October 15, 2023 • 20 mins
Join us for a heart-to-heart with Lyndsay Geraghty, who recently won our 2023 Mentor of the Year Award, and is the Senior Early Careers Manager at the BBC. Lyndsay shares her inspiring journey, from uncovering her passion for mentorship, to spearheading an Early Careers programme and sculpting young talent in the North.
Lyndsay discusses the wealth of young people with untapped talent in the UK and how we can create opportunities for them. She also tells us the powerful story of her own mentee, who is now a thriving mentor himself, underscoring the profound impact of mentorship on personal and professional growth.
🎙the transformative power of mentorship
🎙how to recognise your own successes and how these can help others
🎙 ways you can be involved in mentoring
🎙that mentorship is a journey carved out by individual experiences
Listen here: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1981646
#NPWPodcast #ListenNow #Podcast #WeArePower
Find out more about We Are PoWEr here. 💫
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 2 (00:19):
The Northern Power Women podcast for your career
and your life, no matter whatbusiness you're in.
Hello and welcome to theNorthern Power Women podcast.
My name is Simone and this isour winners season of the
podcast.
It's the chance where I get totalk to all of our remarkable
individuals and thoseorganisations who took home one
(00:40):
of our beautiful glass trophies,made by the wonderful Jamma
Truman, in this year's 2023Northern Power Women Awards.
It's great for me to always goback and catch up.
We've already had a quick catchup with today's guest already.
What was it like to win, what'sthe story behind that victory
and what they've been up tosince back in March.
(01:01):
This week, we are chatting toour mentor of the year, who is
Lindsay Garrity, who is theearly careers lead at the BBC
and won, as I say, this year'sMentor of the Year Award.
Lindsay, welcome to the podcast.
Speaker 1 (01:14):
Hi, hello Simone, Hi, everyone Really excited to be
here.
Speaker 2 (01:18):
It wasn't so long, was it?
It's not too many weeks agothat you were on our webinar
when we were talking aboutnominations, and it's crazy,
isn't it?
I don't know where all the timegoes and how we get to fit
everything in.
So, yes, I'm getting a two forone with you, lindsay, it's all
good.
Yeah, I'm amazed.
Speaker 1 (01:34):
I love it.
I'm really passionate about it,so it's great to be here again
and keep rowing for me in.
I'll be there and we've got you.
Speaker 2 (01:41):
Be careful what you wish for, and we've talked about
mentoring.
Mentoring is really at theheart of so many of the things
that we do.
We love that connectivity, welove that paying it forward and
that passing it on.
And what did it mean when youwon the award this year at the
awards?
Speaker 1 (01:56):
back in Manchester.
You know I think I said it onthe webinar last week as well it
was just absolutely amazing.
You know, it's something thatI've always been massively
passionate about over the lastlike eight to 10 years, and even
going back early, and you knowmy career and my experience, for
you know, when I was 50 year atwork experience, it was
absolutely overwhelming and Iwas shocked and I keep saying
that I was so overwhelmed andshocked by it and, yeah, it just
(02:20):
felt absolutely amazing.
You know, obviously, you knowwe're all winners as well.
I see it like that, and I thinkyou know the category was
really amazing.
Other ladies they're brilliantmentors as well, so even just to
be connected with them and berecognised alongside them is
absolutely, you know, phenomenal.
Speaker 2 (02:36):
Yeah, it was a really , really strong category, and I
say it's always a reallydifferent sort of forms of
mentoring, isn't it?
Because there's not one sort ofone size fits all.
How did you get involved withmentoring and why?
Why are you so passionate aboutit?
Speaker 1 (02:52):
Yeah, so basically, when I was 15, I was at work
experience and I had my firstmentor and quite early on in my
career and then, following fromthat, I think every role that I
ever went into, I always had amentor that mentored and guarded
me along the way.
So my passion started quiteearly on and I think I always
(03:13):
knew that I wanted to be likethe mentors that mentored me.
They were role models to me.
So, you know, thinking abouthow I could then give something
back there and inspire otherpeople was really important.
So when I joined, obviously Iwas at the very group I was at
the Early Careers part of it.
I think.
The opportunity to create, youknow, an Early Careers programme
and bring lots of young talentsand people in the North into
(03:36):
the business.
That's when my journey reallystarted ramping up, because I
realised I was passionate aboutit.
I realised, you know, I wasquite good at it and you know
the Early Careers people that Iworked with.
You know the feedback was theyreally helped them along their
journey as well.
So I think I've always beenpassionate about it.
But opportunity that mentorshave got me to opportunities you
(03:57):
know it's given wanted me to goto that direction as well and
kind of follow my passion andsomething that inspired me
personally as well.
So, yeah, naturally every rolethat I ended up going into I
become a mentor as well and itjust naturally happened.
It wasn't like you know, earlyon in my career I was in a
company in Dublin, sales Force,and I started mentoring some,
you know, young Early Careersapprentices there.
(04:18):
They had a massive programme.
So I think a little bit alongthe way just naturally happens.
And I think sometimes you knoweven saying you know I'm a
mentor, I probably do it everyday as well in every part of the
job that I do so.
And I think when I've reflectedon my personal experience, I've
had indirect mentors as well,people who've guided me and
supported me along the way.
So I think my passion startedreally early on, but obviously
(04:41):
then I've been able to look atenough to do it in my role, in
my personal time and stuff likethat as well.
And then I guess in thepandemic was so important
because I realised there was alot of young people you know at
university or people who havedone the A levels and you know
they're at home.
So that's when I set up myvirtual Mentoring, to support
and give something back throughthat time, which is, you know, I
(05:03):
was really passionate aboutthat as well.
Speaker 2 (05:05):
It's like really circular as well, isn't it, I
think?
Sometimes, I think I alwayshave this vision of how do you
create this real Cascading formof mentorship, because sometimes
people think, oh, I don't needa mentor or I can't mentor.
Well, actually, I think youneed both.
I think you need both sides,don't you?
I think?
What are your tips for anyoneout there interested in becoming
(05:26):
a mentor who thinks, or haven'tgot enough experience, or
having Haven't got anything Ican pass on?
Speaker 1 (05:30):
Yeah, no, I think if you really took a step back and
looked up you know what you'veachieved and you know your
journey you realize that couldbe invaluable experience and
knowledge to share with somebodyelse.
So whether you want to mentorsomeone really early on in the
career or you want to kind of doa sideway mentoring or or
reverse mentoring is somethingthat I've touched on as well,
where kind of and know someone,you know a similar level to you
(05:53):
and then you kind of mentor ineach other, you will not realize
the benefit and the invaluableexperience that you've got and
that will help someone else andeven if it's something small
that you take away from that, itwill help them set them up for
success and go on their path.
And I think every singlejourney that I've been on a
mentor or a coach has touchedand that along the way and kind
(06:15):
of got me to where I am today.
Speaker 2 (06:17):
And do you think you can learn to be a mentor?
Do you think that's somethingyou can go and train to become,
or do you think it's somethingthat is more experiential?
Speaker 1 (06:26):
Yeah, I think it's a.
You know, some people probablydon't like mentoring and I think
one of the key you know thingsabout mentoring is you know
empathy and wanting to givesomething back and listen and
I've been really good listeningskills.
But actually I think you can.
You know developing becoming amentor and now since I started
off mentor and I wasn't sure youknow how that looked and I have
done some training along theway and which has helped me kind
(06:48):
of bring the best out of otherpeople and when it's become more
formal mentor and in work andstuff like that, I have done
training which has definitelyhelped me.
So there's loads of things outthere, I think, like LinkedIn
learning do lots of mentorsessions and other platforms out
there.
So I think you can definitelydevelop.
But I think you know, if you'rea good listener and pathetic
and your passion you want togive something back.
Speaker 2 (07:09):
They're all the key things that you can you can do
to develop as a mentor as well,and I know working with young
people and sociability is is oneof your big passions.
You find that people can beoverlooked or having that hard
time in building that.
We talk about confidence, but Ithink I'm always keen about
belief within themselves.
How do you start that processof To begin in that journey?
Speaker 1 (07:34):
Yeah.
So I think, particularly if Ireflect on, like, say, early
careers and bits that I've donewith, like schools early on,
it's those small interventionsquite early on someone's life or
careers.
Or, you know, if we're parentsand the way we talk to our
children or make a difference interms of that space and
particularly my social mobility,where you know I've worked with
a lot of young people startingoff the careers who, like the
(07:57):
first in the family to go touniversity or they've not had
someone who's kind of you knowfollowed the, the passion that
they've got, or someone likegirls and technology, they've
got to knock on into that space.
I think opening thoseopportunities you know talking
about what their opportunitiesare really makes a massive
difference.
And I think definitely talkingabout particularly girls and
(08:17):
technology and going down thatroute we know that's still a
massive, you know problematicarea where girls don't go down
that route.
I think definitely, you know,inspiring them, talking about
opportunities and, you know,challenging as well, because I
know there's times where youknow I probably reach out to my
daughter's teaching in school.
You know, when I'm reading someof the books that I see that I
(08:37):
don't fully believe embracewomen or in careers and stuff
like that.
So I think it's about us allchallenging as well and creating
those opportunities.
There's so many young, talentedpeople in our cities across the
UK, and particularly in thenorth, that are untapped
potential and they're absolutelyyou know, passionate, they've
got direction that they want togo in.
(08:57):
But it's actually those smalllittle opportunities that we
create, either as a business oras an individual, makes a
massive difference, and there'sloads of stories, you know, that
I could share with peoplewho'll be here all day, but I
think there's loads of storiesabout those interventions that
have made a difference is reallyimportant.
Speaker 2 (09:14):
I think it's how can you help?
How can we help?
What should employees knowabout younger people from those
socially changed backgrounds whomay have historically, you know
, been overlooked?
What, what, what can we do tosort of help and educate, I
suppose?
Speaker 1 (09:29):
Yeah, I think, you know, as a business to me, and
like what we can find to do asbusiness, yeah, I think it's
about really thinking aboutearly careers.
Investing in early careers ismassively important because you
know everyone is passionateabout it.
You know we want to createopportunities, but actually
taking that time to invest inearly careers in a business is
massively important.
And that doesn't always have tobe someone at the beginning of
(09:50):
the career.
It can be a career changer.
It can be a woman returning towork from maternity, and how
that looks is really different.
But I think having that you knowinvestment and that creating
those opportunities really doesmake a difference as well, and
realising the importance becausethis is our future, this is the
future of like the world, isn'tit?
These are the you know, thefuture CEOs, and I think we've
(10:11):
got it's a different generationas well.
We've all got a duty to kind of, you know, give something back
there, inspire them, because theworld's changing fast as well
and we need the best you knowleaders in these positions to
lead us through the next bit ofchange as well.
What's been the?
Speaker 2 (10:25):
biggest sort of piece of advice you've ever been
given as a, as a mentee, if youlike on the other side.
Speaker 1 (10:32):
I think it's always honestly I know it sounds like
it might sound a bit like cheesyor cliche, but it's believing
myself because I have struggledmyself over the years with
confidence and I think if Ididn't have a mentor throughout
those times in my life, Idefinitely wouldn't be as
passionate and followed mydreams what I'm doing now and
obviously you know I love earlycareers.
(10:52):
Everyone calls me energy, talent, passion in the space, like.
So I absolutely am following mypassion and kind of dreams and
what I want to do and I'vereally realised that over the
last few years and I think it'salways believed in yourself and
have the confidence, becausethere's so many times you know,
with a lot of people sufferingfrom imposter syndrome on one of
them, and I think it's soimportant to hear from someone
(11:13):
else to say actually believe inyourself, keep going.
You know you're amazing at whatyou do, you're really
passionate about it.
It's really made a differencein kind of how I view myself and
how I can give something backto others as well, because if
I'm not feeling the best versionof me and you know and really
confident and you know that sortof thing I'm not able to then
give that back in the work thatI do as well, so I think that's
(11:34):
one of the biggest takeaways forme, and this is why I always
say, about mentoring, helpingyou be the best version of
yourself.
Speaker 2 (11:40):
You know, I think it's that safe space for you.
It's not about you being thebest you know person working in
technology, you know, being thebest person working in retail or
broadcasting.
It's being about being the best, lindsay, isn't it?
You know, and I think you know.
I remember I went to an eventnot so long ago and spent 70
students in a room undergradsand I asked how many of them had
(12:03):
a mentor and not one put theirhand up and I couldn't believe
that and I was like does it dowe need to call it something
different?
You know, does it need to besort of brought in?
We talk about stereotypes beingformed at early age, don't we
in school, you know we havebuddies, don't you're in school
and in the classroom, do they?
Oh, I always wonder, do we needa different word for it?
That you know, becausesometimes it's about networking,
(12:25):
sometimes it's about mentoring,sometimes it's being a listener
.
It's a bit of everything, isn'tit?
Needs a new job description.
Speaker 1 (12:31):
No, definitely I'm not.
One of the things every earlycareers programme I've developed
over time we've called, we'vehad like a buddy, which is like
someone who maybe another earlycareers person who is their
buddy but they're indirectmentor and then into the role.
Then we'd have like a sponsor,which would be like more like a
senior mentor, like someonesenior in the business.
But then I always encouragepeople to have mentors
(12:53):
themselves.
Go and find someone thatinspires you, reach out to them
and then ask them to become yourmentor.
What's the worst you can do issay no, but I know the majority
of the time, the people you knowwho used to have to be your
mentor would say yes.
So there's that element of it.
And then there's coaching aswell.
I've had a coach like almost alife coach before, helping me
through different aspects oflife and you know she was
(13:14):
brilliant through all differentstages through my life as well.
So, yeah, shout out to AndrewSpencer.
She was a really amazing time,yeah.
Speaker 2 (13:22):
Virago is that Virago ?
Virago Malmuss?
Yeah, I've got one of thosememories remember, because I
think she's been nominated andhas nominated for the awards,
isn't it?
So I remember these names.
Speaker 1 (13:32):
Angela, big shout out to you for encouraging,
encouraging role models and thatwas someone who was my mentor
in work as well, but then endedup becoming a life coach.
So those little connectionsthat you meet over time are so
important.
Speaker 2 (13:44):
What are you most proud of, or any great
transformations that you've seenfrom your mentees that you're
happy to share with us.
Speaker 1 (13:50):
Yeah, definitely.
I don't think you mind mesharing this one, one that I
really there's one or two thatreally stuck out.
One in particular was a youngguy that I met through my own
personal work at the schools butactually then in some of the
roles that I've done, and he was14 at the time and we met him
at a careers day that wedelivered at one of the partner
schools and he was quitedisruptive in school.
(14:12):
He broke all the rules, didn'tlisten, just so.
You know.
It was on a path that wasprobably not the great path for
him and he travelled so far tocome to this school and
everything.
So he ended up doing a coupleof workshops on careers and
opportunities in technology orin it was category of
merchandising and at the end ofthe first session he come over
to me.
He was like you know what Ireally enjoyed, that no one's
(14:33):
ever explained what that careercould look like to me and I
think it was merchandisingparticularly was interested in
and I said, well, you will beamazing.
You know you've got, you'vecome over, you've asked the
questions, you've got.
You know you've got thatintuition for it, you know
you're passionate about it andthat's what makes a difference.
So he then followed all thestuff that we do on every event
we went to connect us onLinkedIn, reached out, asked me
(14:54):
to do some one to one sessionswhen he was going through his A
levels, so I ended up deliveringthat for him.
And then when we launched adegree apprenticeship program at
the very group it was the firsttime we were the first kind of
organization to launch anapprenticeship program at that
level and he applied for it andhe went through the whole
application process, which wasmassive.
(15:15):
You know we had thousands ofapplications through the city
and he got on the program on themerchandise and one and he was
absolutely overwhelmed, eventhough he lived like four bus
rides away.
He was, you know, prime.
He was actually a primary carefor his little brother.
There was loads of differentthings around it and he then
went through the degree and hegraduated a couple of years ago
with a first class degree fromManchester Met Uni and now he's
(15:38):
absolutely smashing it in acategory role and a senior role
and he was the first person inhis family to ever go to uni to
where they can't go on todevelop his own career, and he's
so passionate about it stilland he, you know, I'm still in
touch with him now.
You can't make friends as wellwith people that you've mentored
.
I'm still in touch with him.
He's doing amazing things andhe's mentoring people.
Now he's talking to them abouthis opportunities.
(16:00):
He was like he's gone back toschools with millions and bits
and he's talked about.
You know, I was quite naughtyat school, he said, and I was
broke.
All the rules and the headteacher, you know, literally is
in order from now.
We can't believe that thoselittle bits of interventions
have massively changed hisfuture path and now he's got his
own place and supporting hisfamily and he's doing amazing
(16:21):
and you know it's always greatto see him and kind of hear what
he's doing as well.
So I'm sure he won't bementioning his name, but he went
mind me sharing that definitelybecause he talks about it a lot
at the schools that we do aswell.
Speaker 2 (16:32):
Oh, that's brilliant, Because I think it proves a
number of things, doesn't it?
You know, you're never tooearly, never too young to get a
mentor.
The fact that you, he's thengone into paying it forward, you
know.
So he's now gone right.
There's that cascading approach, isn't it?
I, you know, I've gained andI've grown and I've developed,
and now I'm giving back and he's, he, becomes that relatable
(16:54):
role model where he's only, youknow, a handful of years ahead
of you know someone, his, hisyoungest, his younger naughty,
well, his perception of naughtyself, I suppose.
So it's, it's, it's brilliant.
What does mentoring give you?
We've talked about a lot ofthings today, but what is the
one key thing that it gives toyou?
Speaker 1 (17:11):
You know I always say I use this word a lot, dude I
think it helps me kind of fuelmy passion and so obviously I'm
definitely passionate about itand it makes me feel happy
because, like literally everyday and I know the sounds again
like they're cheesy, but like itgives me that kind of I love
giving things back to people, Ilove helping people and I think
(17:32):
I found a way that I can do it,that is, you know, giving
something back but also thenfueling my like passion for my
kind of you know things in mylife, my personal and work life
as well.
So I think sometimes I do haveto question myself and go Lin,
you know what you're saying.
Your mentor or session, you'resaying the opposite to your kids
right now, so literally whatyou're doing.
So sometimes I have to take arain check at home and go
(17:54):
actually, yeah, no, because youcan't always obviously be.
You know you're not always onall the time.
All the time I'll be, but Ithink most of the time obviously
I am and I think it's justgiven being able to guide my
children.
My seven year old wants to be apilot already and that's one of
the things she's told me and I'mlike definitely, my job is done
.
She wants to be a pilot, eventhough schools telling her that
she might not be a pilot.
I'm like you will be a pilot,so I think it's a.
(18:16):
You know it definitely.
You know it's about givingsomething back and I'm
passionate about that.
I love you know helping peopleand things as well.
Speaker 2 (18:23):
Oh, that's what she called Eva, eva, eva, captain,
eva Shall, we call her thatalready.
Let's manifest it right here.
Speaker 1 (18:31):
I know Will she then ask me the questions what I need
to study to become a pilot.
And then I was like, oh, Iactually don't know that answer.
Let me go and research it, I'llcome back.
So we have trapped every night.
So we had a chat last night andI said, well, you need to focus
a little bit more on science, Ithink as well.
And she she absolutely amazed.
She went into school and said Idefinitely want to be a pilot.
And I'm like, yeah, that myjob's done there, definitely.
Speaker 2 (18:54):
There you go.
Brilliant, there you go, eventhere you go.
That's where it's a bringing ithome as well.
Bringing it home for EvaLindsay.
Thank you so much for joiningus.
As always, I know we could talka whole box that couldn't be on
mentoring, a role model.
So thank you so much forjoining us.
Congratulations again onwinning the award this year and
thank you so much for being sucha brilliant supporter of
(19:15):
everything that we do and thankyou for being brilliant and
thank you.
Thank you as well.
You're amazing.
Listen.
Thanks everyone for listeningtoday.
Please do head over to the weAre Power dot net to nominate in
our Northern Power Women Awardsfor the eighth awards.
Nominations closed very soon.
And please do subscribe to ourepisodes of the award winning
Northern Power Women in podcastand joining on the social
(19:37):
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Power Women on all the othersocials and catch up on all of
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It's way more than that.
So if you'd like to join us onour mission of professional and
(19:59):
personal development in Power ineach other, then please stay
connected on our digital hub,wearepowernet.
Thank you so much for joiningus today.
My name is Simone.
This is the Northern PowerWomen podcast and what goes on
media production for the world.
The Northern Power Women podcast for your career
and your life, no matter whatbusiness you're in.
Hello and welcome to theNorthern Power Women podcast.
My name is Simone and this isour winners season of the
podcast.
It's the chance where I get totalk to all of our remarkable
individuals and thoseorganisations who took home one
(00:40):
of our beautiful glass trophies,made by the wonderful Jamma
Truman, in this year's 2023Northern Power Women Awards.
It's great for me to always goback and catch up.
We've already had a quick catchup with today's guest already.
What was it like to win, what'sthe story behind that victory
and what they've been up tosince back in March.
(01:01):
This week, we are chatting toour mentor of the year, who is
Lindsay Garrity, who is theearly careers lead at the BBC
and won, as I say, this year'sMentor of the Year Award.
Lindsay, welcome to the podcast.
Speaker 1 (01:14):
Hi, hello Simone, Hi, everyone Really excited to be
here.
Speaker 2 (01:18):
It wasn't so long, was it?
It's not too many weeks agothat you were on our webinar
when we were talking aboutnominations, and it's crazy,
isn't it?
I don't know where all the timegoes and how we get to fit
everything in.
So, yes, I'm getting a two forone with you, lindsay, it's all
good.
Yeah, I'm amazed.
Speaker 1 (01:34):
I love it.
I'm really passionate about it,so it's great to be here again
and keep rowing for me in.
I'll be there and we've got you.
Speaker 2 (01:41):
Be careful what you wish for, and we've talked about
mentoring.
Mentoring is really at theheart of so many of the things
that we do.
We love that connectivity, welove that paying it forward and
that passing it on.
And what did it mean when youwon the award this year at the
awards?
Speaker 1 (01:56):
back in Manchester.
You know I think I said it onthe webinar last week as well it
was just absolutely amazing.
You know, it's something thatI've always been massively
passionate about over the lastlike eight to 10 years, and even
going back early, and you knowmy career and my experience, for
you know, when I was 50 year atwork experience, it was
absolutely overwhelming and Iwas shocked and I keep saying
that I was so overwhelmed andshocked by it and, yeah, it just
(02:20):
felt absolutely amazing.
You know, obviously, you knowwe're all winners as well.
I see it like that, and I thinkyou know the category was
really amazing.
Other ladies they're brilliantmentors as well, so even just to
be connected with them and berecognised alongside them is
absolutely, you know, phenomenal.
Speaker 2 (02:36):
Yeah, it was a really , really strong category, and I
say it's always a reallydifferent sort of forms of
mentoring, isn't it?
Because there's not one sort ofone size fits all.
How did you get involved withmentoring and why?
Why are you so passionate aboutit?
Speaker 1 (02:52):
Yeah, so basically, when I was 15, I was at work
experience and I had my firstmentor and quite early on in my
career and then, following fromthat, I think every role that I
ever went into, I always had amentor that mentored and guarded
me along the way.
So my passion started quiteearly on and I think I always
(03:13):
knew that I wanted to be likethe mentors that mentored me.
They were role models to me.
So, you know, thinking abouthow I could then give something
back there and inspire otherpeople was really important.
So when I joined, obviously Iwas at the very group I was at
the Early Careers part of it.
I think.
The opportunity to create, youknow, an Early Careers programme
and bring lots of young talentsand people in the North into
(03:36):
the business.
That's when my journey reallystarted ramping up, because I
realised I was passionate aboutit.
I realised, you know, I wasquite good at it and you know
the Early Careers people that Iworked with.
You know the feedback was theyreally helped them along their
journey as well.
So I think I've always beenpassionate about it.
But opportunity that mentorshave got me to opportunities you
(03:57):
know it's given wanted me to goto that direction as well and
kind of follow my passion andsomething that inspired me
personally as well.
So, yeah, naturally every rolethat I ended up going into I
become a mentor as well and itjust naturally happened.
It wasn't like you know, earlyon in my career I was in a
company in Dublin, sales Force,and I started mentoring some,
you know, young Early Careersapprentices there.
(04:18):
They had a massive programme.
So I think a little bit alongthe way just naturally happens.
And I think sometimes you knoweven saying you know I'm a
mentor, I probably do it everyday as well in every part of the
job that I do so.
And I think when I've reflectedon my personal experience, I've
had indirect mentors as well,people who've guided me and
supported me along the way.
So I think my passion startedreally early on, but obviously
(04:41):
then I've been able to look atenough to do it in my role, in
my personal time and stuff likethat as well.
And then I guess in thepandemic was so important
because I realised there was alot of young people you know at
university or people who havedone the A levels and you know
they're at home.
So that's when I set up myvirtual Mentoring, to support
and give something back throughthat time, which is, you know, I
(05:03):
was really passionate aboutthat as well.
Speaker 2 (05:05):
It's like really circular as well, isn't it, I
think?
Sometimes, I think I alwayshave this vision of how do you
create this real Cascading formof mentorship, because sometimes
people think, oh, I don't needa mentor or I can't mentor.
Well, actually, I think youneed both.
I think you need both sides,don't you?
I think?
What are your tips for anyoneout there interested in becoming
(05:26):
a mentor who thinks, or haven'tgot enough experience, or
having Haven't got anything Ican pass on?
Speaker 1 (05:30):
Yeah, no, I think if you really took a step back and
looked up you know what you'veachieved and you know your
journey you realize that couldbe invaluable experience and
knowledge to share with somebodyelse.
So whether you want to mentorsomeone really early on in the
career or you want to kind of doa sideway mentoring or or
reverse mentoring is somethingthat I've touched on as well,
where kind of and know someone,you know a similar level to you
(05:53):
and then you kind of mentor ineach other, you will not realize
the benefit and the invaluableexperience that you've got and
that will help someone else andeven if it's something small
that you take away from that, itwill help them set them up for
success and go on their path.
And I think every singlejourney that I've been on a
mentor or a coach has touchedand that along the way and kind
(06:15):
of got me to where I am today.
Speaker 2 (06:17):
And do you think you can learn to be a mentor?
Do you think that's somethingyou can go and train to become,
or do you think it's somethingthat is more experiential?
Speaker 1 (06:26):
Yeah, I think it's a.
You know, some people probablydon't like mentoring and I think
one of the key you know thingsabout mentoring is you know
empathy and wanting to givesomething back and listen and
I've been really good listeningskills.
But actually I think you can.
You know developing becoming amentor and now since I started
off mentor and I wasn't sure youknow how that looked and I have
done some training along theway and which has helped me kind
(06:48):
of bring the best out of otherpeople and when it's become more
formal mentor and in work andstuff like that, I have done
training which has definitelyhelped me.
So there's loads of things outthere, I think, like LinkedIn
learning do lots of mentorsessions and other platforms out
there.
So I think you can definitelydevelop.
But I think you know, if you'rea good listener and pathetic
and your passion you want togive something back.
Speaker 2 (07:09):
They're all the key things that you can you can do
to develop as a mentor as well,and I know working with young
people and sociability is is oneof your big passions.
You find that people can beoverlooked or having that hard
time in building that.
We talk about confidence, but Ithink I'm always keen about
belief within themselves.
How do you start that processof To begin in that journey?
Speaker 1 (07:34):
Yeah.
So I think, particularly if Ireflect on, like, say, early
careers and bits that I've donewith, like schools early on,
it's those small interventionsquite early on someone's life or
careers.
Or, you know, if we're parentsand the way we talk to our
children or make a difference interms of that space and
particularly my social mobility,where you know I've worked with
a lot of young people startingoff the careers who, like the
(07:57):
first in the family to go touniversity or they've not had
someone who's kind of you knowfollowed the, the passion that
they've got, or someone likegirls and technology, they've
got to knock on into that space.
I think opening thoseopportunities you know talking
about what their opportunitiesare really makes a massive
difference.
And I think definitely talkingabout particularly girls and
(08:17):
technology and going down thatroute we know that's still a
massive, you know problematicarea where girls don't go down
that route.
I think definitely, you know,inspiring them, talking about
opportunities and, you know,challenging as well, because I
know there's times where youknow I probably reach out to my
daughter's teaching in school.
You know, when I'm reading someof the books that I see that I
(08:37):
don't fully believe embracewomen or in careers and stuff
like that.
So I think it's about us allchallenging as well and creating
those opportunities.
There's so many young, talentedpeople in our cities across the
UK, and particularly in thenorth, that are untapped
potential and they're absolutelyyou know, passionate, they've
got direction that they want togo in.
(08:57):
But it's actually those smalllittle opportunities that we
create, either as a business oras an individual, makes a
massive difference, and there'sloads of stories, you know, that
I could share with peoplewho'll be here all day, but I
think there's loads of storiesabout those interventions that
have made a difference is reallyimportant.
Speaker 2 (09:14):
I think it's how can you help?
How can we help?
What should employees knowabout younger people from those
socially changed backgrounds whomay have historically, you know
, been overlooked?
What, what, what can we do tosort of help and educate, I
suppose?
Speaker 1 (09:29):
Yeah, I think, you know, as a business to me, and
like what we can find to do asbusiness, yeah, I think it's
about really thinking aboutearly careers.
Investing in early careers ismassively important because you
know everyone is passionateabout it.
You know we want to createopportunities, but actually
taking that time to invest inearly careers in a business is
massively important.
And that doesn't always have tobe someone at the beginning of
(09:50):
the career.
It can be a career changer.
It can be a woman returning towork from maternity, and how
that looks is really different.
But I think having that you knowinvestment and that creating
those opportunities really doesmake a difference as well, and
realising the importance becausethis is our future, this is the
future of like the world, isn'tit?
These are the you know, thefuture CEOs, and I think we've
(10:11):
got it's a different generationas well.
We've all got a duty to kind of, you know, give something back
there, inspire them, because theworld's changing fast as well
and we need the best you knowleaders in these positions to
lead us through the next bit ofchange as well.
What's been the?
Speaker 2 (10:25):
biggest sort of piece of advice you've ever been
given as a, as a mentee, if youlike on the other side.
Speaker 1 (10:32):
I think it's always honestly I know it sounds like
it might sound a bit like cheesyor cliche, but it's believing
myself because I have struggledmyself over the years with
confidence and I think if Ididn't have a mentor throughout
those times in my life, Idefinitely wouldn't be as
passionate and followed mydreams what I'm doing now and
obviously you know I love earlycareers.
(10:52):
Everyone calls me energy, talent, passion in the space, like.
So I absolutely am following mypassion and kind of dreams and
what I want to do and I'vereally realised that over the
last few years and I think it'salways believed in yourself and
have the confidence, becausethere's so many times you know,
with a lot of people sufferingfrom imposter syndrome on one of
them, and I think it's soimportant to hear from someone
(11:13):
else to say actually believe inyourself, keep going.
You know you're amazing at whatyou do, you're really
passionate about it.
It's really made a differencein kind of how I view myself and
how I can give something backto others as well, because if
I'm not feeling the best versionof me and you know and really
confident and you know that sortof thing I'm not able to then
give that back in the work thatI do as well, so I think that's
(11:34):
one of the biggest takeaways forme, and this is why I always
say, about mentoring, helpingyou be the best version of
yourself.
Speaker 2 (11:40):
You know, I think it's that safe space for you.
It's not about you being thebest you know person working in
technology, you know, being thebest person working in retail or
broadcasting.
It's being about being the best, lindsay, isn't it?
You know, and I think you know.
I remember I went to an eventnot so long ago and spent 70
students in a room undergradsand I asked how many of them had
(12:03):
a mentor and not one put theirhand up and I couldn't believe
that and I was like does it dowe need to call it something
different?
You know, does it need to besort of brought in?
We talk about stereotypes beingformed at early age, don't we
in school, you know we havebuddies, don't you're in school
and in the classroom, do they?
Oh, I always wonder, do we needa different word for it?
That you know, becausesometimes it's about networking,
(12:25):
sometimes it's about mentoring,sometimes it's being a listener
.
It's a bit of everything, isn'tit?
Needs a new job description.
Speaker 1 (12:31):
No, definitely I'm not.
One of the things every earlycareers programme I've developed
over time we've called, we'vehad like a buddy, which is like
someone who maybe another earlycareers person who is their
buddy but they're indirectmentor and then into the role.
Then we'd have like a sponsor,which would be like more like a
senior mentor, like someonesenior in the business.
But then I always encouragepeople to have mentors
(12:53):
themselves.
Go and find someone thatinspires you, reach out to them
and then ask them to become yourmentor.
What's the worst you can do issay no, but I know the majority
of the time, the people you knowwho used to have to be your
mentor would say yes.
So there's that element of it.
And then there's coaching aswell.
I've had a coach like almost alife coach before, helping me
through different aspects oflife and you know she was
(13:14):
brilliant through all differentstages through my life as well.
So, yeah, shout out to AndrewSpencer.
She was a really amazing time,yeah.
Speaker 2 (13:22):
Virago is that Virago ?
Virago Malmuss?
Yeah, I've got one of thosememories remember, because I
think she's been nominated andhas nominated for the awards,
isn't it?
So I remember these names.
Speaker 1 (13:32):
Angela, big shout out to you for encouraging,
encouraging role models and thatwas someone who was my mentor
in work as well, but then endedup becoming a life coach.
So those little connectionsthat you meet over time are so
important.
Speaker 2 (13:44):
What are you most proud of, or any great
transformations that you've seenfrom your mentees that you're
happy to share with us.
Speaker 1 (13:50):
Yeah, definitely.
I don't think you mind mesharing this one, one that I
really there's one or two thatreally stuck out.
One in particular was a youngguy that I met through my own
personal work at the schools butactually then in some of the
roles that I've done, and he was14 at the time and we met him
at a careers day that wedelivered at one of the partner
schools and he was quitedisruptive in school.
(14:12):
He broke all the rules, didn'tlisten, just so.
You know.
It was on a path that wasprobably not the great path for
him and he travelled so far tocome to this school and
everything.
So he ended up doing a coupleof workshops on careers and
opportunities in technology orin it was category of
merchandising and at the end ofthe first session he come over
to me.
He was like you know what Ireally enjoyed, that no one's
(14:33):
ever explained what that careercould look like to me and I
think it was merchandisingparticularly was interested in
and I said, well, you will beamazing.
You know you've got, you'vecome over, you've asked the
questions, you've got.
You know you've got thatintuition for it, you know
you're passionate about it andthat's what makes a difference.
So he then followed all thestuff that we do on every event
we went to connect us onLinkedIn, reached out, asked me
(14:54):
to do some one to one sessionswhen he was going through his A
levels, so I ended up deliveringthat for him.
And then when we launched adegree apprenticeship program at
the very group it was the firsttime we were the first kind of
organization to launch anapprenticeship program at that
level and he applied for it andhe went through the whole
application process, which wasmassive.
(15:15):
You know we had thousands ofapplications through the city
and he got on the program on themerchandise and one and he was
absolutely overwhelmed, eventhough he lived like four bus
rides away.
He was, you know, prime.
He was actually a primary carefor his little brother.
There was loads of differentthings around it and he then
went through the degree and hegraduated a couple of years ago
with a first class degree fromManchester Met Uni and now he's
(15:38):
absolutely smashing it in acategory role and a senior role
and he was the first person inhis family to ever go to uni to
where they can't go on todevelop his own career, and he's
so passionate about it stilland he, you know, I'm still in
touch with him now.
You can't make friends as wellwith people that you've mentored
.
I'm still in touch with him.
He's doing amazing things andhe's mentoring people.
Now he's talking to them abouthis opportunities.
(16:00):
He was like he's gone back toschools with millions and bits
and he's talked about.
You know, I was quite naughtyat school, he said, and I was
broke.
All the rules and the headteacher, you know, literally is
in order from now.
We can't believe that thoselittle bits of interventions
have massively changed hisfuture path and now he's got his
own place and supporting hisfamily and he's doing amazing
(16:21):
and you know it's always greatto see him and kind of hear what
he's doing as well.
So I'm sure he won't bementioning his name, but he went
mind me sharing that definitelybecause he talks about it a lot
at the schools that we do aswell.
Speaker 2 (16:32):
Oh, that's brilliant, Because I think it proves a
number of things, doesn't it?
You know, you're never tooearly, never too young to get a
mentor.
The fact that you, he's thengone into paying it forward, you
know.
So he's now gone right.
There's that cascading approach, isn't it?
I, you know, I've gained andI've grown and I've developed,
and now I'm giving back and he's, he, becomes that relatable
(16:54):
role model where he's only, youknow, a handful of years ahead
of you know someone, his, hisyoungest, his younger naughty,
well, his perception of naughtyself, I suppose.
So it's, it's, it's brilliant.
What does mentoring give you?
We've talked about a lot ofthings today, but what is the
one key thing that it gives toyou?
Speaker 1 (17:11):
You know I always say I use this word a lot, dude I
think it helps me kind of fuelmy passion and so obviously I'm
definitely passionate about itand it makes me feel happy
because, like literally everyday and I know the sounds again
like they're cheesy, but like itgives me that kind of I love
giving things back to people, Ilove helping people and I think
(17:32):
I found a way that I can do it,that is, you know, giving
something back but also thenfueling my like passion for my
kind of you know things in mylife, my personal and work life
as well.
So I think sometimes I do haveto question myself and go Lin,
you know what you're saying.
Your mentor or session, you'resaying the opposite to your kids
right now, so literally whatyou're doing.
So sometimes I have to take arain check at home and go
(17:54):
actually, yeah, no, because youcan't always obviously be.
You know you're not always onall the time.
All the time I'll be, but Ithink most of the time obviously
I am and I think it's justgiven being able to guide my
children.
My seven year old wants to be apilot already and that's one of
the things she's told me and I'mlike definitely, my job is done
.
She wants to be a pilot, eventhough schools telling her that
she might not be a pilot.
I'm like you will be a pilot,so I think it's a.
(18:16):
You know it definitely.
You know it's about givingsomething back and I'm
passionate about that.
I love you know helping peopleand things as well.
Speaker 2 (18:23):
Oh, that's what she called Eva, eva, eva, captain,
eva Shall, we call her thatalready.
Let's manifest it right here.
Speaker 1 (18:31):
I know Will she then ask me the questions what I need
to study to become a pilot.
And then I was like, oh, Iactually don't know that answer.
Let me go and research it, I'llcome back.
So we have trapped every night.
So we had a chat last night andI said, well, you need to focus
a little bit more on science, Ithink as well.
And she she absolutely amazed.
She went into school and said Idefinitely want to be a pilot.
And I'm like, yeah, that myjob's done there, definitely.
Speaker 2 (18:54):
There you go.
Brilliant, there you go, eventhere you go.
That's where it's a bringing ithome as well.
Bringing it home for EvaLindsay.
Thank you so much for joiningus.
As always, I know we could talka whole box that couldn't be on
mentoring, a role model.
So thank you so much forjoining us.
Congratulations again onwinning the award this year and
thank you so much for being sucha brilliant supporter of
(19:15):
everything that we do and thankyou for being brilliant and
thank you.
Thank you as well.
You're amazing.
Listen.
Thanks everyone for listeningtoday.
Please do head over to the weAre Power dot net to nominate in
our Northern Power Women Awardsfor the eighth awards.
Nominations closed very soon.
And please do subscribe to ourepisodes of the award winning
Northern Power Women in podcastand joining on the social
(19:37):
conversations at North PowerWomen on X Twitter and Northern
Power Women on all the othersocials and catch up on all of
our episodes so you can find outabout all of our other winners
and the stories behind theevening, which is always we
always say it's always about notjust one night the Northern
Power Awards.
It's way more than that.
So if you'd like to join us onour mission of professional and
(19:59):
personal development in Power ineach other, then please stay
connected on our digital hub,wearepowernet.
Thank you so much for joiningus today.
My name is Simone.
This is the Northern PowerWomen podcast and what goes on
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