Small Business Research + Enterprise Centre’s Post

One of the great things about my job is getting to explore and raise awareness of really important topics. That's why it's been so rewarding to support Georgina Waite and the team at the Association of Business Mentors (ABM) on a piece of research looking at the impact professional business mentoring. The full report is out today and there are some really interesting findings including: 🤑 Almost two-thirds of business leaders say that the professional business mentoring they have received has directly contributed to increases in revenues and profits. 💚 7 out of 10 business leaders said working with a professional mentor improved their mental health and confidence. ⚠️ There are still challenges in allowing the benefits of business mentoring to be felt across the economy - 25% of business leaders said they found it harder than expected to find a mentor, suggesting that demand may be outstripping supply. As we go for growth in the UK, there is clearly an important conversation to be had about how professional business mentoring can support the growth agenda. Hopefully this work is a contribution to that. https://lnkd.in/eDAY3Y9e

Much of the work I do on mentoring focuses on its impact on employees within organisations, but it's important to reflect on the importance of mentoring for business owners. It's sometimes easier to distinguish between different contexts by referring to 'career mentoring', 'executive mentoring' and 'business mentoring'. The labels can be useful at times but are ultimately a distraction - everyone can benefit from mentoring, whatever you do! The excellent and highly recommended Association of Business Mentors (ABM) have today published a research report on the impact of professional business mentoring, focusing on the impact of mentoring on business owners. The stats from the report speak for themselves: - 65% of the leaders surveyed said that the mentoring they received helped them directly boost their revenues - 63% said that mentoring allowed them to increase their headcount (I hope the Government are taking note!) - 70% said that working with a professional mentor improved their mental health and confidence - 72% said that it directly improved their work/life balance - 72% said that they benefited from improved mental health and confidence as a result of being mentored. The stats behind mentoring consistently make a compelling case for people to invest their time in finding a mentor to help them on their journey. While many people who seek mentoring for their career, particularly within an organisation, wouldn't expect to pay for that support, professional mentors can make a real difference, and many business leaders do pay external mentors. And are happy to. If mentoring isn't on your radar right now, shouldn't it be? If you don't know where to begin, I'd suggest a rather good book on the topic - The Financial Times Guide to Mentoring, which I wrote with Ruth Gotian, as well as reaching out to the ABM. There are plenty of resources on the ABM website, as well as through National Mentoring Day. We share a host of sites and resources at https://lnkd.in/eCrspja3. If you'd like to read the ABM's report, you can access it at https://lnkd.in/eHkQ9y8t #MentoringDrivesGrowth #mentoring

Group coaching isn’t just about building skills — it also fosters community. McKinsey’s Terrence Hackett recalls the story of one high potential employee who was struggling to find her footing and considering leaving the company. Group coaching helped her connect to others, form relationships needed to participate in more projects, and stay rather than quit. Group coaching engenders a sense of inclusion and helps employees build networks that enable them to do their best work, all while investing in their development. Read about how and why leaders at McKinsey, Google, and Accenture scaled group coaching: https://hubs.ly/Q02PKFKk0

I am happy to share that I’ve completed all requirements for the International Coach Federation’s (ICF) Associate Certified Coach (ACC) credential. 🎉 This coaching journey has been a transformative experience for me personally and professionally. Through this process, I gained important insights, learned valuable skills, and built a support network that has amplified my ability to help people heal, learn, grow, and change. More importantly, I have a renewed sense of purpose after languishing in a mid-career malaise. As a BIPOC coach and leader, it is crucial for me to constantly challenge the status quo and push for greater representation and equity in all spaces. Obtaining my ACC credential has strengthened my desire and conviction to decolonize and democratize coaching – to amplify and give primacy to the marginalized voices of Black, Indigenous, and other people of color (BIPOC). Along this journey, I’ve had hundreds of coaching conversations with BIPOC entrepreneurs, educators, and executives and experienced firsthand the remarkable shifts when people are supported and inspired to live and lead with love, authenticity, power, and purpose. 💕 Why do I love this work? Here are seven reasons why I love coaching the underdeveloped, underresourced, underestimated, and underrepresented: 1. Empowering the “Firsts” & “Onlys”: Witnessing individuals who are the first from their community or the only one like them in the room grow and thrive is profoundly rewarding. 2. Creating Safe Reflection Spaces: The joy of providing a respite where clients can reflect and address the impacts of colonialism, intersectionality, and structural inequality, with the psychological safety and freedom to do so. 3. Fostering Authentic Leadership: Helping leaders discover their leadership brand and use their authentic voice to transform their careers and lives (and the careers and lives of others). 4. Building Inclusive Cultures: Witnessing the ripple effect of emotional intelligence and inclusive leadership capacity on team and organizational culture is compelling. 5. Promoting Personal & Professional Growth: It's a unique delight to see someone achieve clarity and confidence in navigating their role and work relationships. 6. Achieving Balance and Satisfaction: Assisting clients in finding fulfillment by becoming less stressed and more connected to themselves, their work, their family, and their community. 7. Connecting to a Larger Purpose: Contributing to the legacy of BIPOC coaches working towards racial justice and equity within and outside mainstream coaching. Courageously and unapologetically integrating their sensibilities into their approach and employing BIPOC scholarship, values, and world views to serve their clients better. ✊🏾 ✨ Your story matters. Your voice matters. Let’s discuss how we can amplify it together. ✨

💡 Driving Business Growth and Wellbeing with Professional Business #Mentoring 💡 Thrilled to see the latest research from the Association of Business Mentors (ABM) spotlighting the transformative impact of professional business mentoring on both organizational success and personal wellbeing. Thanks for sharing Georgina Waite Kerrie Dorman Mentoring for Business and in the Workplace As someone who has witnessed the power of mentoring first-hand, it’s clear that structured, professional guidance doesn’t just support business growth—it empowers leaders, fosters innovation, and builds resilience in the face of challenges. Key insights from the research reveal: 📈 Mentoring significantly boosts growth and scalability for businesses. 🧠 Improved mental wellbeing and confidence for founders and leaders. 🤝 Professional mentoring creates accountability, clarity, and long-term impact. This is a timely reminder that mentorship is not just a “nice-to-have” but a strategic enabler for businesses of all sizes, from startups to established enterprises. If you’re a business leader seeking growth or a mentor keen to make a meaningful impact, this research underscores the value of investing in professional, accredited mentorship. Let’s continue to champion mentoring as a critical driver of success. 💬 What role has mentoring played in your journey? I’d love to hear your thoughts or experiences in the comments below! #BusinessMentoring #Leadership #Growth #Wellbeing #ABMResearch https://lnkd.in/eeAXyvB4

For our 14 March 2024 EMCC Global GPS Dialogue, Diane Wilkinson Team and Leadership Coach invites you to explore her 10F spring of resilience model, using a personal story. The 10F model looks at 10 factors that become increasingly important for personal resilience as you travel up the spring. Diane says: "Together we will reflect on how this may be useful in coaching sessions with clients that are struggling with stress and burnout. "We will also explore the usefulness of this model in increasing self care in ourselves and clients. There will be an opportunity to consider the questions, we as coaches may have, in the boundary of using models with clients." https://vist.ly/38qna Diane is the founder of Connecting to Excellence and works with a cross-sector of clients in #Europe, #USA, #Asia, #Africa, #Australasia and the #MiddleEast. Starting her career being trained as a Quality Circles facilitator in the South African Electricity Industry, she worked both at the coalface and Senior Exec level supporting productivity and people development across the organisation. Now she provides supportive challenge in facilitating and coaching senior teams, senior leaders and training facilitators in the private, public and voluntary sectors, including energy trading, automotive, pharmaceutical, software, business schools, finance, construction and health. Diane is known for taking calculated risks to enable client development and growth. She says, ‘I grew up surfing waves in South Africa, I quickly learnt when to surf a wave and when not to, in case I was ‘dumped by the wave’. Like with teams today, I choose when to take a risk and curiously ask a question, ‘What’s stopping you addressing the silo approach here?’ Sometimes it works, and the results feel like surfing a wave, other times not. It’s about learning when to take risks and when to choose not to. Multi-cultural experiences enrich her work with organisations, teams and individuals to deliver novel approaches. She enables team development that is fun, challenging, interactive and improves bottom-line results. #coaching #resilience #leadership #mentoring

As I already mentioned, I went further in the "helping professions" and began to study to become a professional Supervisor, the training is in two directions, Supervisor for business and Supervisor for coaches. Therefore, inevitably, I consider competencies in a broader sense, and we started to learn 3rd competency, I’ll give it in its entirety for starters (by the way, it says here about coaches, but in general it is all relevant for business supervision as well) Provides Support Provides a supportive space for the supervisee to process the experiences they have with clients and to prioritise their wellbeing as a coach or mentor. i. Creates a safe, reflective space for the supervisee ii. Demonstrates belief in the supervisee’s potential and resourcefulness iii. Offers support, where appropriate, for example a) Recognises signs of stress and voices these concerns, as appropriate b) Supports the supervisee to maintain their well-being, safety and resilience c) Works with the supervisee on difficult coach/mentoring cases d) Shares ideas regarding practice development, business challenges and professional goals iv. Explores options for additional support, when necessary v. Supports the development of the supervisee’s professional identity Well, you have to agree that it sounds like a buzzkill! The supervisor demonstrates confidence that the supervisee (i.e. the client) has potential and enough resources! I imagine a perfect world in which every parent demonstrates the same confidence to their children, in which every manager/leader behaves in the same way with their employees, allowing them to find an endless source of energy within themselves. In general, the topic of support, especially now, is opening up for me in a completely new way, based on my own experience I can confidently say that support is incredibly empowering, I have seen many examples of how instead of criticism for failures a person receives support, coming out of the situation many times stronger. The problem is, in my opinion and from my experience, that what professional coaches, mentors and supervisors are taught, professional parents and leaders are not taught, well, or they are, but not all and on demand. I'd be happy to be wrong! If you have any thoughts, please share, it would be greatly appreciated! #business #enterpreneurship #coaching #supervision

Embracing the Power of Coaching & Mentoring In today's fast-paced business landscape, the success of any company hinges not only on its strategies and technologies but also on the growth and development of its people. Coaching and mentoring have emerged as indispensable tools in fostering individual and organizational excellence. Yet, the question arises: How should companies navigate the realm of coaching and mentoring? Is it solely reserved for management, or should it extend to all levels of the organization? While some may argue that coaching is primarily a prerogative of top-tier management, the truth is that its #benefits transcend hierarchical boundaries. Every individual within an organization, irrespective of their role or level, stands to gain from personalized coaching and mentoring experiences. In essence, the approach to coaching and mentoring should be tailored to suit the unique dynamics and needs of each company. For smaller teams or startups, where intimacy and individual attention are feasible, focusing on individual coaching sessions can yield significant results. On the other hand, larger corporations with extensive employee bases might find value in group coaching initiatives that foster collaboration and collective #growth. It's crucial to recognize that in today's era, the one-size-fits-all approach no longer suffices. While platforms like LinkedIn Learning offer valuable resources, they often lack the personalized touch necessary for meaningful growth. Investing in tailored coaching and mentoring programs allows companies to address the specific challenges and aspirations of their employees, thereby nurturing a culture of continuous learning and development. Recently, I had the privilege of attending a session with Henrieta Bělunková, ACC certified in coaching and mentoring. The experience was eye-opening, not because I felt a personal need for it, but because I wanted to explore alternative perspectives on this crucial topic. As we navigate the complexities of the modern workplace, let us not overlook the transformative power of coaching and mentoring. By championing a culture that prioritizes the holistic development of its people, companies #can unlock their full potential and thrive in an ever-evolving business landscape. 🔔 Attention !! We've worked out a special window in Henrieta's schedule just for YOU. Dive into the transformative world of coaching and mentoring with a complimentary first-time session. Don't miss this chance to unlock your potential and chart a course for success! #Coaching #Mentoring #ProfessionalDevelopment #EmployeeEngagement #Development

A shout out to all that I will be conducting a series of Coaching Courses with Singapore University of Social Sciences, IAL NACE! If you have ever faced common workplace struggles like feeling ineffective, dealing with unreasonable bosses, or being overwhelmed by never-ending tasks, these courses are designed with you in mind. Every day, we hear these frustrations: "I’m not reaching my full potential at work." "My team is unmotivated and productivity is suffering." "My boss expects too much, and I’m struggling to keep up." "There’s so much work, and I don’t know how to manage it all." What makes these courses unique is that I will be incorporating corporate psychological theories and underpinning frameworks to help you understand the psychology behind workplace behavior. You will learn how to manage not just tasks, but people—yourself included—while creating a more motivated and effective environment. By gaining insights into human behavior and the psychological dynamics of the workplace, you will be better equipped to handle these challenges. Whether you are coaching, leading a team, or mentoring others, these courses will help you walk your coachee through the complexities of human behavior, raise awareness of why organizations work the way they do, and provide practical strategies to thrive, no matter the workplace challenges. Here are the course details: 1. The Fundamentals of Coaching in the Workplace (https://lnkd.in/gj3qXyMa) – Ideal for those new to coaching, focusing on essential coaching techniques. 2. Maximise Performance at the Workplace Through Coaching (https://lnkd.in/g2WzCNQe) – Learn how to drive results and productivity through strategic coaching. 3. Cultivating Effective Leadership Through Coaching (https://lnkd.in/gRQUfEx2) – Enhance your leadership style by integrating coaching into your approach. Whether you are feeling the pressure or want to help others perform better, these courses will provide the tools you need to navigate workplace demands with confidence. You can use your SkillsFuture Credits to sign up! Let us work together to overcome these everyday challenges and create a thriving workplace! 💪 #SUSS IAL #Coaching #Workplacelearning

I’ve been sharing a bit this week about what team coaching is and what it might look like for your team. But as everyone always wants to know, and rightly so, what might the results, the outcome, look like for the team? Here are a few examples of results that have come from team coaching interventions that I’ve been involved in: 👍 Improved Communication: I coached a team spread across multiple jurisdictions which resulted in more regular, more open communications that help to build trust and understanding, and break down ‘them and us’ stories undermining relationships. 👍 Increased Collaboration: I’ve worked with teams to help them align to a common cause through recognising the variety of strengths and depth of knowledge across the team that they can leverage collaboratively to find more robust and creative solutions. 👍 Stronger Team Cohesion: I’ve coached teams to help them find their common purpose and shared values, so that they can align behaviours, actions and strategies more cohesively. 👍 Greater Accountability and Performance: I’ve helped teams to recognise the value in creating team agreements that articulate how they want to work effectively together, covering values, behaviours, accountability, conflict and so on, and to see this as a living agreement that requires review and amendment as needed to help keep them on track. 👍 Increased Trust and Psychological Safety: I’ve explored with teams the impact of their behaviours on trust and psychological safety by shining a light on drama and toxicity, and how they can hold themselves accountable to show up differently in order to co-create a respectful environment where everyone feels valued and heard. 👍 Stronger Leadership: I’ve supported leadership teams to work more cohesively, and to develop their leadership effectiveness in order to equip them with the increased self-awareness, resilience and creativity needed for the demanding, challenging and uncertain environments and markets in which they lead. The typical return on investment for team coaching can vary widely depending on the organisation and their specific context, the specifics of the coaching program, the metrics used to measure success, and a variety of other factors. However, studies and reports often suggest that the ROI for team coaching can range from 200% to 500%, or even higher. This means that for every pound invested in team coaching, organisations might see a return of two to five pounds or more in terms of increased productivity, reduced turnover, and other benefits. If you’re curious to learn more about how team coaching could transform your teams, get in touch. #teamcoaching #transformingteams #teamoerformance #iom