The reward of helping others by being a mentor
Tom Bland, Strategy and Campaigns in GCS, shares his insights and the rewards of being a mentor:
When I first became a Government Communication Service (GCS) mentor, I was unsure what value I could offer someone. I had a bit of an unconventional role; I was not one of the “higher” grades, and wondered if the time commitment would be tricky. But it turns out it didn’t really matter on much of these, and it took me by surprise how rewarding it felt to contribute to the development of others.
With a fair few years under my belt in the private sector and civil service, I had many experiences to draw on, and sometimes you don’t necessarily need to have done the exact same thing to find an anecdote. Having that different person’s perspective, being a sounding board, are the key. Part of learning is from hearing about (and experiencing) pitfalls, failures/mistakes, and I was happy to share mine too.
Use your first session to establish objectives and whether you both think it’s a “good fit”. If it isn’t for any reason, it’s best to try something else. Time commitment need only be 1 hour per month as a baseline (although I’ve done more when a mentee was struggling).
And if the reward of helping others isn’t enough, think of the following:
- If you’re looking to develop leadership skills, becoming a mentor is a great entry point without (necessarily) being a manager yet
- It will have a positive effect on your end of year review
- It will look great on your CV
- It could help unlock career opportunities, maybe ones you hadn’t previously considered.
Why did you decide to become a mentor?
The first time was unofficial and by accident (!) In 2015 I sat next to our GCS team apprentice and he wanted to learn a variety of new skills. My job role was broad, so he began to help on my tasks and was a sponge for information and knowledge. I found I was asked all sorts of things – including life, trials and tribulations – and I found myself a kind of advisor/confidante. When he left a year later he sent me an A4 letter saying how much he appreciated it and a list of ways it had helped him, both in work, and as a man. It remains the most touching note of appreciation I’ve ever had. After that I wanted to do it again, so did so, a little more formally on the GCS scheme with another apprentice, then with 2 GCS marketing colleagues.
How has being a mentor helped you? Have you had a mentor yourself?
It helped me realise I probably have a bigger box of skills to share than I might think of myself. It’s always fascinating seeing perspectives of other people – some things you have knowledge of, you sort of assume others probably know too, but that’s quite often not the case. Also mentoring is something refreshingly different to the day job.
What qualities do you need?
Being empathetic, a good listener. Warm. Able to build relationships. Able to identify ways the mentee might navigate a situation – sometimes you may not have been in a particular scenario yourself.
Would you recommend being a mentor?
Without a doubt – as long as the pairing is right. It’s great for your CV too.
Leonie Blakeway, Deputy Director of Strategy and Campaigns in GCS, also shares her experiences of being a mentor
Why did you decide to become a mentor?
I decided to become a mentor because I wanted to help others using my experience. In my career I’ve been lucky enough to have fabulous mentors and managers and I wanted to give other people the same opportunity.
How has being a mentor helped you? Have you had a mentor yourself?
I’ve always had a mentor and encourage everyone in my team to have one too – I think it’s very important as it gives you a sounding board and a new perspective away from your day job. I find mentoring very rewarding and always learn a lot, it’s helped me consider new ways of looking at challenges and helps me with problem solving.
What qualities do you need?
An open mind and a good ear.
Would you recommend being a mentor?
Absolutely, I love being a mentor and also recommend reverse mentoring too!
How do I become a mentor?
We want as many GCS colleagues of every grade to become a mentor, here’s how:
- Sign into GCS Connect
- Head to “My profile” (top right of the page)
- Choose “Become a coach or mentor” (menu on right)
- Complete the form, provide a short bio
Click ‘Sign up’, and that’s it! Your profile should now be visible in the “Find a coach or mentor” tab.
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