Mentoring is a relationship between two people. As a mentor you pass on valuable skills, knowledge and insights to your mentee, in this instance an apprentice, to help them develop personally and in their career. It is highly beneficial to both businesses and the individual as it is designed to improve individual skills, knowledge and work performance through a series of development techniques based on one-to-one discussions.

When carried out well, mentoring not only provides the mentee with confidence and self-reliance, it helps to build strong teams, transfer valuable knowledge and prevent skills gaps.

Here are our top tips for effective mentoring in the workplace:

1. If you are tasked with choosing a mentor for the apprentice, select a mentor based on personal attributes. One study (Hirst, Short & Rinne, 2014) suggests that a mentor with such characteristics as openness, confidentiality and trust is more beneficial than selecting a mentor based on their position within a company.

2. Clearly define roles and responsibilities of the mentor and mentee. This can be achieved through a schedule which outlines goals, deadlines and regular meetings. This provides some ground rules for both the apprentice and the mentor.

3. Create a coaching environment and embed this in the organisational structure. This means, providing senior members of staff, HR and the mentor with essential coaching and mentoring skills, which can be understood and utilised when mentoring an apprentice.

4. If you are chosen to mentor, make sure you can actively listen. Taking a genuine interest in your mentee builds a rapport and creates a trusting working relationship. It will make the mentoring journey more valuable for both participants.

At Roundhouse Thinking we understand and value workplace mentoring. We offer a two day Mentoring your Apprentice in the Workplace course with provides any individual tasked with mentoring an apprentice, the tools required to develop an apprentice and help them unlock their potential.

For more information about this course, visit www.roundhousethinking.co.uk

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PRINCE2 is back, and has been revised to offer an updated edition of the worlds more practiced method for project management.

PRINCE2 2017, offers updated guidance and new Foundation and Practitioner examinations. Modernised through a collaborative approach involving over 100 Practitioners, trainers, consultants and global feedback. The fundamentals of PRINCE2 remain, but the emphasis within these have shifted to recognise the evolving demands of today’s business environment.

The course is 5 days, and aims to educate participants on how to fully apply the 7 PRINCE2 (Projects IN Controlled Environments) principles to the running and management of projects. The course will take you from beginner level all the way through to a registered PRINCE2 Practitioner through expert tuition and coaching. 

As an internationally recognised award, PRINCE2 develops your project management theory and ability to manage a project of any scale with success. The practical application of guidance, real-life examples and tips provide you with the confidence to adapt the PRINCE2 method to your own organisation and projects.

The qualification is ideal for Project Managers, aspiring Project Managers and any staff involved in the creation and conveyance of projects.

If you would like any further information including upcoming dates, please do not hesitate to contact us via This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

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Leadership is established over time through teaching, learning and experience and is a set of skills acquired, which when combined; equip you with the ability to lead a team to success.

Consider these 6 behaviours to become an effective leader.

Self-Awareness of your strengths and weaknesses allows you to understand other people and how they perceive you. This in turn increases trust and credibility within your team. It also allows you to implement change effectively within your organisation.
Listening not only is essential part of communication between you and your team, it also develops trust, enhances motivation and helps detect and solve problems faster.
Commitment to advance the welfare of employees. Dedicate time to developing your employee’s skills, through coaching, mentoring and training, to help them become better leaders.
Empathy not only to identify with others but to accept what others contribute to the company.
Persuasion will influence many stakeholders to follow a course of action. Having influencing skills will assist with organisational change and development.
Foresight allows leaders to analyse the past to make informed decisions for the future.

Each person embodies at least some leadership qualities; it is how you use and adapt these that determines your success.

Are you looking to develop yourself or your team? We identify skills gaps and integrate training into your business in order to create instant impact and drive results. Learn more.

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