Training Archives - CACM Accounts

MENTORING.

Business leaders are not born – they are created. Effective training and mentoring are the foundations of most successful managers, chief executives or business owners. Business leaders of the future must learn from those that are in leadership positions today.

Future proofing your business means investing in your people to create the next generation of managers. A willingness to learn and sometimes sacrifice in order to reach goals is an absolute requirement in today’s fast-moving corporate environment – but somebody needs to guide the next generation.

Training is important in any field. Proper training is even more important in today’s demanding business environment. As a business owner or manager you should invest in the future of your business by mentoring those who are willing to learn. These people will take your business to new heights. They will bring fresh insight and in years to come keep the business moving forward.

In choosing to become a mentor for one or two talented people in your team, you should prepare to impart your knowledge, experience and tips for success. The advice and instruction that you give could be invaluable to the future of your business.

Natural talent is very difficult to find. However, if you have one or two talented people in your team take them under your wing and help them to develop their skills. Those that are mentored will bring an eagerness and flow of new ideas to your business. Your mentoring programme should be built on the following foundations:

Providing career development advice

Offering your future managers / leaders an opportunity to develop new skills and expertise

Providing access to new, commercial perspectives

Enhancing networking opportunities for your team

Setting goals (SMART objectives)

Refining organisational awareness and “big picture” thinking.

GETTING INDUCTION PROCESSES RIGHT.

In a world where the latest generation of “millennial” workers are prone to changing jobs, the importance of a good employee induction plan can no longer be ignored. In order to get your induction process right you need to consider:

How long it takes new employees to become a productive member of the team

How long it generally takes new team members to reach a level of competency so that they can work for a key client

Team Involvement

Getting your new recruits involved with the right people is key. Integrating your new employee with the team should involve activities which are relevant, interactive and, most importantly, fun! A dedicated mentoring relationship is also extremely helpful to your new hire as they will feel secure knowing that they have someone to turn to with their questions. The mentor should be an established member of the company and someone your new hire will feel comfortable seeking assistance from on policies, procedures and guidelines.

Prepare a Workspace

Nothing makes someone feel more welcome than when you take steps to prepare for them. Depending on their role, here are some common workplace essentials to have in place, ideally before your new hire is on board:

Email account set up
Stationary
Mobile phone / BlackBerry if applicable
Security access card / fob
Computer set up with software, passwords etc
Business cards if applicable

Training

It is important that you make your new employee feel that the business cares about them. The onboarding process should include formal training in their first week. This training could include HR, policy and procedure training, IT training for specific systems, etc.

Ensure that your training programme is timely and relevant to their position and role in the company, and that you encourage them to take part in further after-hours education, workshops or CPD training where relevant.