Module 2

Collaborative Mentoring allows Mentees to develop their own development network in relation to their needs. Their needs can be met by a variety of mentors to include:

Reciprocal Collaborative Mentoring

With companies become more digitally competent mentors need to not only have the knowledge and expertise but also need to be digitally savvy. Reverse Collaborative Mentoring is where the older generations teach the younger generations with their expertise and experience and vice versa. For example, the older generation may not be digitally competent may often work with digital experts are the younger Generation Y and Z. Topics they can work together with include managing a company’s e-reputation, personal branding on social media, collaborative platforms to optimize sites and products for smartphones and tablets.

This is a win-win relationship as the digital mentors and the traditional mentor, they can both update their skills, pass on their experience and knowledge through practical exercises, mentoring programs and meetings. The goal is everyone will be on the same page and capable of making clear, relevant better decisions that suit the business. This requires a long-term learning approach reverse mentoring isn’t a one-time process, with new digital tools and practices appearing every day you need to have a long-term digital training plan.

Collaborative Peer-to-Peer Mentoring Examples in Europe (Mentorship Circles)

Collaborative Peer-to-Peer Mentoring is predicated on community knowledge and experience, here are some examples:

Bizmentors – 5 EU regions providing trans-national business mentoring solutions for local European SME’s that compliments existing national mentoring models and intends to facilitate mentoring for even the most peripheral SMEs in the region.

European Cluster Collaboration Platform – an information hub, that drives the competitiveness of European businesses. You get to collaborate and explore this diverse cluster community, identify your potential cooperation partner, and show the world what you are good at!

DIHELP Training and Good Practice Webinars – The Digital Innovation Hub Enhanced-Learning Programme (DIHELP), funded by the EU, is a mentoring and coaching programme that is supporting 30 Digital Innovation Hubs, it organises a series of webinars open to the public.

The Cluster Booster Track – Call for European Mentors – is an exciting peer-to-peer learning and booster programme that helps cluster managers to improve their management skills, multiply their business opportunities and open new channels of inter-clustering collaboration at national and international levels.

TCI Mentoring Program – seeks to match experienced mentors, with cluster newcomers and talents in an early stage of their careers. Some of the areas of knowledge and competences for successful cluster practitioners developed through the TCI Mentoring Program include – Cluster Strategy & Organization Skills, Cluster Collaboration & Leadership, Cluster Entrepreneurship, Start-up & Scale-up

GroYourBiz – A diverse group of experienced, knowledgeable, and committed businesswomen who are your ‘board’ will hold you accountable to the business goals and commitments you make for yourself.  They share their individual and collective wisdom to help you work through the questions and challenges you’re wrestling with.  And you will do the same for them.

Women Presidents’ Organization, Inc. (WPO) target women presidents of multimillion-dollar companies. The members take part in professionally facilitated peer advisory groups to bring the “genius out of the group” and accelerate the growth of their businesses.

Collaboration Incubator:  The Collaboration Incubator supports deep new ways of collaboration between representatives of different progressive movements and ideas, as well  as utilizing the power of digital tools.

Collaborative Incubators

Collaborative Group Mentoring

Where one mentor looks after several people or Project Groups. The right technology can help facilitate this type of approach.

Project groups provide a secure space for a mentor to build and develop relationships with multiple stakeholders. They are collaboration spaces where projects get done; assign tasks, share feedback, tag colleagues and post updates. Choose whether your group should be open, closed or secret to manage access and ensure that the right people have access to the information they need.

Intersection Collaboration & Leadership

Case Study; Peter Simoons, Making Business Collaborations Work

Virtually Collaborate with Peter Simoons;

As an alliance and partnership specialist Peter works at the intersection of collaboration and leadership. Based in the Netherlands Peter helps businesses and alliance leaders around the world to create results with their alliances and partnerships. ‘Simoons and Company’ is an alliance-based network organization who work collaboratively with several alliance partners for specialized tasks.