Maureen O’Callaghan – Good Business Research

I asked the focus group of experts what barriers would have to be considered when supporting entrepreneurs to see the potential value of mindfulness. Here’s what they said.

Some Entrepreneurs Don’t See it as a Priority

Entrepreneur Carl said many entrepreneurs don’t see mindfulness as being important. “ Their perception is they are too busy or too focused on cost savings to recognise the opportunity investment in development can bring.  Real and tangible results I find tend to interest business owners.”

It May Be Seen as a Burden

Carl adds that being mindful and prosocial is often viewed as a burden. “ I think it is an opportunity and to encourage people, if they are going to be mindful or social, get them to recognise it is an opportunity not a burden.”

Some People Are Generally Not In Support Of Mindfulness

Some entrepreneurs won’t be in support of the idea of mindfulness, says business adviser Sharon. “ Though the entrepreneurs we see tend to be quite aware of mindfulness so I would say the barrier is that it is being broken down socially more widely.  There is more awareness those are the minimum standards now, and the benefits of these things in terms of being able to keep going for longer, with a sense of purpose and actually being fulfilled in what you do…and yes the economic benefits that brings to how you operate and the creation of value more widely.”

There’s A Stigma Associated Due To The Connection With Mental Health

Entrepreneur Ali feels mindfulness brings with it a stigma, due to its association with mental health. “ Mindfulness is relatively new and has been used as an aid to deal with mental health problems, so there is a stigma. The association is that it’s used to help prevent people from falling apart.”

Business adviser Sharon adds that putting mindfulness in context is also important. “ There are different contexts. What does mindfulness mean in a business context? What does mindfulness mean personally?  The definitions are huge, it is subjective in a way.”

There’s A Lack Of Understanding About Mindfulness

Alex, from a business support organisation, thinks there’s a lack of understanding around mindfulness. “ Do you think people understand what mindfulness is though? Because I think it is a word that is bandied around a lot, especially by celebrities, they think they are being mindful -but are they? What does it actually mean? Therefore, there needs to be a greater understanding of what it is because it can easily become something it is not. We need to understand what it is before we can help anyone.  We need a clearer definition.”

There’s A Perception Of There Being Gender Stereotypes

Business adviser Sharon feels there are gender stereotypes when it comes to practicing mindfulness. “ The mindfulness stuff is seen as not what a ‘real man’ does. …I don’t mind mindfulness, I actually quite enjoy it, I think it works, I think it has benefits.”

Effort Is Required To Introduce Mindfulness

Business network leader Scott feels that the fact effort is need to introduce mindfulness is a potential barrier. “ What about the effort involved?  Lots of businesses are under pressure and time is a scarce commodity for some people, and this pressure to be mindful about everything that is happening within your organisation dos stake a certain amount of effort.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I asked the focus group of experts how I could best design an intervention that supported entrepreneurs to see the potential value of mindfulness to both themselves and their organisation. This is what they said.

Use Case Studies

Entrepreneur Carl suggested the use of case-studies. “ Use case studies and testimonies to convince them of the benefits followed by practical advice.  You could also show them evidence of organisations and individuals who have implemented some mindfulness-based interventions and what it has done for them, and the people they work with. I think purposeful case studies would be really helpful.”

Separate Mindfulness From The Prosocial Agenda

Carl adds that mindfulness should be separated from any prosocial agenda. “ The idea that they may become more prosocial, they might get frightened by that.  A lot of them are driven by money, they are thinking about the commercial success of their company, then introduce the social aspect later on.”

Use Examples That Relate To Entrepreneurship

Carl also thinks that the use of examples of how mindfulness benefits entrepreneurs would be helpful. “ I think particularly through the lens of entrepreneurship and perhaps how to manage risk, that is a big consideration for entrepreneurs as they tend to be risk takers.  It is knowing when to cap that instead of being so risky that you have lost everything you worked for.  So I think try to show them the difference mindfulness can make rather than just tell them and put forward the case that mindfulness can help them manage risk and lead to better decision making.  I think that would speak the language of entrepreneurs.”

Include Opportunities For Experiential Learning

Entrepreneur in training Ali said there should be a chance to do the intervention in their own way and in their own time. “ If it is too regimented, people lose sight of it.  I would say that you could introduce it, that they could do it in their own time in a way that is casual, so routine but not regimented.”

Link It To The Mental Health And Wellbeing Agenda

Alex from a business support organisation feels that it might be helpful to link the intervention to the mental health and wellbeing agenda. “ There’s a need to have Mental Health First Aid to identify where mindfulness would work, where people might need more help, and building that into annual appraisals and one to ones with your manager.”

Entrepreneur Carl agrees that it should be linked to wellbeing. “ Concerns about people’s health and well-being in organisations, whether sole trader, entrepreneur, or working in large organisations it is huge and it is going to for huge for some time.  There is going to be a massive increase in debilitating conditions through a lack of emotional well-being. Employers are very aware of this and people are not really sure how to deal with it. Mental health services are really concerned about how to cope with increased demands.   Mindfulness factors into that, again at this moment in time there is a lot more focus and might then be some coordinated approaches that structures this into organisations.

Carl adds that entrepreneur wellbeing needs to be a strong focus “ How can we support sole traders and entrepreneurs not to beat themselves up all the time, thinking they have got to be working at 150%? Need to take time to consider that. It is a very hot topic and will be for some time.”

Encourage Practice

Business adviser Sharon feels mindfulness practice should be encouraged. “ It is a lot harder to stick with something if you only do it once and then leave it.  So reminding them, making it something they have to do, to stick with it, not formal but also you can opt out for a period of time so that they can start seeing the benefits. I think with mindfulness when you start doing it and it is something you have done for a while, then it something you naturally start to do yourself and to think about it in terms of what would make me happy, what do I actually need to do now, and things like that.”

Develop Self-Awareness In Entrepreneurs

Commercial trainer Graham says there should be a focus on developing entrepreneurs’ self-awareness. “ Humans- we think, feel, behave, act, react to people, places and things – these dictate success.  Start with self, how I feel and behave.”

Explore Emotions

Graham adds that developing emotional awareness and intelligence is also important. “ We don’t talk about feelings enough.  How do we then provoke social consciousness? How do we encourage people to ask the questions, how do I feel about this experience, can I try something different?

 

 

Supporting Entrepreneurs to See the Value of Mindfulness- Overall Approach

The next research theme I took to my focus group of experts was ‘How can entrepreneurs be supported to see the potential value of mindfulness to both themselves and their organisation?’

Here’s what they said.

Be Flexible

Business adviser Sharon suggests there’s a need to avoid being prescriptive. “ It’s about not being prescriptive, it’s about recognising what mindfulness is for that individual within the work environment.”

Explain The Tangible Benefits

For entrepreneur Carl, emphasis needs to be given to the tangible benefits of mindfulness. “ I believe this comes down to time, unless there is a clear value, perhaps in a broader sense to the entrepreneurs, with tangible and real outcomes, they are unlikely to engage purely from an academic point of view.”

There Needs To Be Link To Ethics

Carl adds that there should be an awareness of ‘mental health washing.’

Make It Relevant

Carl believes there needs to be a move away from a mental health focus. “ You need to look at the wider benefits, its impact on relationships, productivity. Talk about it from their point of view.”

Bring People In From The Margins

Carl also sees a need to bring in people from disadvantaged backgrounds. “ In poor communities, I think there is no other option but to survive through enterprise.  Take that from the margins to the norms and allow it to flourish in the mainstream, and again structural injustice around access to support can keep people in the margins, and there is huge opportunity to unleash great entrepreneurs in our poor communities if you allow people to do it and have it driven by them.”

Consider The Argument For Combining Mindfulness And Prosocial Agendas

Claire from an organisation supporting social entrepreneurs says there’s an argument for combining mindfulness and prosocial agendas. “ Actually, being mindful and prosocial are great assets for the modern-day entrepreneur and it is not this outdated notion of it being “Oh no, not something else you are expecting us to do.” I think that is the problem, you teach people there is a cost to being kind and respectful to suppliers and customers then you are immediately getting off on the wrong foot.  The best way to do that is to demonstrate the success, the growth, the profitability, the viability, resilience, diversity, and success ultimately of being both mindful and prosocial because certainly all of the evidence that I get is that it makes for happier entrepreneurs and makes for more sustainable and better business.”

Normalise It

Business Adviser Sharon thinks that normalising mindfulness makes sense. “ I think a lot of misconceptions probably come from people not having it taught to them or spoken about to them in their day-to-day lives.  I think if it is something people are naturally doing and have been doing, then it is something they start to understand a lot more, and this reduces the chances of those misconceptions.”

Be Clear On The Benefits

Entrepreneur in training Ali said there’s a need to be clear on the benefits of mindfulness. “ If you’re trying to sell it, be really clear on what the benefits are.”

Address Misconceptions

Business Adviser Sharon sees the misconceptions around mindfulness as a stumbling block. “ The main stumbling block is the social norm of it all, what people think it is compared to what it actually is, so if you start with ‘this is how it can really help you, how it can change your life,’ then people will start to listen.”

Consider Its Application In Organisations

The focus group had a lot to say about the application of mindfulness in organisations.

Scott, from a business support network, acknowledged that mindfulness has become current in organisations with regard to managing thinking.

Business adviser Sharon says more mindfulness in organisations is a good thing. “ If there is more mindfulness in organisations to increase that mental awareness capacity then it is a good thing.”

Alex from a business support organisation wondered if being mindful would bring added pressure to businesses. “ What about the effort involved?  Lots of businesses are under pressure and time is a scarce commodity for some people, and this pressure to be mindful about everything that is happening within your organisation does take a certain amount of effort.”

Entrepreneur in training Ali thinks that introducing mindfulness into a business needs to be something that entrepreneurs want to do. “ I think bring in somebody who is an expert in it and they can actually demonstrate and then it is up to the workplace to make their own informed decision, but you cannot force it on people. Then it is not natural, it is not going to work, it has to be something people want to do.”

Alex agreed with Ali’s statement, adding that their needs to be some flexibility. “ The other business difficulties and complexities organisations need to manage does not always mean you can set things in stone, there has to be flexibility there.”

Acknowledge The Limitations

Business adviser Sharon says it’s important to achieve balance by acknowledging the limitations of mindfulness. “ Where there is a deficiency then mindfulness helps all sorts of organisational cultures and then there is an optimal point, you have to have balance.  There are mindfulness practices going on, you are aware of the importance of it and the development of the workforce…and it was too much of a good thing. It became detrimental when they were pumping it down people’s throats and there was not a lot of focus on anything else, knuckling down to perform the task at hand.”

Consider The Role Of Business Support

Sharon adds that there’s a need to look at how important prosociality is within the role of business support. “ Is it fundamentally part of what an entrepreneur should be?  Should we be pushing it with start-ups or does it sit within business support?

It is not up to us, we work with them to set their own values and their own mission and goals, it is up to them if they adopt it or not. We can give clear guidance, but we need to understand what it is, but people are not going to practice unless they believe in it, because it is not part of their world, it is not for them.”

I asked the panel of experts in my focus group interviews was ‘how can we make the intervention part of an eco-system of support? Here are their responses.

Encourage Collaboration

Business adviser Sharon pointed to the importance of building relationships to encourage collaboration. “ I think what we are talking about is an eco-system of business support and it has not evolved, it is static. It is about building and developing and maintaining those relationships and those partnerships and opportunities for joint working.”

She adds that sometimes joining forces with others is not easy. “ It can be a difficult thing for us to build bridges.  We are not always great at celebrating other people’s success, are we traditionally? It is something we need to be.  Maybe that is what will happen as people become more aware that we are far more than a single part and that by helping other people, this splashes back on their own areas.”

Encouraging Entrepreneurs to Support Each Other

Alex from an organisation providing government-funded support said that his organisation is asking businesses to support each other on a daily basis. “ We are asking businesses to support one another, we are asking them almost on a daily basis.  In new projects, we are asking other team members to get involved and they are happy to do that. There is insightful stuff on LinkedIn that people are sharing that you would never have imagined them sharing, helping everyone to grow, not only being seen as ‘that person’, but really showing an interest in helping other people succeed.”

Finding New Ways of Working Together

Alex adds that finding new ways to work and collaborate is important. “ We have evolved different ways of working together, valuing contributions from others, collaborating, and technology has been one of the best examples. How we have all jumped into Zoom, how networking has evolved, business to business interaction and across the whole landscape, it is changing so quickly.”

There’s a Need to Move Away from Competition

Business adviser Sharon said that she sees entrepreneurs working together and sharing information now more than ever. “ It is interesting to go back to the “dog eat dog” world, 3-5 years ago.  It was all ‘You have got to be aggressive, you have got to be tenacious, you have got to be all these things to be a top-tier business person,’ and you would think at the time of a pandemic it is going to be survival of the fittest and it is going to get nasty, and people are going to be fighting to achieve, to be top of the pile, and the opposite has happened. It’s the ‘be kind ‘mentality, the working together, sharing together that has really succeeded and I can see that.  If you had asked me on paper what I predicted it would not have been that, it would be the other way round.”

Developing Communities Of Practice

For the intervention to be a worthwhile part of the eco-system of entrepreneurial support, it’s important to develop of communities of practice that include mentoring and training, said commercial trainer Graham.

How Learning Mindfulness Online Benefits Your Wellbeing

Work-related stress contributes to poor mental and physical health, and it’s the main reason that employees take time off. The demands on employees are higher than they ever have been, and working harder for longer and balancing this with a busy family life has pushed many people to breaking point.

Many workplaces are highly pressured environments, where people rush around on autopilot, surviving instead of thriving.

Mindfulness in the workplace-The benefits

But some businesses are starting to realise that they need to focus on workforce wellbeing and find ways to help employees deal with pressures, largely because an unhappy, stressed out workforce is not a productive one, and it affects their bottom line.

Mindfulness teaches people to stop living on autopilot, be less reactive, and to be more focused and resilient. Employees who can better deal with stress and be more focused are happier and more productive, and this can benefit the entire organisation.

Mindfulness benefits for employees

Learning mindfulness can help you to:

• Understand your thoughts and handle your emotions better
• Develop self-care strategies that will improve both your physical and mental health
• See your problems differently and take a different approach when dealing with them
• Focus and concentrate better
• Build and maintain positive relationships with family, friends, and colleagues
• Introduce mindfulness-based approaches into your personal and professional life

‘But I don’t have time to learn mindfulness!’

This is the first thing that many people think or say when learning mindfulness is suggested to them. A convenient and flexible way to learn mindfulness skills is by completing some e-learning. Learning mindfulness online is:

• Flexible: there’s no need to attend a class in person so it easily fits in around your other commitments.
• Cheaper: there’s no need to travel so you save on the cost of travelling to and from your course.
• An investment: once you learn the practical techniques, you’ll be able to use those, and access your course materials, for life.

Mindfulness E-learning: The importance of qualified support

Even though learning mindfulness via e-learning is a good introduction, you really need the support of a qualified teacher to fully benefit from it.

When you enrol on my 10-week Living and Working Mindfully course, you’ll have weekly telephone contact with a qualified and experienced mindfulness teacher and mentor who will guide you through the programme. There’s also telephone and email support available between sessions. Having the support of a qualified and experienced teacher will help you develop the awareness, understanding, and skills you’ll need to be more mindful day to day, both at home and at work.

Getting on with others: communicating mindfully

We all communicate with others every day, but how much of this communication is mindful? How many times have you asked someone ‘how are you?’ because you’re on autopilot, not because you’re particularly interested?

Being mindful is not just about meditation, you should be mindful in your daily interactions too.

What is mindful communication?

Mindful communication means that you listen and speak with compassion, kindness, and awareness. Often when people communicate, people don’t listen or think before they speak. Mindful communication requires you to listen mindfully and speak mindfully.

How to listen to others mindfully

Clear your mind

When someone is talking to you, try to clear your mind of any thoughts, or judgements about them or what they are saying. It’s not easy but you might learn much more from the other person.

Be attentive

People are likely to feel more comfortable telling you things if you’re attentive, as they will feel like they can be themselves and open up to you.

Make eye contact

Don’t look away or at something else, make eye contact because it shows that you care about what the other person is saying to you.

Put yourself in the other person’s shoes

People tend to see things based on what they perceive about the world. Try to see something from the perspective of the person you’re talking to. You might disagree with their opinion, but that’s okay.

Don’t assume what people mean

If someone says something that you don’t understand, ask them to elaborate on what they just said, and do so with compassion. Communication between two people is often muddled because they have misunderstood each other.

How to speak to others mindfully

Think before you speak

When someone asks you a question, don’t just start talking for the sake of talking. Take time to think about your response and what you say is much more likely to be well received and meaningful.

Choose your words carefully

Insulting or painful words aimed at another person can really damage a professional or personal relationship. Even if something makes sense to you, someone else might just not get it. Be sure to think carefully about your choice of words.

Be true to who you are

Sometimes when we speak to someone, we want to portray a certain image of ourselves. We might end up trying to be something we’re not, which is not the best way to communicate meaningfully with someone. Be true to who you are, and always speak with compassion and kindness.

Say what you mean and mean what you say

This applies to a business or a personal relationship. If you say to someone that you’ll call them, do exactly that, and you’ll get a lot more respect from the other person.

Everyone likes to feel listened to and understood, and communicating mindfully is a great way to make sure that happens, in all of your interactions.

 

Creating a good work-life balance

The world of work is very different today. The lines between home and work are becoming increasingly blurred, as smartphones mean we are available 24/7, and economic pressures mean that many of us work longer hours than ever.

This makes the answer to the age-old question of how we can achieve a work-life balance even harder to find.

The answer lies partly in us taking ownership and creating boundaries so that other people will respect them, and in companies, who need to take on board the notion that we will be happier, healthier, and more productive if we have more balance in our lives.

Here are some ways that you can create a good work-life balance;

Don’t be constantly available

You might think it’s easier said than done in these days when our smartphones are linked to our email accounts, but when you’re spending time with your family, or you’re enjoying some much-needed time off, should you be expected to answer work emails? The answer is no.

Set up an autoreply on emails to manage expectations that you will reply within a certain time frame if you’re out of the office, no matter how tempting it is to hit reply when your phone pings. Your time out of work should be your own. Constantly checking emails doesn’t make you more productive, in fact it disrupts your workflow and increases stress.

If you work smarter, you don’t have to work harder

Prioritise the most important tasks you have to do and don’t get stuck doing less productive things; this is a far better way to use your time. Checking social media might be tempting, but it might also be the reason you never leave work on time. Workers in the UK now work more hours than ever, and research from the Mental Health Foundation on the effects of working long hours makes for grim reading. When employees work long hours, 27% report feeling depressed, 34% feel anxious, and 58% feel irritable.

Draw a line between life and work

Even if you don’t finish all your work for the day, make a note of any tasks you haven’t completed, so you feel a little more organised for the next day. If you really must take work home, keep it away from your living area, so work time doesn’t encroach on your time.

Sometimes ‘good enough’ is okay

If you’re already feeling overworked, trying to aim for perfection in everything you do is not realistic. Sometimes, accepting that you’ve done a good enough job is all that is expected. Don’t put pressure on yourself when you don’t need to.

You don’t need to work hard and play hard

You don’t need to be constantly crashing around at 100mph. This is not good for the body or the mind. Learn to pace yourself, and take more time to relax.

Have interests outside of work

It’s healthy to have interests outside of work. People who feel stressed at work can use exercise, hobbies, or mindfulness to reduce stress in their lives overall.

Learn the art of time management

If you feel overwhelmed, make sure you’re spending your time on the things that really matter. You can be busy without being productive. This takes a little bit of work, but take a good look at your day and see where your time really goes. Focus on the things that are going to move your business forward, not just on the noise.

 

Business Mentoring: What Makes a Successful Programme?

 

When you hear the word ‘mentoring’ what do you think of? Do you think of someone sharing their knowledge by ‘telling’ you things rather than giving you guidance?

While it’s great to benefit from someone else’s wisdom, it does not empower you to solve problems or think creatively for yourself.

 

But mentoring has evolved, and now it’s considered to be more of a learning and development tool that allows people and organisations to fulfil their potential.

 

What is mentoring?

 

Mentoring can be an umbrella term for a range of activities and interventions, from giving advice and moral support to individuals to offering more comprehensive guidance to someone whose needs are more complex.

 

Eric Parsloe, a renowned international executive coach and mentor, and the author of a range of books on the subject defined mentoring like this:

 

‘Mentoring is to support and encourage people to manage their own learning in order that they may maximise their potential, develop their skills, improve their performance, and become the person they want to be.’

 

From this definition, we can draw the conclusion that mentoring is not ‘telling’ someone what to do and that the mentee has some responsibility in the process. It also emphasises that mentoring is about growth and development-it’s not about spoon-feeding someone, but guiding them to help them get to where they want to be.

 

How does mentoring differ from coaching?

 

You’ll often see the terms mentoring and coaching used interchangeably, and while there is some overlap, mentoring is not directive and the mentee has some responsibility and a say in the process, so this makes it fundamentally different from coaching.

 

Coaching is usually prescriptive, goal or task-centred, and it focuses on improving specific knowledge and skills for better business performance. Mentoring tends to take a broader view of things, so for example, instead of just focusing on an employee’s skills and performance, a mentor would look at things like improving confidence and engagement for the good of the business.

 

Developmental mentoring vs sponsorship mentoring: mentoring for different needs

 

Depending where you are in your personal or professional life, your mentoring needs might evolve as your career or life does, for example, if you have taken on a new role or you’ve been promoted. Developmental mentoring and sponsorship mentoring are both relevant in these situations.

 

Developmental mentoring vs sponsorship mentoring: at a glance:

 

Who is the mentor?

 

Developmental mentoring can be carried out by anyone with the experience to offer advice and support.

 

Sponsorship mentoring will always be provided by a senior member of staff who is invested in the mentee’s success.

 

How is support provided?

 

With developmental mentoring, mentors support mentees via discussions around how to improve their skills and build on their personal qualities to advance professionally.

 

In sponsorship mentoring, sponsors will usually use their influence to connect mentees with the right people and opportunities to help them get ahead.

 

What’s the main difference?

 

With developmental mentoring, the mentee has more input and responsibility for their own development. A sponsor will actively model behaviours for mentees and open doors for them professionally whereas a mentor will work with the mentee to develop their strengths and potential, and identify their values and where they want to be.

 

The business case for mentoring

 

Whatever form mentoring takes, its value for businesses is undeniable.

 

It’s proven to help businesses attract and retain employees

 

Employers that care about employee growth and development find it easier to attract and keep good employees. In fact, a white paper published by The Millennium Group International, found that 77% of companies that had a workplace mentoring programme in place said that it had helped with employee retention, and a huge 97% of employees who took part in a mentoring programme said that it had motivated them to work hard and perform better.

 

It increases job satisfaction

 

When employees feel they are no longer being challenged by their role, they might start to look for pastures new, and this is where mentoring programmes can really help. They can give employees a new challenge and renew their enthusiasm for growing within their role and beyond.

 

It increases productivity

 

Mentoring improves skills, confidence, and engagement, which makes employees more productive.

 

The context of mentoring is important

 

Where mentoring and growth and development is part of organisational culture, businesses tend to do well. But it’s not enough to simply list the benefits of mentoring so businesses can see that it’s useful, there needs to be clarity around expected outcomes if it’s really going to work.

Where there is clarity, people are more likely to be clear about the objectives of the mentoring relationship and the need for a productive pairing of the mentor and mentee.

 

When businesses are looking to improve individual and organisational performance through some form of mentoring, they’ll likely choose to go down one of four routes; coaching, counselling, networking, or guiding and mentoring. Each has its own merits, and before an organisation decides which route to take, the needs of the employee and the business should be considered. Every form of mentoring is a journey that should benefit all of the participants and deliver positive outcomes.

 

The key to successful mentoring

 

Successful mentoring combines both formal and informal approaches, and provides a much-needed (though often neglected) reflective space.

 

A good mentoring relationship is one in which developing skills and positive personal characteristics is both the goal and the core process. When selecting participants for a mentoring programme, it is important to consider what each individual is able/willing to contribute and learn. I have learned from my experience of working in organisations that mentoring programmes, and relationships, are most successful when there is a high level of rapport and the mentor and mentee are clear about what they are trying to achieve together and what behaviours they can expect from one another.

 

I’ve also learned that there are a number of other essential ingredients in a successful mentoring programme; acceptance from participants and other stakeholders, empathy, careful selection of participants, training in how to make the most of opportunities, clear goals, and lots of preparation.

 

It’s not enough to have mentoring programmes in place, they need a lot of maintenance, including progress monitoring and regular reviews of objectives. And remember, however effective mentoring is, it should not be the only form of learning and development that takes place within an organisation.

 

Mentoring models

 

While standards are increasingly providing the benchmarks for good practice, it needs to be recognised that every mentoring relationship is unique. Though a high proportion of relationships in developmental mentoring follow the European 4 Phase Model – preparation, negotiation, enabling growth and closure, which is the model I follow.

 

Executive coaching versus executive mentoring

 

Executive mentoring is a rapidly expanding area of practice, and is mostly delivered through external provision. There are a lot of providers, though there is often confusion between executive coaching

(which focuses on building a particular skills set) and executive mentoring (looking at and thinking through issues more deeply). There are no barriers to entry in either discipline and no widely subscribed set of professional standards, which means that the standard of provision, and the returns and outcomes that businesses can expect, can vary very widely.

 

Entrepreneurs’ Personal Motivation to Act in Ways that are Prosocial

There are many factors that contribute to why entrepreneurs act in ways that are prosocial. What was particularly interesting in my research interviews was when I asked entrepreneurs what personal motivations made them act prosocially. Here’s what they said.
It Brings in More Work
Therapist Laura feels she gets something back if she acts in ways that are prosocial. “ I will get more work if I donate money or do something for charity.”
It’s Who I Am
Coach Deborah says it is in her nature to be prosocial. “ For me, it is part of my personality anyway. I’m always volunteering, always offering support where I can, and providing things for free. I have set up an online group where I provide coaching sessions that now has 400 members.”
Being Prosocial Helps Me
Writer Danielle said that acting prosocially brings personal benefits. “ I found it gave me a real sense of satisfaction which in turn benefitted my mental health.”
It Gives Me a Buzz
Executive Coach Anna likes the feeling she gets from being prosocial. “ You get a buzz when people get something from it.”
There’s a Chance to Get Back What You Put In
Software developer Graham says being prosocial often helps you reap what you sow. “ I helped out a friend’s business by lowering my prices during Covid. I helped him out because he has been really good to me. I looked at the bigger picture and saw a lot of people out of work. Yes I had to rejuggle my own budget but I made it work.”
It Allows Me to Help Others Plan Their Future
Financial planner Helen says she gets a lot from helping young people have a more secure future.
“For me, the big thing is the educational side, going into schools talking to young people about managing finances, and helping to secure their future.”
Being Prosocial Allows Me to Help Others Who Are in the Same Situation I Was In
Executive CV writer Maddie says there are deeper reasons why she’s driven to be prosocial. “ My direct experience of being treated badly in the workplace is the driving force to help my clients get the position they want. Every person comes to me because they are unhappy where they are and want to make a change.”
If I Don’t Give Back, That’s Bad Karma
Management consultant Elaine said that she’s prosocial because of her personal beliefs. “ If I do things that are not moral to me, I feel I will suffer in the future. This is linked to my upbringing in a very religious family. My first employer was the Catholic church.”

I Can Help Others and Give Something Back
A common theme in the interviews was the idea of being able to give something back by being prosocial. This was the case for photographer Ian. “ I was burned out from my corporate career so helping others and being able to get out in nature were big things for me.”
It Helps Me Make a Difference
For mindfulness trainer Mark, being prosocial is all about making a difference in the community. “ It is about balance. Initially it was all one-ended. I was offering free places in drop-in for people unable to pay and sessions for people who were job hunting. My services were pandemic driven. The response was about much more than money, it was about providing connection and helping them find connection themselves. Once they did, they remembered what I had done. People generally remember kindness.”
What personal motivations make you want to behave more prosocially?

 

 

Ask the Experts Theme 2: Adopting an Engaged Approach

I asked the focus group of experts how we could adopt an engaged approach to getting entrepreneurs and others to contribute to the intervention. Here’s what they said.

Make Sure It’s Appropriately Paced

Business support organisation representative Andrew highlighted the importance of pacing the intervention appropriately for entrepreneurs. “ People who do have that entrepreneurial spirit work at quite a pace, so training, the octane level of it, not too slow or too methodical, as I’m not sure it would appeal. They like pace, the speed, the challenges. Learning and development for people of that mindset is really important. Their boredom threshold can be quite low as well; they want to quickly move on, so it would be an issue if it didn’t challenge them.”

Build Relationships Based on Sharing

Business network leader Scott feels that sharing is the key to making the research available and accessible. “ In terms of how to contribute, it is building those relationships to share, it is the network, the partner, it is all of those things that will make the research available and accessible.”

Make The Intervention Accessible

Business support provider Debbie says that accessibility of the intervention is key. “I think accessibility is one of the key things.  One of the key things is for it to be available and accessible as widely as possible, by as many providers as possible, to enable people to evolve how they do things based on the findings of the research.”

There Should Be Plenty Of Opportunities To Contribute

Business adviser Sharon highlights the need to provide plenty of opportunities for entrepreneurs and others to contribute. “ If there were opportunities, some way they could contribute to the findings, some way to evolve as you go but also to make it actionable both from the providers’ point of view and the entrepreneur point of view. There is a lot of learning out there, available from different places, and I think what makes the difference with the things that captivate entrepreneurs the most is when they can see straight away what they could do with it, so it is really clear what they need to do differently as a result of what they have learned.”

There’s A Need To Keep An Open Mind

Entrepreneur student Leah adds that we need to keep an open mind when it comes to how the intervention develops and how to best encourage contributions from entrepreneurs and others.