Fellowship mentoring: a partnership for success

With more than two decades of experience in operations and project management, Peter McLaughlin is no stranger to helping others develop and progress their careers.

However, it is his own personal development that has been the catalyst for his journey as a CIOB fellowship mentor.

“I have always taken great pride in progressing and mentoring others throughout my career, so I jumped at the opportunity to continue this with senior professionals,” he says.

“Due to the process involved in attaining fellowship, I felt that I could add a different perspective on how to tackle and approach the assignment…[by] demonstrating easier or alternative ways to set out the reports and focusing on how to use the CARL format [see box] to demonstrate what the assessors are looking for.”

While working with a mentee, McLaughlin explains, the first step is to understand where they require support and guidance.

“In most cases, the mentees have difficulties in interpreting the standards and how to apply them within the content of the application,” he says.

“My approach is to provide tips so they can commence with starting the report – highlighting the dos and don’ts and reiterating the focus points, which generally sets the scene for them to start.”

Using the CARL method, McLaughlin encourages his mentees to focus on demonstrating results and learnings throughout the report, as this will help to achieve top marks during the fellowship process.

McLaughlin also recommends the use of images and screenshots to help illustrate the topic the candidate is referring to throughout the report.

Ultimately, he says, candidates must demonstrate how they have employed a new concept at a strategic level and, therefore, how they have met the fellowship standards.

“Once the mentee provides an initial draft, it is important to provide feedback as quickly as possible on the structure – first and foremost, for example, have they understood how to apply the standards correctly?

“Then I can focus on providing further advice or techniques they could use before moving on to the content and flow of the report.”

While mentors are tasked with offering practical guidance, developing a good relationship with mentees is also important.

McLaughlin says this is rarely an issue because fellowship candidates are typically keen to succeed and willing to accept advice, which he describes as “extremely refreshing”.

However, he adds that mentors “do need to manage [mentees’] expectations on what is expected of them and how long the process can take”.

McLaughlin admits that the international locations of mentors and mentees can be challenging. “For example, time zones can be an obstacle as I am based in Brisbane and often the mentee is from the UK or Africa,” he explains.

One such example is McLaughlin’s former mentee, Raj Singh FCIOB, who is a principal project manager at the Ministry of Justice in the UK.

“On undertaking the CIOB fellowship, I had no hesitation in trying to source myself a suitable mentor,” Singh says.

“Having reached out to a number of CIOB mentors, I was not having much luck so decided to throw my net wider – and yes, why can’t I have a mentor who is based in Australia?”

Singh insists the distance makes no difference – the priority is the quality of support. She describes McLaughlin as “receptive and quick to respond”, reviewing her submission objectively and providing “some really helpful feedback”.

“Not only did I achieve fellowship, but I was also asked to consider becoming a fellowship assessor,” Singh adds.

From a mentor’s perspective, the opportunity to work with diverse mentees who have different backgrounds and experiences is hugely rewarding, McLaughlin says.

“It has also provided further insight into other sectors in the industry,” he adds. “This also acts as further learning and development [and allows me to attain] knowledge on how other professionals approach and solve difficult situations.

“[The experience as a mentor] allows me to utilise and consider other ideas and strategies in my day-to-day role.”  

So, what advice would he give other senior built environment professionals who are considering mentoring?

“It can be extremely time-consuming, dependent on how much input you are willing to do,” he says. “You also need to consider that it is your free time, so be mindful not to let this interfere with your day-to-day role.

“As a mentor, it is a necessity not just to review, but to spend as much time as you can to assist and guide the mentee.

“Nonetheless, when your mentee attains their professional accreditation, it is like winning an award and makes everything worthwhile.”