“We all stand on the shoulders of those who came before us”: Three reasons to celebrate male mentors this International Men’s Day

Many Women Ahead programmes focus on helping organisations achieve gender equality at senior levels within organisations. Why? Because by inviting and celebrating diversity, and actively creating inclusion, businesses are more creative, innovative, attractive, successful, and – quite simply – reflective of wider society. Yet we often encounter a flaw in thinking: that to reach a seat in the coveted boardroom, women must be mentored by women. While it’s true that senior women have often encountered the same biases, navigated the same obstacles and balanced the same responsibilities as their younger female colleagues, there are incredible benefits to having – and becoming – a male mentor. On this International Men’s day, we celebrate three of them.

1.      Male mentors foster female boldness

As a mentee on the 30% Club cross-company mentoring programme once told us, ‘Men will apply for a job if they can do 50 per cent of it; women will apply if they can do 90.’ From imposter syndrome to reticence in stepping forward, speaking up and applying for that stretch role, there’s no denying that women can experience different challenges to male colleagues, and that mentoring can be the perfect remedy.  Women Ahead and Moving Ahead speaker and supporter and ‘The world’s leading male feminist’, Dr Michael Kimmel believes ‘Women need mentors who can guide them through the corporate forest. They also need champions to put them forward, promote them to their colleagues for advancement, and who urge them on.’

2.      Male mentors become female advocates

Mentoring is no one-way transaction. In fact, our research has shown that the benefits for mentors can be just as powerful as those for mentees, and turn male mentors into strong advocates for female advancement. BDO’s Mark Bomer – a mentor on the 30% Club cross-company mentoring programme 2016/17 – found the insight into female experiences of the workplace enlightening: ‘My mentee underestimated how strong she was, so didn’t push herself forward. That must be going on within BDO. I realised I don’t need to find lots of mentees like her; I need to do what I can to change BDO so there aren’t so many. We don’t need to fix women; it’s not them that are broken.’

3.      Male mentors share generational insights

In reverse mentoring relationships, junior colleagues mentor those more senior, with the goal of sharing younger perspectives on topics including – but not limited to – technology, the millennial mindset and work-life balance. We’ve found that men make fantastic reverse mentors. As Dr Kimmel says, ‘Younger male workers enter companies these days with a profile quite similar to that of female workers. They want to have great careers, and they also want to be awesome parents! Older males may have sacrificed this time with their families and may actually receive some strategic advice.’

Award-winning 30% Club mentor Michael Cole-Fontayn says that, ‘We all stand on the shoulders of those who came before us. And, fortunately for mentors, it is just as exciting to be the shoulders on which someone else stands.’ Whether junior or senior, male mentors provide a strong and vital pair of shoulders to stand on. In sharing their knowledge, experiences and skills with women – or other men – they can, in his words, ‘Bring everyone closer to smashing their glass ceiling.’

Dr Michael Kimmel is one of our amazing speakers.  You don’t have to be involved in any of our mentoring programmes to book someone from our speaker academy so if you are holding an internal event and looking for an inspirational speaker on diversity, inclusion or the power of mentoring - look no further.  See Michael’s showreel here and contact kate@women-ahead.org if you’d like to book him or any of our other inspirational speakers. 

Five things we’re celebrating on National Mentoring Day 2018

Happy National Mentoring Day! Here at Moving Ahead, the 27th October gives us an annual opportunity to reflect on mentoring as a powerful catalyst for change. This year also marks the first anniversary of our mentoring research report, ‘Turning the gender diversity dial’.  This research looked at whether and how mentoring can accelerate inclusion and diversity for organisations. So, I want to take the opportunity today to celebrate mentoring in all its forms and also the ongoing relevance of the report as a mechanism for creating impact and excellence. 

Here are five things we’ve learned and affirmed since our report was published:

1.      The 11 outcomes of effective mentoring hold true

Our research uncovered that when done well, mentoring has 11 outcomes.  With another year of experience under our belts, I can say with increased certainty that these 11 outcomes hold true.  It’s growing ever clearer that mentoring does foster meaningful connections, empower and develop confidence, generate creativity and innovation. It’s also a lever to create empathetic leadership and accelerate cultural change.

2.      Technology enables effective mentoring

There are few things more humanistic than downing tools and bringing two people together in a real-life mentoring conversation, yet technology can be a powerful catalyst for efficacy within mentoring programmes. I look forward to seeing how our new technologies, Atlas (our new matching platform) and Athena (our new online digital training toolkit), launched this year, will add an even greater level of support to our mentors, mentees and organisations.

3.      Organisations are becoming braver

It is exciting to see so many types of mentoring that we outlined in the report  being adopted by organisations to secure specific outcomes. We’re continuing to work on all forms of mentoring.  Each brings unique benefits.  Here are just a few of the different types we’re proud to be involved in – mentoring circles with Phoenix Group; Internal talent and culture change programmes with The Guardian, Athlete mentoring on our Athlete-to-business programme, peer mentoring triads on our LEAD programme, and Mission Include our mentoring programme that involves reverse mentoring circles, working across the traditional silos of gender, race, sexuality to also encompass broader diversity indicators that focus on the individual, not the label.

4.      Wellbeing and mentoring are inextricably linked

Our report into workplace wellbeing (March 2018) found that mentoring conversations are one of the best and most under-utilised interventions for improving individual wellbeing within organisations. I look forward to seeing wellbeing mentoring evolve, and the result it has on diversity and inclusion.

5.      Our theory-meets-practice approach to research works

All our reports are the result of a combination of desk-based research and extensive interviews with organisations and individuals. They combine the latest academic knowledge with the realities of working ‘on the ground.’ For me, these reports give organisations the confidence, insights and tools to step forward and make real, positive change.

The best way to celebrate National Mentoring Day is surely through mentoring itself; by engaging in, or enabling, inspiring conversations. For concrete steps on how to make mentoring as effective as possible, look no further than our report.

Many organisations are already embracing mentoring and we’re seeing it work for mentors, mentees and organisations from every sector.  We were delighted earlier this month to have launched the sixth year of the world’s largest cross-company mentoring scheme with the 30% Club – with 2,500 mentors and mentees and 107 organisations.  Our cross-company mentoring programme for actuarials – a first for those in the profession – received high praise from Nicky Morgan MP.  We’re powering Santander’s Breakthrough Women Business Leaders’ Mentoring Programme for female entrepreneurs and, most recently, have partnered with Women in Rail to re-invigorate their already successful rail industry mentoring programme for 2019.   

Happy National Mentoring day. 

Liz

Happy 4th Birthday

It takes a brave person to leap from the security of a monthly pay check to going solo.  But that’s what Liz Dimmock did four years ago, when she founded social impact organisations, Women Ahead and Moving Ahead.

Liz isn’t one to shy away from a challenge.  In 2012, a week ahead of the Tour de France, she became the first woman to complete the entire 3,749 kilometre route, matching the event’s male-only riders, stage for stage.  Her ambition was two-fold:

The first was for personal growth. To apply a growth mindset to a physical challenge that completely pushed her out of her comfort zone.  “Could a woman do it?  Could I do it?  I had no idea.  I got a coach and I worked hard.  Throughout my training I had many detractors telling me there was no way I’d be able to do it – their voices seemed particularly loud with setbacks along the way, such as injuries. But in the end, I chose to adopt the mindset that I’d just do my best each day.”

The second, was the shock that there was no women’s Tour for what is, the largest spectator event in the world.  “All those people watching and no access to female role models.  I wanted to show the possibilities for equality,” says Liz.  And that’s exactly what she did. 

Things are changing.   Women now have the ‘Lc Course’ - an event which is a one-stage, one-day race, on the Tour’s course.  “It’s progress but it isn’t where we want it to be yet.  This is an endurance event.  Women are built for endurance – my completion of the entire course six years ago, proves it can be done even by a passionate amateur cyclist! Liz is thrilled to see more women continuing to ride the entire route to shine a light on this possibility, yet inequality.  She believes the wheels are firmly in motion and that it’s only a matter of time before the playing field levels.

Having successfully completed the Tour, Liz started looking at the governance of cycling and sport.  Back in her corporate role at this time, she quickly came to realise that sport was not so different to the corporate world - both lacked diversity in decision-making roles.  This was the trigger that changed the course of Liz’s life.    

“I decided to take my career in a new direction.  I wanted to use my 16 years in corporate life of mentoring, coaching and leadership development to bring about positive change in sport and business. Liz left her corporate role to set up Women Ahead and Moving Ahead – the focus, to find practical ways and tangible actions that lead to greater diversity.   

“There was already a lot of debate about equality,” explains Liz.  “It was really important to me that I was creating something that helped organisations walk the walk, not talk the talk.”  She has.  In the last four years, the social impact business has become the ‘go to’ place for organisations seeking expertise with mentoring, diversity and inclusion. 

“I set out solo but the journey over the last four years has been anything but solo.  It has been an honour and a privilege to have worked with such amazing people.  I like to think we’re a growth mindset organisation and thanks to our clients and colleagues, we’re learning and growing all the time.  It’s a true collaboration between us and those who support us and those striving for change.  We all have the same goal, for a more inclusive and diverse world. 

Women Ahead and Moving Ahead now have a fantastic office in the picturesque Henley-on-Thames, a partnership with Ricoh, and employs a team of 15 core colleagues and more than 30 world-class speakers and consultants.  The team has already worked with nearly 10,000 mentors and mentees, from more than 160 organisations.  Those organisations span all sectors and include many FTSE-100 companies, the Armed forces and Government.  

“There’s still so much to do,” says Liz.  “It’s easy to lose sight of what we’ve accomplished.  I liken it to the Tour de France - it’s a long, hard haul and you must pace yourself.  It doesn’t happen overnight but bit by bit, you make progress and the landscape changes.  You set out thinking it is a lone event but it’s a team effort. You learn as you go and adapt.  Along the way, acknowledging progress and celebrating each milestone.  For me, inclusivity is about evolution not revolution because evolution still results in change.”

And so that’s why, this week, colleagues and supporters of Women Ahead and Moving Ahead came together to recognise and celebrate four years of the small but mighty social impact organisation.  Congratulations Liz and Happy 4th Birthday Women Ahead, Moving Ahead – here’s to the next 40.   

Leading women needed to balance boards

…and the support you need to get there

Despite women making progress as non-executive business leaders, a report by Cranfield School of Management this week, highlights the lack of progress for women in executive roles on the boards of the UK’s leading companies. That’s why we’ve developed LEAD.

“We know the power of cross company programmes and have a faculty of subject matter experts,” says Liz Dimmock.  “I wanted to bring these into our first of its kind leadership, excellence and development programme. It’s specifically designed for senior women looking for a secure space, expert insights and the long-term support they need to truly become who they want to be as a leader.”  

Designed by Women Ahead’s, Charlotte Monico (Google’s former EMEA Head of People Development), this unique LEAD programme gives female talent, bespoke tools and support.  Only 18 places, for 18 senior women, from 18 different companies, are available in the programme’s inaugural intake, which commences in September.  

Kicking off with a three-day residential at the beautiful Soho Farmhouse in Oxfordshire, it’s followed by nine months of triad-mentoring with peers from other industries and unprecedented personal access to world-class experts.  

“The cross-company aspect is a critical,” explains Liz.  “It means participants have a completely safe space to talk openly about the experiences and challenges they’re facing.  We know it works. Industries are different but issues are remarkably consistent.” The approach means there aren’t concerns about commercial confidence or internal politics.  It simply offers participants the opportunity to gain a fresh perspective from those with different skills, experience and expertise to themselves.

“What we’re offering here is very different,” says Charlotte.  “Every participant will identify their own development goal. We’ll give them the provocation, stimulus and support to work on it.  Everyone’s journey will look completely different. And, the thing I’m most proud of is the world-class faculty we’ve built to support participants with their individual journeys.”

That faculty includes Patsy Rodenberg OBE, world-recognised expert on presence, impact and voice, Kirk Vallis, Head of Creative and Capability Development at Google, Dr Kate Goodger, Olympic performance psychologist, Simon Arrowsmith, expert in story crafting and storytelling and Julia Hobsbawn OBE, author and Professor of Workplace Social Health. And, they will work with participants for the duration of the programme.   Its design is unapologetic in this way - built to create the space, time and stimulus senior leaders need.

“The quick fixes aren’t working.  Effective change only occurs over time,” says Charlotte.  She concludes, “I’m proud we’ve created an environment where women can dig deep, understand what they want to change and then develop themselves.  Because, if this week’s Cranfield report about the continued gender imbalance on boards tells us anything, it’s that we need meaningful change - not another check in the box.”  

Grab this opportunity to be, or develop, the female leadership talent in your organisation.  Take a look at our short film here, download our information pack here or contact isabella@moving-ahead.org to secure your place before the LEAD application window closes for this cohort early next month.  The Cranfield School of Management’s report can be found here

SMALL company, BIG difference

One young woman shares her leap from big to small business

Six months ago Elize Clark was one of 85,000 Partners within the John Lewis Partnership, working as an IT Project Manager for Waitrose.  Today she’s part of a small social impact organisation called ‘Moving Ahead and Women Ahead’.  It was a complete change, not just leaping from big to small business but also leaving IT behind to become a Client and Programme Manager. 

But what gives someone the courage to make such a bold career change and just how big is the adjustment?  Elize shares her early reflections…

“I’ve always been curious about people.  It started when I was at uni and I studied for a while at an international school in Spain.  I was just fascinated by how people of all different nationalities, languages and cultures could come together like that to work effectively. 

It wasn’t until I’d been at Waitrose for a while that I realised responsible businesses are embracing the entire diversity and inclusion agenda.  I got involved with it at Waitrose - but it was always in addition to my main Project Management role.  When I heard about the opportunity with Moving Ahead and Women Ahead, which is dedicated to increasing all aspects of diversity through a series of mentoring programmes, I just knew it would be the right place for me.  I wasn’t wrong. 

When I got the job I wasn’t really daunted by the scale of the change but the transition has certainly been interesting.  It has been completely liberating, in terms of the freedom you have to shape your work and impact change. 

I understand that for big businesses to operate effectively, they need to have layers of processes in place.  But the downside to that is it can take so long to do anything.  Here, you have an idea, you chat it through, you get the nod and you are off.  It’s much more fast-paced, much more agile.

And being part of a small organisation also gives you an opportunity to be involved in many different aspects of business.  Since I’ve arrived here I’ve given presentations, organised events, overseen filming – it’s as varied as it is interesting.  

But the thing I love most about my new role is that it’s all about people.  On a day-to-day basis I’m working with those in HR, diversity and talent development, across a variety of big businesses and industries.   I help them establish their company’s mentoring scheme(s) and can see first-hand how impactful my efforts are. 

My work helps people develop and grow but, at the same time, I’m learning loads by doing it.  I get to meet the mentors and mentees on our programmes.  I get to hear their personal stories, about the difference mentoring has made to their lives.  It’s a privilege to work here because I get to make a difference every day and meet so many inspiring people whilst doing it.”     

‘Moving Ahead and Women Ahead,’ is actively recruiting for another Client and Programme Manager.  They’re looking for someone with; a social entrepreneurial spirit; a passion for diversity and inclusion; and dedication to programme management, to join their growing team.  Elize Clark joined the organisation in February 2018.  She’s keen to encourage others not to be constrained by their current job title but to think about the skills, strengths and suitability they might have to offer this incredible mission-led business. Check out the role here http://bit.ly/MovingAheadClientPartner