The role of chair is not an easy one. It can feel like the whole organisation rests on your shoulders, and that you are responsible for solving its problems. Because of your role leading the board, you’ll probably find you can’t always openly share these challenges within your organisation.
How mentoring for chairs can help
Creating connections with fellow chairs can make a huge difference. Other chairs are ‘in the know’ about what the role is like and can support and share experiences and understandings of where you’re coming from.
Mentoring for chairs in a safe and confidential space
With your mentor, you’ll have a safe and confidential space to bring your burning questions and tough situations. Your mentor will give you their take on the issues at hand, share their own experiences and provide you with new perspectives, information and contacts.
The different kinds of mentoring relationships
We’ve set up mentoring between chairs, vice chairs, and co-chairs. Because of the unique shared experience that all parties have of being chairs, these relationships are providing the support, advice and encouragement that so many chairs find themselves needing.
Equal partners: co-mentoring
Our mentoring scheme follows a ‘co-mentoring’ model, so you and your mentor will be equal partners. You can expect to both act as a mentor to your partner and be ‘mentored’ by them. You’ll each bring unique skills and perspectives to share with each other and learn from.
How does mentoring for chairs work?
Application process
So far we have had over 100 participants! To help match people up, we run a simple online application process. You share information on your experience of chairing, about your organisation and your professional and lived experience.
Matching mentors
We personally match you with a fellow applicant who seems like a good fit. This might be that their organisation is in a similar sector to yours or that there is a shared challenge and theme that you’d like to focus on (for example: the dynamic between chair and CEO).
Many of our mentors have also found that being matched with someone even where they seemed to have little in common outside of being a chair has been of great value. The experience opens the door to sharing different experiences and ideas.
Regular meetings
The opportunity of having a regularly planned and defined space to bring your experiences and challenges to, have a platform to vocalise and focus on them, and be listened to by a fellow Chair, is really where the magic happens. Each programme lasts for six months.
Guidance to mentoring for chairs
We provide guidance on your mentoring relationship as part of the programme. Meetings happen every four to six weeks and can happen virtually or in-person.
During the mentoring period, we keep in regular touch to see how it’s going. We also get your feedback to help us improve the programme.
The co-mentoring programme is funded by City Bridge Foundation. It’s currently only for chairs based in London or whose charities benefit Londoners. We hope to expand the service in the future!
Apply to be part of our mentoring for chairs
The application process is open!
We have three different intakes throughout the year. The application form is open for you to complete when it’s convenient to you, and we will make mentoring matches from our pool of applicants in the following months:
- October (for any applications made between May – September)
- February (for any applications made between October – January)
- May (for any applications made between February – April)
Any questions? Get in touch with Lally at [email protected].
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