What are Mentoring Circles™?

Mentoring has proven to be a successful tool in supporting individuals to gain vital confidence and support during the crucial phases of starting up and developing a business to ensure a more solid foundation for business success.

Mentoring Circles™ use an innovative methodology developed by Inova Consultancy which combines the benefits gained from one to one mentoring with those from working with a group of peers. A combination of action learning, coaching and peer mentoring principles provides mentees with a wider source of support and inspiration for idea generation and greater creativity in problem solving during business start up and growth.

Inova also runs Mentoring Circles™ to support women returning to work following a career break and has provided mentoring programmes for women returning to STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) in the UK and Europe.

What happens in a Mentoring Circle™?

Mentoring Circles™ usually have up to 5 individuals (mentees) working with 1 trained mentor/facilitator. Circles meet for an agreed number of sessions e.g. once every four to six weeks, over an agreed time period. A Mentoring Circle™ lasts approximately 3-4 hours with every member given the opportunity to discuss individual issues, followed by group support and members acting as a sounding board for individuals to bounce ideas and potential solutions to problems/issues.

Mentoring Circles™:

• Help individuals to generate new solutions and ideas relating to a wide range of business start-up/development issues e.g. marketing strategy development.
• Are based on an action learning methodology whereby circle members are encouraged to facilitate learning through asking open questions rather than offering advice and are encouraged to engage in self-reflection practices.