The power of mentoring

Peter Bond FCIH  |  Neighbourhood Team Leader, Regenda Group.

Mentoring can play a big part in helping to shape your future career. I believe that the CIH mentoring service gave me the building blocks to win Rising Stars 2013 and secure my new role as the neighbourhood team leader with the Regenda Group.

During 2009 and 2010, I experienced a number of career disappointments as I attempted to secure a different role in housing. I was always keen to try and use these experiences in a positive way, but at times was left a little confused by some of the feedback I had received from interviewers.

It was at this point that a colleague suggested that I should consider mentoring as a way of working on this feedback and developing areas where I wasn’t as strong.

In autumn 2010, I made contact with CIH and within a short time, I was matched with my mentor John Cockerham (director of neighbourhood services at Guinness Northern Counties). John was a perfect match for me as he is someone who had developed his career from housing assistant to the director.

John helped me immensely to break down the confusing interview feedback I had received and put together a practical plan to work on certain areas.

I found it really reassuring to have a fellow CIH member as my mentor as John was someone I could really relate and open up to. It was this real openness that allowed me to gain so much from being mentored by John. Furthermore, he had a clear understanding of the knowledge and skills that employers are looking for.

Being mentored by John really helped to refocus my professional development. In addition, it gave me the belief to seek out new opportunities which enabled me to continue to learn and grow.

I believe that the CIH mentoring service gave me the building blocks to win Rising Stars 2013 and secure my new role as a neighbourhood team leader with the Regenda Group.

Since I won the competition, I’ve continued to progress my professional development and I feel very lucky to be mentored currently by Carol Matthews, group chief executive at Riverside Group Ltd. Despite having only worked with Carol for a few months, her advice and support are contributing to me becoming a much better leader. I would encourage all CIH members to involve themselves in the mentoring service, either as the mentor or mentee.

Valuing and participating in lifelong learning and personal development is a pillar of our code of conduct. I believe that mentoring is an important tool which, as a professional body, we should use more widely to develop the housing professionals and leaders of tomorrow.

A mentor’s view from Carol Matthews CIHCM, group chief executive at Riverside Group Ltd

Carol Matthews is a CIH chartered member and took up CIH membership in 1984 when she began her housing career. Here she talks us through her experiences of mentoring and why it still has an important role to play.

I’ve mentored a lot of people over the years, and sometimes those mentees have turned into friends. Currently, I mentor Peter Bond and we have spoken about leadership dilemmas and how to get the best out of people. I’ve been encouraging him and nurturing him on how to become a good leader and manager of people. I think, without a doubt, that Peter has got the skills to progress in housing and senior management.

I’ve mentored about a dozen people over the last 20 years and I believe that those of us that become more senior have a duty to encourage the next generation. When people give you positive feedback about your skills, it makes such a difference. My experience as a young woman was that I didn’t have a lot of confidence, and to have someone senior saying to me that I really was good and that I could go a long way gave me the confidence to apply for promotions, move around the country and grasp new opportunities.

But mentoring isn’t a one-way street. Every single person I’ve mentored I’ve learned something from and gained an insight into their world. Peter helped me to crack Twitter and see its benefits. What Peter showed me overtime was the way in which you could use Twitter for learning, sharing and campaigning. I’ve also appreciated the benefit of his experience with regards to employment, training and apprenticeships.