Personnel, Training and Education Group

"Some individuals quite simply make a difference to the lives of people they meet. I was lucky to meet skilled individuals who I trusted with my doubts and questions, people who maintained their confidence in me when I lost mine. This one-to-one involvement with someone who cared about my interests was influential in my learning and decision-making. A ‘mentor’ helped me to become Chief Librarian, then to change my mind and leave libraries for the voluntary sector. Another enabled me to cope with a totally new culture and encouraged me to use my experiences to contribute to national courses and committees.

I have had line managers who were effective mentors but four key people came from outside my own organization. We met through training and development activities. This meant that they knew the context I was working in but had an objectivity provided by distance. Each one combined responsiveness and proactivity in our relationship. They had an almost telepathic gift of telephoning at critical moments to say, ‘How are you getting on?’. I have their undivided attention when I need it. This is not always comfortable, I am stretched and challenged, made to take responsibility for my own decisions. ‘What are you going to choose?’, is a phrase that sticks with me.

My career might have taken the same path without mentors but I believe that their presence in my life has made me stronger and more confident in the appropriateness of my choices."

<< Back - Contents - Next >>