s enthusiastic about encouraging others to give it a try.
She says, “I can see that Business Mentors offers as much to the Mentors as it does to all the small businesses they support. It’s just such a valuable thing.”
Similarly, Keith Alexander, a Christchurch-based Mentor, said he found joy in giving advice and expertise unbridled by any commercial arrangement or vested interest.
“Mentoring is incredibly rewarding. I’m semi-retired, but I enjoy drawing on my experience in manufacturing management, operations management, and business management.
Anna Salek, a Mentor in Nelson, says, “I had a Mentor myself, and I think about why it was so good for me, especially in times of huge upheaval.
A Mentor is someone who is there just for you: not a family member, not a friend. Sometimes it's not even for advice. Instead, talking to someone helps clarify your thinking. You don't necessarily need to be told things, but it helps to share what you're doing with someone outside your circle of interest. You can tell a Mentor anything – it's just for you.”
What would your mentoring story be? If you’re looking for an opportunity to find out, then getting involved in National Mentoring Day on Wednesday 27 October is a great first step. We look forward to having you join us in celebrating mentoring!
