WHY MENTORING WORKS
The Norwest mentoring program is up and running and helping to foster a culture of collaboration, innovation and lifelong learning at Norwest.
The program matches graduates, employees, entrepreneurs and employers with experienced professionals to discuss their career and personal development, potential business ideas and opportunities.
In this year’s program, mentor Nigel Rayner has been connected with mentee Alex Harding and they are both learning.
Nigel, a Senior Associate at 360HR Norwest with a Master of Business Administration and Bachelor of Civil Engineering, is also past Chairperson of Sydney Hills Business Chamber and has vast ability and much desired networks.
He is passionate about improving businesses and helping people reach their potential, by helping them understand and address their operational, human resources, and people management challenges.
His mentee, Alex Harding, established his Norwest-based company Dataphoria over 10 years ago, which has gone from strength to strength with consecutive listings in the AFR Fast 100. It offers a wide range of ethical client services including performance-based digital lead generation, list marketing and customer analytics.
Alex said: “When setting up the business, I saw the greatest threat to long-term success being complacency with regards to ongoing education. In the early years, I would buy lunch for owners of businesses that impressed me in the hope that they would give me insights and ideas into my goals and challenges.
“I also took it upon myself to read any management / success books they recommended, but I have not had a formal mentor in the past. “
For Alex, Nigel who has extensive experience in management strategy, people management and HR compliance, was the perfect mentor choice.
“Starting the process during COVID lockdown meant we both had a sounding board on how the situation was likely to impact our businesses on a number of levels. As the situation calmed, Nigel also coached me through setting up formal performance management processes, annual reviews and management coaching.”
For Nigel, meeting Alex has been an equally valuable experience.
“The mentoring process has been beneficial to both of us, as we both learnt things along the way. As a business owner myself, it makes me question and reassess how I do things effectively and efficiently,” said Nigel.
“I’d encourage more young people and experienced professionals to get involved in the program as I’m sure they’ll find it rewarding. We all have things that we can continue to learn and improve upon, no matter how experienced we are. As they say, we don’t know what we don’t know.”
Mulpha Developments Executive General Manager, Tim Spencer, said:
The mentoring program is designed to tap into Norwest’s most valuable resource, the people and the knowledge, expertise and entrepreneurial spirit that is so abundant in the Norwest business community. Fostering lifelong learning is the key to driving business innovation and creating the vibrant entrepreneurial economy of the future.
For more information on joining the Norwest Mentoring Program, call Rakshika Ramlogan on 9239 5576 or email [email protected].
