MWE TOI PROJECT Mentoring Women for Entrepreneurship Project Nº 2013-1-ES1-LEO05-67314

1. MWE TOI PROJECTMentoringWomenforEntrepreneurshipProject Nº 2013-1-ES1-LEO05-67314 GUIDELINES for MENTORING

2. Chapters • 1. Introduction to Mentoring • 2. Information for Mentees • 3. Information for Mentors • 4. Introduction to Entrepreneurship • 5. Introduction to Networking • 6. Bibliography

3. Chapter 1 – Introduction to Mentoring

4. What is Mentoring?

5. WhatisMentoring • Mentoring is a developmental relationship between a mentor and one or more mentees. • It is a relationship in which the mentor oversees the career progression and development of his/her mentee(s) and one that provides a mentee with essential functions such as counsel, challenges, and support. In other words, mentoring is a mutually beneficial partnership between a mentor who possesses greater skills, knowledge and experience and a mentee who is looking to increase his/her skills, knowledge and experience. This relationship, and especially because it is a professional one, is based on trust and respect for one another.

6. Why Mentoring?

7. Why Mentoring? • Mentoring supports and encourages people to manage their own learning in order to maximise their potential to develop their skills, improve their performance and become the person they want to be. Mentoring is widely recognised today as an extremely beneficial career development tool.

8. Why Mentoring? • Those who have been enrolled in a mentoring programme enjoy a number of advantages vis-à-vis those who have not been mentored. • According to studies, people who have been mentored, generally: • achieve better results in their jobs; • advance more rapidly within the organisation, industry or field of interest; • report more job and career satisfaction.

9. Types of Mentoring

10. Types of Mentoring • Mentoring is not homogenous. In fact there exists a wide variety of mentoring programmes. • Mentoring programmes differ based on: • the level of facilitation of organisationalrepresentatives; • the presence and quality of training for participants; • how often the mentor and mentee(s) meet; • the specific focus of mentoring

11. Types of Mentoring • Formal mentoring shows a degree of prescribed structure • Informal/Natural mentoring means that mentoring partners are accountable for their own participation • Mentoring under the MWE Project is placed somewhere between Formal and Informal mentoring because while mentoring partners are responsible for their own participation this module brings some level of formalisationand organisation

12. Formal/Informal Mentoring • Nowadays, many companies use formal mentoring programmes in order to enhance employees’ career development. By investing their time, efforts and funds into mentoring programmes for their own employees, companies achieve lower turnover of their workforce. • The MWE Project offers a platform which facilitates the exchange of knowledge and expertise between mentors and mentees which merges both formal (i.e. some level of organisation) and informal mentoring (i.e. partners are responsible for keeping up the commitment).

13. Formal/Informal Mentoring • It is argued that formal mentoring is less effective than informal mentoring. • Depending on the level of formalization of the selection process, formal mentoring may become too rigid. • Informal mentorship tends to register higher satisfaction levels among mentees as they receive more support from their mentors as opposed to formally arranged mentoring. To merge the best of two worlds it is important to ensure, that the mentoring under the MWE Project abides by the following principle: Mentors and mentees select each other due to mutual attraction, similar interests and personality characteristics.

14. Good mentoring “For a mentoring relationship to function well, it is not merely enough to have a perfect match between a mentor and mentee as suggested above. While this is necessary, it is not sufficient.” Therefore…

15. Good Mentoring For mentoring to be successful it is essential that: • Mentor and mentee both understand what mentoring is and what it is not; • Mentor and mentee set and facilitate clearly-defined learning objectives; • Mentor and mentee uphold effective and regular communication; • Both mentor and mentee initiate regular contact with one another; • Mentor and mentee hold periodic real or virtual meetings; • Mentee feels comfortable contacting the mentor at any time.

16. Good Mentoring Some basic rules to follow: • Any successful mentoring relationship must be based on RAPPORT and TRUST. • Expectations of both mentor and mentee must be explicitly stated beforehand and carefully managed – one should have expectations which are realistic. To this end it is very helpful to set modest goals and to plan strategies for achieving these goals. • Mentor and mentee should establish their formal relationship in writing – the best possible way to observe this point is to establish a so called mentoring contract where both parties will list their expectations and specify when and where they would meet. The document can also provide an overview of the activities which will be covered in the mentoring. • Mentoring relationships should be kept strictly professional. • Both parties should observe the principle of confidentiality. • Mentor and Mentee should agree on what and how much feedback should be given to the other.

17. Good Mentoring As in any relationship, mentoring also has its pitfalls that mentors and mentees should avoid; for example: • Mentor and mentee are not a good match; • Both mentor and mentee have unrealistic expectations; • Trust and rapport was never established; • Mentor and/or mentee lack time and/or skills; Any mentoring relationship will be unique by definition. This will reflect the needs and skills of those involved. By the same token, the reward for both the mentor and mentee will be unique too. Do not commit if you cannot deliver!

18. Mentoring & Soft Skills

19. Soft Skills • It is important to realisethatmentoringwouldbenothingwithoutspecificpersonality traits known as ‘soft skills’. • It is crucial thatboth mentor and menteepossesstheseskills in order to securesuccessfulcommunication and to allow for the process of mentoring to take place. • Soft skillsare requiredand expectedfrom people to be successful in theirprofessional and personal life.

20. Soft SkillsExample

21. Soft Skills Importance Soft Skills are very important in order to: • Handleinterpersonal relations • Takeappropriatedecisions • Communicateeffectively • Make a good impression • Developprofessionally

22. Soft Skills: 5 mostimportant Empathy • An essential soft skill, empathy means being able to put yourself in the position of someone else. Empathising with the situation or point of view of other people is crucial in order to sidestep issues and avoid conflict. Conflict resolution • When people are interacting, conflict is likely to arise at some point. You should know what each person’s pressure points are and use these to diffuse tension. • Learning and using conflict resolution skills can help you to ease potential conflicts before they occur, which can lead to better communication.

23. Soft Skills: 5 most important ones Negotiation skills • These are vital in everyday life. There should be win-win solutions to every problem. Communication • Many people have different ideas of what communication means, but it is important to know that it’s not only how you communicate with other people but also that different types of information and communication should be adapted to the messages at hand and the people involved. Multitasking • In general, people should be able to manage multiple and sometimes conflicting tasks in order to be more efficient in their every day life.

24. Remember…

25. Chapter 2 - Information for Mentees

26. Whybecomea Mentee?Mainbenefits & advantages • A professional partnership between mentor and mentee relies on the experience and knowledge of the former and the desire for and commitment to learning of the latter. • To refresh our memory, we now know that mentors can provide valuable direction and clarification. Good mentors will be the so called ‘door openers’, a guide informing the mentees of opportunities and helping them to achieve independence. Mentees benefit from a relationship where the mentor listens and he/she offers a different and fresh perspective.

27. Whoisa Mentee? In a similar fashion that we were able to identify what it means to be a good mentor we can equally define a good mentee. • A good mentee is someone who: • Is committed to learning • Has active listening skills • Shows openness and receptiveness to receiving feedback and coaching • Has strong self-management skills • Is willing to take risks and who has a desire for self-fulfillment • Who has a vision and is not afraid to develop it and turn it into reality

28. Whyitisimportant to plan In order to mitigate negative effects of the match between mentor and mentee there is a number of rules that mentees (and mentors) can follow:

29. Self-Awareness of a Mentee To reiterate the point made earlier mentoring is NOT: • Teaching • Therapy • Hierarchical relationship • Private lesson • Rigid agenda with strict procedures Itisimportantthatboth Mentor and Mentee are aware of this!

30. Self-Awareness of a Mentee • We have previously explained that mentoring under the MWE Project is to some extent formalisedand organised(see section on mentoring above) which also means that a mentor and mentee will most likely not know each other before they meet. • It is important that the partnerships under the MWE Project are always an ideal match.

31. Chapter 3 - Information for Mentors

32. Outline of theSection This section will: • Explain who is a mentor • Offer help in realising whether you would make a good mentor and help you understand what it means to be a good mentor • Outline traps which mentors should avoid.

33. Whois a Mentor?

34. Whois a mentor? • In simple language, a mentor is a guide to offer a mentee counsel and advice and who can help him/her find the right direction. Mentors are mostly professionals or former professionals specialisedin the same or similar area of interest of a mentee. It is due to their exhaustive experience that they gain trust and empathy with their mentee and this allows them to help their mentee progress in their own career. One of the very basic roles that mentees fulfill is confidence boosting. And while mentor should pose challenging questions to mentees, they equally need to offer them a great amount of encouragement and inspiration.

35. Mainbenefits & advantages of becoming a mentor As is the case for any relationship, the one between a mentor and his/her mentee is of one of mutual benefit. How can a mentor benefit from mentoring? • First, having the opportunity to pass down knowledge to others gives a mentor an opportunity to leave behind a knowledge legacy. • Second, learning is reciprocal. While it is true that the focus of mentoring and learning is on the mentee, sometimes the mentor can learn too. • Third, by being active in society and by helping others, mentors often feel a sense of fulfillment and satisfaction.

36. Mainbenefits & advantages of becoming a mentor • Fourth, mentors often feel the need to “payback” the amount of support they themselves received in early stages of their career. • Fifth, mentoring provides development opportunities for mentors as well as great personal satisfaction. Indeed, becoming a mentor may improve one’s leadership skills. Mentoring is both challenging and inspiring. • Last but not least, mentors are professionals or former professionals who have achieved success in their personal life. By becoming a mentor, their achievements, work, commitment and results are acknowledged by wider society as well as the mentee(s).

37. Are youready to be a Mentor?

38. Are youready to be a Mentor? • Are you willing and able to help a fellow farmer or someone considering becoming one to develop and achieve success? • Are you prepared to invest time and effort in this? • Are you a good listener and able to encourage others?

39. Continued • …Are you interested in challenging yourself and helping others to reach further? • Are you willing to share your personal knowledge and experiences? • Can you keep matters confidential? • If you answered yes to all of the above, you are predisposed to become a good mentor.

40. Whatitmeans to be a goodMentor • As mentoring requires specific skills, character and knowledge, not everyone has what it takes to mentor! Great and useful mentoring requires genuine commitment as it consumes precious time and energy. • Moreover and as previously explained, mentors often face external constraints such as organisational oversights. While the formalisation of mentoring facilitates interaction between a mentor and a mentee, it equally diminishes mentor motivation. • In general terms, a good mentor should: • ask questions and challenge • suggest networking opportunities • boost confidence and provide encouragement • offer advice 

41. Whatitmeans to be a good Mentor A good mentor will help their mentee gain confidence and increased independence so that by the end of the training he/she will become self-sufficient and successful. • It is also important to stress that for the purpose of mentoring women in rural areas mentors should be experienced in agriculture. Young farmers and those who desire to set up their business in agriculture tend to trust such mentors more.

42. Whatitmeans to be a good Mentor A good mentor is: • someone with respect and with strong interpersonal skills, organisationalknowledge and exemplary supervisory skills • who can listen andreflect upon what is being said • who is interested and prepared to invest time in the mentee • who is knowledgeable and open, prepared to share their own experiences; someone who is able to provide practical training; • who has experience in agriculture and preferably a farmer him/herself.

43. Whatitmeans to be a good Mentor A good mentor is someone: • who challenges and offers advice; • who provides encouragement, can be critical but always positive and with a can-do attitude; someone with personal power and charisma; • who has a realistically positive outlook; • who can bring people together; and • who is flexible.

44. Traps to Avoid

45. Traps to Avoid • To enhance one’s chances of succeeding in becoming a good mentor, one should be aware not only of things to do but of things to avoid, too! It is of essence that mentors avoid traps that can hamper the progress of teaching and learning. • A good mentor should NOT: • Be over confident • Say “You need me” or “I am the expert” • Mentoring is NOT: • Teaching • Therapy • A hierarchical relationship • Private tutoring • A rigid agenda with strict procedures

46. Traps to Avoid • Mentors and mentees should be aware of what mentoring is and what it is not. • Mentors should not feel obliged to help the mentee with all their problems nor should they feel bad when they cannot help. • There will indeed be situations when the mentor will not have the skills or knowledge to answer mentee’s questions and he/she should not be shy to admit it. This is not a sign of failure but honesty. • Equally, mentors should not feel obliged to get dragged into personal problems. If that is the case they should remind the mentee the boundaries of their professional relationship and if possible suggest alternative sources of help.

47. Chapter 4 – Introduction to Entrepreneurship

48. WhatisEntrepreneurship? Entrepreneurshipisa capacity and willingness to develop, organise and manage a business venture. • Entrepreneurs tend to operate in the areas of business in which they have already gained experience, either as an employer or an employee. • There are a number of reasons why people become entrepreneurs: • Economics – people’s desire to become self-employed • Psychological, sociological and cultural factors have a noticeable impact on making individuals want to become entrepreneurs • Natural entrepreneurial capabilities of each person – it is believed that some of us have inert abilities to excel in entrepreneurship

49. Female Entrepreneurship

50. FemaleEntrepreneurship In academia, the subject of female entrepreneurs was relatively unknown until the beginning of the 1980s. Since the end of World War II, we have seen a huge increase in work sectors with female employees as well as a jump in investment in education and training. This has resulted in the rise of female entrepreneurship. Definition of female entrepreneurship: • 51% of the business has to be owned by a woman for it to be able to be called a female-owned business • Business that was started, managed and owned by a woman