A key aspect to increasing capability is learning from other professionals both professionally and personally. RLP provides individuals the opportunity to do this through our Mentoring Program which is designed to build one-to-one relationships between water sector professionals of differing career and life experience.
Build capability through shared experience
Our program supports individuals from the outset. We pair mentees with mentors and help create a flexible structure that suits individual objectives, needs and experiences.
Our program is complementary to internal mentoring programs providing an avenue for cross-organisational and sectoral relationships to form.
We facilitate two types of mentoring:
- Personalised guidance from an expert. A mentor can share professional experience and practical skills they have gained throughout their career, and advise you in areas like time management, interpersonal skills and business relationships and help guide career paths.
- Accelerated professional development. Mentoring can assist you in reaching milestones and provide guidance to help share important industry insights and minimise potential challenges.
- Increased networking opportunities. A mentor can introduce you to other leaders in the field, expanding your professional network and also be able to recommend new roles, training programs or promotions to fast-track leadership pathways.
- Expanding digital skills competency. Younger employees have a lot to offer senior leaders when it comes to understanding and integrating technology into workplaces. While many senior leaders have had to learn social media, younger employees have a much more intuitive understanding of platforms and how to leverage them.
- Leadership development. Even if the goal of your reverse mentoring program is to have younger workers teach senior leaders, learning will be a two-way street. Younger employees can benefit by improving skills that will make them great future leaders, such as communication.
- Improved diversity. Learning to understand and respect differences is a key element to mentorships, including reverse mentoring. Reverse mentoring is an effective way to champion employee diversity and inclusive leadership.
Benefits
For mentors
Being a mentor goes far beyond the rewarding feeling of ‘giving back’. There
are a vast range of personal development benefits that mentors gain from the experience, including:
For mentees
Mentees gain much from being mentored, more than just professional development, including: