Business Mentors in Hamilton NZ - What's in store?

Posted on February 08, 2024 by Brett Slater, One of Thousands of Business Coaches on Noomii.

Kia ora everyone! My name’s Brett Slater, and I want to tell you some cool things happening in business mentoring and coaching.

I recently read this big report looking at all the new trends and news around workplace mentoring and coaching programmes. Since I work with many companies and managers in Hamilton as a small business mentor, I thought I’d share the key points from the report and what they mean for mentors like me.

Mentor?
I’ve found that Kiwis interchange the words mentor, advisor, consultant, and coach in small businesses in Aotearoa. Although they all have distinct meanings, no one cares, and I don’t mind. Coach seems to be the least used, but I use it to describe myself because it best encompasses the other three. So, Business Coach, Business Mentor, Business Advisor or Business Consultant – if they are all the same to you, then that’s cool by me (I use all of them). Let’s carry on.

Many new technologies and mentoring methods are coming that will help me assist more businesses to be awesome! The report discusses everything from digital coaching tools to mentorship programs to helping young people get ahead. Read on. For me, local and one-on-one are the go, but I’m the end of the baby boomers or the start of Generation X, and that only covers 2 of the 5 generations that, as a Hamilton Small Business, you’ll need to navigate.

New Tech Will Make Mentoring More Accessible
First, new online platforms and video technology are making it easier for mentors like myself to connect with people needing our help.

In the past, you usually had to meet up face-to-face with mentors or book meetings with coaches, which took time and could be complicated to arrange. But now, using websites and video calls, anyone can mentor people all over NZ or the world without anyone needing to travel – sweet as!

This program will help small business owners in Hamilton or elsewhere get access to top coaches who normally only work locally. The technology makes it affordable and simple to link up with experts and those with specialised needs.

For example, an inspired young entrepreneur starting their own business in Rotorua could have regular video calls with me in Hamilton or someone in Perth or London. We could work through all their big ideas without the hassle of one of us needing to commute. COVID made us all familiar with and accepting of this concept.

These digital platforms also let mentors track progress and give really personalised help matched to exactly what each person or business needs to succeed. We can immediately see what’s working and where they need more support in the right direction.

So, in summary – exciting new technology will make it way easier for smart mentors in NZ to share their skills with ambitious people across the country or globally! And business leaders can get guidance from experienced employee mentors tailored to their unique situation. We all know NZ is small and far away, so this means we cannot cover all the needs of all the businesses. Choosing your coach from a worldwide pool gets you the best outcomes and keeps the local mentors on their toes. Win-win!

The Rise of Team Mentoring
Another big trend that smarter workplaces are adopting more is mentoring whole teams of people together rather than just individuals. This helps all teams cooperate smoothly with good vibes to smash their targets!

Especially with more businesses having staff working partly at home and in the office, ensuring everyone connects well across locations can get tricky. Lots of managers are struggling to build strong team bonds.

But this is where experienced mentors can come in to coach the team dynamics – figuring out how to maximise everyone’s strengths. Mentors help get folks to collaborate happily, so the whole is greater than the sum of the parts!

For example, a mentored leadership group at a law firm that just merged two Wellington offices ensured all bosses and managers gelled into a cohesive unit.

We see when Facetime or WhatsApp calls aren’t working well for them or constructive feedback gets confused across video chat. Then, Mentors guide the teams into positive new routines that stick, setting them up for success.

They find that mentored teams get way better results, which is why team coaching will keep growing. Exciting times are ahead in helping Kiwi workplaces thrive!

Mentoring Becomes Normal & Expected
Another cool idea the report discusses is workplace, mentoring programs and coaching are just becoming a standard normal thing across thriving, ambitious companies in the future.

Rather than focus on how employees feel just having occasional mentoring programmes, smart businesses will build mentoring skill development opportunities into every employee’s regular career development.

Imagine if whenever anyone hits an issue with their job performance, confidence or skills, they can easily request a mentoring session for tips!

When someone gets promoted to management, mentoring helps them transition into the role with less stress.

Kiwi small businesses have an enduring No.8 Wire fix it ourselves mentally, which has meant that help is often sought as a last resort. Overseas highly competitive industries and markets, as well as large populations, have forced businesses to seek answers early, and those countries have more established B2B business help sectors like mentors and coaches. NZ needs to catch up. We’re working out that the best result if we don’t know what to do is to ask someone who does.

This culture of always-accessible mentoring support system helps everyone excel and reach their potential while loving their jobs. What’s not to like about that?!

For professional mentors embedded in these forward-thinking companies, it means ongoing demand as mentoring conversations become a typical everyday thing like emailing colleagues or Friday drinks (which we’re world leaders in)! Everyone wins thanks to this positive company culture. I’d be so busy, but seeing all my mentees kicking goals would be wonderful!

Matchmaking Global & Cultural Understanding
Zooming beyond just Kiwi workplaces, the researchers predict mentoring will take on a huge global nature in massive multinational corporations over the coming years.

As staff connect remotely across continents, digital workforce mentoring platforms will help employees gain cultural insight from peers with diverse backgrounds worldwide.

Imagine a wannabe marketing manager at a European clothing brand having regular video mentoring with a retail expert from their Asia subsidiary. They gain inside knowledge of that complex market, while the Asian strategist learns Western styling preferences, too.

Or an ambitious trainee at a US software firm mentored by the VP from their Brazilian office, discovering how tech innovation happens differently in emerging economies.

This cross-pollination breaks down silos so multinationals thrive better globally with wider perspectives. Facilitating intercultural connections offers huge value for mentors with international experience.

I’d enjoy enlightening professionals worldwide on the Kiwi approach to business leadership! Our strengths include giving everyone a fair go and speaking plainly so no-nonsense gets lost in translation. Kiwis are strong and resilient.

Mentoring is a key puzzle piece in bringing globally dispersed corporate tribes together by creating common ideals and collaboration opportunities. Exciting possibilities are ahead as companies embrace global village mindsets!

Helping Generation Z Shine
Seven different generations
One more interesting prediction made in the report – mentoring taking on a special role to nurture coming generations like Gen Z into incredible workforces driving the future. You must understand the generations you will employ, from X, Y, and Z to Alpha.

As digital natives, Generation Z thinks differently after growing up fully immersed in technology and social media. Coming into workplaces shaped by older generations can be challenging for them to adapt to and thrive long-term.

But mentors can bridge the gap! With guidance from supportive mentors focused on unlocking their potential, Gen Z talent will transition smoothly into becoming the heart of companies in the 2030s and beyond.

But it’s a two-way exchange – we older folks have lots to learn from Gen Z, too! ‘Reverse the mentoring program’ pairs young emerging stars with experienced execs to swap skills.

Think of a Gen Z social media expert mentoring a 45-year-old bank CEO on making viral TikTok videos about saving! Or a young sustainability advocate mentoring an engineer to design eco-friendly products. It works both ways!

Intergenerational mentoring ensures valuable knowledge gets shared seamlessly across the ages into the future world. How cool is that

Supporting Wellbeing Through Mentoring
Finally, with all the big stress and gloom in the world lately, awesome workplaces are using mentoring cleverly to boost employee happiness, mental health and resilience.

Just having regular chats with the best mentor or an uplifting mentor who listens without judgment can help folks stay positive when times get tough. For younger people still finding their feet, a warm mentor guides them in handling anxiety, relationships, mental health problems, or work drama.

Peer networks matched by mentors also create social support and community for those feeling disconnected or burnt out from calendar overload. More ‘human’ bonds cure workplace loneliness plaguing homebound teams.

By caring for employees holistically, including their well-being, savvy companies will keep their employees’ spirits and performance running high. Mentors like myself play a key role in nurturing this for clients. What a fulfilling purpose that brings!

The Future Looks Bright!
According to researchers, they’re just a few of the big trends that will shape business mentoring-supporting workplaces over the next few years, from new technology expanding access to mentoring globally to cultivating inclusive cultures that allow generations to learn from each other via their mentorship programs.

As a passionate mentor working with heaps of awesome Kiwi companies and leaders, I feel excited about how we can keep helping ambitious organisations and employees thrive in happier, healthier ways. All sounds great, right? The outcomes are great, but I’m under no illusion that these gains are hard-won. Hard work and difficult change come for the business owner taking on a coach or mentor. It’s simply not an easy process.

I’m always ready to explore any ideas, tools or programmes that allow me to share more knowledge and wisdom, boosting the personal level of success of individuals or teams. So if you’ve got questions, give me a shout!

Conclusion: Embracing the Coming Mentoring Revolution
The stunning trends predicted by industry experts signal an exciting new era for business mentoring. As AI and automation transform work, uniquely human skills like strategic guidance, empathy and relationship-building will only increase in value. Mentors provide that human touch.

It’s clear from the innovations explored that within this decade, mentoring will become irresistibly accessible for any employee or leader seeking to level up. Online platforms, intelligent algorithms, virtual meeting software and wearable data will combine to deliver precision mentoring on demand.

Equally, the case for companies subsidizing mentoring internally looks undeniable, given advantages like optimizing team coordination, decoding generational differences and amplifying employee satisfaction. Those nurturing talent through a mentorship program will surely gain a competitive edge.

Worldwide connectivity similarly allows multinationals to activate mentoring for boundless cross-pollination spanning cultures and time zones. As the planet shrinks, collective human consciousness expands through mentorship’s mutually enlightening power.

For those of us already passionate about mentoring’s life-changing capacity, it’s our responsibility to prepare for exponentially increased opportunities to spread positive impact. Will we have sufficient mentors ready to guide coming waves of mentees yearning for professional growth and personal development?

By upskilling mentors in critical future capabilities-specific skills like virtual delivery, data analytics, neuroscience insights and cultural dexterity, we can equip them to ride this gathering tsunami. Let’s raise awareness now in business communities about the approaching mentoring revolution.

The message for Kiwi companies is clear – integrate mentoring’s possibilities across your people strategy or risk being left behind as enlightened rivals waste no time embedding mentor-led professional development. Early adopters will attract tomorrow’s brightest talent and reap rewards today from amplified employee satisfaction and loyalty.

The writing is on the wall – the rise of mentoring looks unstoppable. Astute leaders in Hamilton and beyond must prepare to catch this crashing wave as the tides of business transformation swell through the 2020s. Surf’s up New Zealand – let’s ride majestically upon the crest of the mentoring revolution!

First Published: www.slatercoach.com/post/mentor-hamilton-nz

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