| | Timeo's Talent Spotlight May 2024 | | | | | |
Dear Guest,
Mentorship Matters: The Impact of Guiding and Developing Future Leaders
Beyond traditional development initiatives, ‘effective mentorship’ has emerged and consolidates lately as a cornerstone for developing future leaders. As companies navigate the complexities of modern business, the role of mentorship becomes increasingly crucial in fostering talent, building resilience, and driving innovation.
In this edition of our Talent Spotlight, we want to highlight these initiatives, as we believe they are highly relevant in many of our clients context today. When implemented effectively and with the proper strategy, a mentoring program can be incredibly impactful… way beyond what we could initially think.
How does Mentorship really work and why it matters "If you ask any successful businessperson, they will always have had a great mentor at some point along the road." - Richard Branson In a nutshell Mentorship offers a structured pathway for knowledge transfer, skill development, and career guidance. It provides mentees with the opportunity to learn from experienced professionals, gain insights into industry best practices, and receive constructive feedback. For mentors, it’s a chance to develop leadership skills, give back to the community, and stay connected with emerging trends. A successful Mentorship programme brings value for both Mentors and Mentees with wide positive collateral benefits for the organization.
How Mentorship initiatives can help address some of today's business challenges
Among the benefits, three areas can massively benefit from a Mentorship initiative:
1. Talent Retention and Development A Deloitte survey showed that 91% of employees with mentors are satisfied with their jobs, compared to 63% without mentors. By fostering a sense of belonging and career satisfaction among employees, effective mentorship programs can reduce turnover rates. They appear especially impactful to address the evolving expectations of our workforce.
2. Leadership Pipeline Mentorship helps identify high-potential employees and prepares them for leadership roles which will contribute to ensure the sufficient and adequate leadership pipeline. A study by Gartner reveals that companies with strong mentorship programs see a 25% increase in leadership readiness compared to those without.
3. Employee Engagement and Productivity Mentorship boosts employee engagement and hence productivity as it creates an environment of continuous learning and support, driving higher performance levels.
Why is Mentorship specifically a relevant Leadership initiative to consider in 2024?
"One of the greatest values of mentors is the ability to see ahead what others cannot see and to help them navigate a course to their destination." - John C. Maxwell
The accelerated business change environment (‘transformations’) makes it more relevant than ever as a Leadership initiative. To quote a few, remote and hybrid work models, technological advancements, cross-cultural challenges and evolving workforce expectations necessitate adapted mentorship frameworks to help navigate these changes effectively. The Mentor-Mentee relationship, with the human connection at its core, helps bridge the gap, ensuring that employees remain motivated, informed, and prepared for future challenges.
Notorious examples of Mentorship programs
A few well known and respected organisations led the way, with different focus sometimes.
Google’s mentorship program pairs new employees with experienced Googlers to help them acclimate to the company culture and navigate their careers. This initiative has significantly boosted Google’s employee retention rates and fostered an innovative work environment. General Electric (GE) focuses on leadership development through its "GE Mentoring" program, recognized for grooming executives who lead through transformations, emphasizing strategic thinking, innovation, and operational excellence. Microsoft’s global mentorship program promotes diversity and inclusion by pairing employees from varied backgrounds, fostering an inclusive culture, and enhancing collaboration and innovation.
How to create good Mentors and good Mentees: our Timeo Approach
At Timeo, we are committed to developing great mentors and mentees through our comprehensive blended learning journeys. Our programs are designed to equip mentors with the skills to guide, inspire, and support their mentees effectivel, and mentees to make the most of this available support. We emphasize the following elements in our mentorship approach: - Ensure the right Change Management approach for the initiative: right sponsorship, organisation (eg pairing) planning, communication plan, to give the project the maximum impact
- Structured Learning Modules: Covering key aspects of mentorship, including active listening, providing feedback, and setting development goals.
- Interactive Workshops: Facilitating real-world scenarios where mentors and mentees can practice and refine their skills.
- Continuous Support: Offering ongoing resources and support to ensure the sustainability and effectiveness of mentorship relationships.
- And more
Conclusion
We are stronger believers than ever in the impact and relevance of adapted mentorship initiatives today. They must be conceived and viewed as strategic initiatives that drive organizational success, rather than "just another professional development tool." As we don’t anticipate the pace of corporate transformation slowing down, mentorship can play a pivotal role in shaping the leaders of tomorrow.
To conclude on a high note let’s share these words from Denzel Washington: "Show me a successful individual, and I’ll show you someone who had real positive influences in his or her life. I don’t care what you do for a living – if you do it well, I’m sure there was someone cheering you on or showing the way. A mentor."
Let's be good together™.
| | | | 10 Highly skilled individuals who we believe could be excellent additions to your teams | | Ref #1 Sales Director APAC | | Country Base
& Nationality | SINGAPORE
Singaporean | | Industries | IT
| Candidate highlights
| - Commercially astute and results driven IT sales professional with more than 20 years of experience in Channel Sales, Channel Operations, Partner Enablement and Product Management
- Expertise in articulating product roadmaps, market education, team coaching, and creating innovating solutions to address supply chain challenges
- Strong track record in collaborating and driving channel partners within APAC
| | Specific skills |
Sales strategies, Distribution channels, Enterprise sales, Business development, Revenue management | | Education |
Master of Business Administration | | Languages | English and Mandarin
| | Availability | 1 month |
| | | | | | Ref #2 Regional E-Commerce Lead | | Country Base
& Nationality | SINGAPORE
Singaporean | | Industries | Airlines and Hospitality | Candidate highlights
| - Strategic regional expert in e-commerce and customer experience, utilizing data driven approaches to drive business growth across omnichannel
- Demonstrated success in innovating product portfolios, converting complex business requirements into actionable product roadmaps, and executing go-to-market strategies
- Experienced in financial modelling, sales analysis and market research
| | Specific skills | Digital product development, Go-to-market strategies, Business partnerships, Ecommerce
| | Education | Master of Business Administration
| | Languages | English and Mandarin
| | Availability | 1 month |
| | | | | | Ref #3 Assistant Manager, Digital Marketing | | Country Base
& Nationality | SINGAPORE
Singaporean | | Industries | FMCG | Candidate highlights
| - Over 7 years of experience in retail and digital marketing, focusing on developing e-commerce calendars and strategic initiatives for key online platforms
- Experienced in planning all assets for e-commerce campaigns, and partnered closely with marketing agencies to maintain brand voice and consistency to drive online growth and market presence
- Monitored and analysed website performance, sales metrics and consumer behaviour to identify and implement actionable strategies to meet sales targets
| | Specific skills | Digital marketing, Project management, Events planning, CRM and Data analysis
| | Education | Bachelor of Science in Marketing | | Languages | English and Mandarin | | Availability | 1 month |
| | | | | | Ref #4 Senior Supply Chain Planner | | Country Base
& Nationality | SINGAPORE
Singaporean | | Industries | FMCG | Candidate highlights | - Over 7 years of experience in retail and FMCG industry, focusing on demand and supply planning as well as order fulfilment operations
- Responsible for demand and supply planning, consisting of more than 10 brands and a portfolio of 3000+ SKUs
- Experienced in developing rolling 12-18 month sales forecasts at SKU level, taking into consideration the market dynamics, trends and complexities
| | Specific skills | Demand planning, Supply planning, Sales forecasting and S&OP
| | Education | Bachelor of Business Management
| | Languages | English and Mandarin | | Availability | 1 month |
| | | | | | | | | Country Base & Nationality | SINGAPORE
Malaysian | | Industries | FMCG and Retail
| | Candidate highlights |
- Over 5 years of experience in financial analysis, financial modelling, forecasting and process optimisation
- Proficient in working with large raw data to extract meaningful insights that drive informed business decision making
- Experienced in leading business improvement and cost reduction strategies by developing and managing financial models to assess business performance, highlighting risks and making strategic recommendations
| | Specific skill | Financial planning & analysis, Financial modelling, Project management and Data analysis
| | Education | Bachelor of Science in Accounting & Finance | | Languages | English and Mandarin | | Availability | 1 month |
| | | | | | Ref #6 Senior Manager, Project Management | | Country Base
& Nationality | SINGAPORE
Singaporean | | Industries | E-Commerce and 3PL | Candidate highlights
| - Regional logistics professional with over 10 years of experience in project and warehouse management
- Proven track record in overseeing regional fulfilment operations, covering warehouse capacity planning, design and performance
- Collaborated with cross-functional teams to drive system development, process optimisation and project management
| | Specific skills | Project management, Warehouse management, Inventory management, Process improvement, Change management and Business operations
| | Education | Bachelor in Logistics and Supply Chain Management | | Languages | English and Mandarin | | Availability | 1 month |
| | | | | | Ref #7 Regional Supply & Demand Planner | | Country Base
& Nationality | SINGAPORE
Singaporean | | Industries | Retail: fast fashion, luxury goods & consumer electronics | Candidate highlights
| - A planner with 15 years’ experience, specialised in sales planning, demand forecasting, pricing analysis, OTB management & supply chain management across various retail industries - fast fashion, luxury goods & consumer electronics.
- Has had exposure to a range of route-to-markets - brick-and-mortar, travel retail/reseller partners & e-commerce.
- Ability to Work with cross-functional teams like Business Process Re-engineering team & Development team to identify opportunities to refine business processes.
- Passionate in developing & adapting as-is profession to the evolving commerce landscape.
| | Specific skills | Supply chain operations’ planning, OEM management, demand planning, business performance management, pricing analysis
| | Education | Bachelor in Accountancy | | Languages | English and Mandarin | | Availability | 1 month |
| | | | | | Ref #8 Head of Category Management | | Country Base
& Nationality | SINGAPORE
Singaporean | | Industries | Retail, Travel Retail, FMCG
| | Candidate highlights | - A seasoned Category/Commercial Lead with 17 years proven track record in the dynamic Omni-channel retail industry
- Showcasing expertise in strategically driving E-commerce, Offline Retail, and Travel Retail with a keen focus on optimizing sales performance and fostering growth.
- Skilled in Category Management, Brand Management, Key Account Management, Business Development and Merchandise Planning in the fields of Beauty, Fashion and FMCG.
- Demonstrated success in driving successful partnerships with prominent MNCs and brands/suppliers across the world
- Management experience over more than 10 direct reports for over 7 years.
| | Specific skills | Category Management, Brand Management, Key Account Management, Business Development, Merchandising Strategy, Business Planning
| | Education | Bachelor Degree in Commerce (Marketing and International Economics) | | Languages | English and Mandarin
| | Availability | 1 month
|
| | | | | | Ref #9 Overseas Sales Team Leader | | Country Base
& Nationality | SOUTH KOREA
Korean | | Industries | Retail, Medical Equipment Manufacturing | | Candidate highlights | - Built overseas sales strategy for the brand with the marketing team and KOL doctors considering the brand concept, competitor companies, their products, and prices
- Has been involved in the new product development board which also includes board of directors and the president
- Demonstrated the top sales every month and played key role in increasing overseas exports
- Organized workshops, seminars, and trainings for Aesthetic medical devices overseas
| | Specific skills | Aesthetic Dermal, Fillers/ MesoThreads/ Toxins/ PLA/ PDLA/ Skinboosters(PDRN/PN)/ FatDissolvants/ Cosmeceuticals/ Cosmetics/ Vitamins | | Education | Doctor of Philosophy - PhD, Business Administration and Management, General
| | Languages | English, Korean, Russian, Turkish, Uzbek | | Availability | 2 months |
| | | | | | Ref #10 People Advisor (HR Generalist) | | Country Base
& Nationality | SINGAPORE
Singaporean | | Industries | Logistics and supply chain, Biotechnology Research, Manufacturing, Telecommunications | | Candidate highlights | - 10 years of diverse HR experience in MNCs and global startups.
- Currently leading team of 3 for Singapore HR Operations since 2022.
- Demonstrated strong HR Operations Excellence in MNCs and global startup.
- Supported leaders in Annual Talent Reviews to identify development needs and foster internal movement opportunities.
- Devised effective Talent Acquisition strategies for targeted positions and developed talent pipelines.
- Orchestrated seamless end-to-end Mobility processes, providing optimal support for transferees.
| | Specific skills | Agile Project Management, Scrum, Machine Learning, Proficient in Microsoft Office, SAP and Workday, Well-versed in Singapore Employment Act, Certified in Predictive Index | | Education | Bachelor in Human Resources | | Languages | English | | Availability | 1 month |
| | | | | |
Food for thoughts and actions The Secret to Mentor-Mentee initiatives that work | | | | | | At Timeo, we believe the secret formula relies on a few ingredients to get right. Here is a list (non exhaustive) of what we tackle when we design Mentor-Mentee programs for our clients. - How to establish trust in the Mentee-Mentor relationship, which often involves culture discrepancies (whether job culture, national culture...) and personality differences. How will the communication work successfully within the pair, right from the start and all along the journey?
- How to be clear on what is expected from the Mentors within our clients’ business context, and what should not, and why. What are the boundaries to set?
- Which essentials skills (soft skills) to develop within Mentors so they are confident and able to achieve their mission, and build on this program to further enhance their leadership qualities.
- How to make sure Mentors leverage on Coaching skills for the benefits of the Mentees. ? What questioning approach to warm up development discussions?
- How can we help Mentees take feedback positively, commit and act on them.
- How to help Mentees understand and overcome the barriers to effectively change.
Ready to take your Mentor-Mentee program to the next level? | | | | Mentor Staff in Improving Client Relationships | | Mentoring is an effective way to ensure that staff members not only understand their objectives, but through practice know how to achieve them, and remember their new skills. This course explains the PAT method for helping team members excel in their treatment of customers.
| | | | What you will learn • The stages of the PAT mentoring method• How to adjust the method for your team | | Training course overview • Explore the three stages of PAT mentoring• Put the PAT method into practice | | | | | | | | Our readers digest with 3 articles on Mentorship
for inspiration and action | | Why Mentorship Is More Powerful Than Leadership For Businesses In 2024 - Forbes | For all the progress we’ve made in the workplace, hierarchical structures and toxic work environments still exist. Covid-19 only spotlighted these issues and propelled a shift that has created less tolerance for middle management. There’s a prevailing notion that mentorship often happens outside the workplace, but what if mentorship was a fundamental part of a leader’s role? | | | | | |
A Better Approach to Mentorship by Christopher “CJ” Gross
|
After an extended period of widespread spending, the South East Asia job market in 2023 was marked by inflation and a slowdown in consumer demand. Even though some consumers have resumed in-store retail experiences after the pandemic, overall spend fell as consumers cut back on spending. Many marketplace platforms and goods companies also saw a drop in e-commerce transactions. | | | | | Why mentoring matters - by JLL | Firms are targeting greater employee engagement and performance. Socrates mentored Plato. Oprah Winfrey had Maya Angelou. Even Luke Skywalker had Yoda. While informal mentoring is nothing new, companies are increasingly making it more ingrained in their workplace culture. | | | | | | The Skills Factory for your performance in Asia-Pacific
We assess, build and develop teams for our clients to execute their business in Asia-Pacific. | | | | | | Isabelle Larché Managing Director, Timeo-Performance M: +65 9028 5920 w: timeo-performance.com Registration: 200811838D | EA license: 21C0685 | EA Reg: R1103259 | | | | | | | | | | | |
_(1).png)
.png)
.png){kind=small}
.png){kind=small}