We Offer 3 Types of Mentoring Programmes
Mentoring is a fantastic way to achieve a step change in the number of women reaching senior leadership roles. Over 200 people have participated in our Mentoring Women in HTL programme, first launched in June 2019.
Started in 2019, the Reverse Mentoring in HTL initiative is designed to enlighten leaders about issues on race and ethnicity by exposing them to insightful conversations and experiences that they may otherwise never encounter.
NEW!
Launched in June 2020, the Bitesized Mentoring Programme offers a solution for those who may not be able to commit to a structured 12 month mentoring partnership or who wish to focus on a singular challenge or question in a condensed time frame.
The Mentoring Women in HTL Programme
The aim of this programme is to achieve a step change in the number of women reaching senior leadership roles across the Hospitality, Travel and Leisure industry.
Through sharing cross-industry experiences and skills we hope to inspire women with high potential to further develop their careers, broaden their knowledge across the industry and achieve their full potential with the help and guidance of experienced mentors across Hospitality, Travel and Leisure.
Our Approach
Mentoring is a supportive and inspirational relationship based on trust and mutual respect and benefits accrue to both participants. The Mentor helps the Mentee to realise her potential.
Benefits
The benefits of a mentoring relationship are monumental – for both Mentees and Mentors. From building new skills to making new contacts and forging a bond with someone in another part of the industry, mentoring offers some invaluable opportunities for everyone involved.
The Mentoring Relationship
The mentoring relationship is at the core of this programme. Great care is taken to match the Mentor and the Mentee so that they can have productive conversations, build strong bonds and support each other throughout the programme.
"Mentoring has been such a wonderful experience! The level of support, respect, and time that I have been given has been fantastic; I always leave each session with a clearer head and practical steps that I can take to move myself forward. I really appreciate feeling like part of a wide and strong network within the industry; finding a mentor in WiHTL has definitely aided me in both my personal and my career development, so thank you!" Ruth, WiHTL Mentoring Participant, June 2020
Criteria
Mentors
• Senior Executive leaders (women & men)
• Committed to meeting mentees every 6-8 weeks
• Providing support, challenge and a fresh perspective
• Interested in the challenges senior women face
• Passionate about and role modelling inclusive leadership
Mentees
• Identified as high potential women
• Interested in learning from other industries
• Committed to development and taking responsibility for their careers
• Proactive and reliable in progressing the mentoring relationship
Matching
We take special care in matching Mentees with the right Mentors and ensure there is a great fit in terms of background, interests and goals.
The Mentors have diverse expertise and a commitment to support women progress across the Hospitality, Travel and Leisure sector.
Getting Started
Once the matching has been completed, the one-on-one relationship with your Mentee or Mentor will commence. This will last for one year and meeting a minimum of one hour 4-6 times per year.
The WiHTL team will support the Mentors and Mentees to get the most out of their relationships.
Mentors and Mentees will have access to a wealth of support and useful online resources.
We will monitor to see how the mentoring relationship is progressing and will ask Mentors and Mentees to complete short feedback forms to reflect on achievements and development and to see how we can best support the mentoring programme.
Mentoring Platform
WiHTL has partnered with PushFar to provide a mentoring platform for the benefit of all those who have joined our mentoring programme, including:
An effective way to manage your mentoring relationships
The ability to schedule and track mentoring meetings
Set and manage mentoring goals, reminders and notes
Reminders and prompts to help mentors and mentees to stay on-top of mentoring
Share knowledge, ask questions and network with other members of the mentoring scheme
Provide feedback to your mentor or mentee
New! Bitesized Mentoring Programme
WiHTL’s new ‘Bitesize’ Mentoring programme' powered by PushFar, the online Mentoring platform. This is a mentoring solution for those who may not be able to commit to a structured 12 month mentoring partnership or who wish to focus on a singular challenge or question in a condensed time frame. If you would like to join our new Bitesize Mentoring Programme, simply create your profile here. If you have any questions, please contact joanna@wihtl.com
Mentoring Articles & Resources
Advice for men who are nervous about mentoring women