Mentoring in action

The Leadership Initiative for Taulia (LIFT) mentorship program continues to go from strength to strength. So what does LIFT have to offer, and how can participants get the most out of the program?

Mentoring is a powerful resource when it comes to professional development and career progression. By connecting with a supportive colleague, employees can expand their networks, gain new skills and develop their careers – as well as build lasting friendships. But finding a mentor organically isn’t always easy.

Enter the Leadership Initiative for Taulia (LIFT) program. Providing a space for employees of Taulia to develop mentoring relationships, LIFT helps Taulians network with colleagues, develop hard and soft skills, and gain exposure to different parts of Taulia. The program has been running since 2015 and has given many Taulians the opportunity to mentor – and be mentored – by others within the organization.

Building connections

Taulians can register to take part in the program as either mentors or mentees:

• Mentors are responsible for providing support and guidance to their mentees. This might include giving advice, acting as a sounding board about career choices, and identifying resources for personal development.
• Mentees communicate their goals for the program with mentors and work with them to identify resources, people, and information that might be helpful. They should be ready to accept constructive feedback and engage in self-reflection.

Mentors and mentees alike can benefit from the program in a myriad of ways. Jacob Fresneda – Commercial Market Sales Manager at Taulia, and the new head of the LIFT program – has been taking part in the program for almost six years. “The biggest thing I’ve gained from participating is exposure to the leadership of the organization,” he comments. “One of the things I’ve always loved about Taulia is the willingness of our leaders to spend time with employees.”

For others, LIFT has provided a valuable boost during various periods of their career. “When I arrived at Taulia, it was the start of the pandemic, which made it harder to create a personal network,” recalls Raphael Lentiez, Enterprise Business Development, and Vice-Chair of the LIFT committee. “Through this program, I was able to speak with people in different divisions in different countries. I also realized how important we are individually to the success of the company.”

Getting the most out of LIFT

Joining the LIFT program enables people to gain exposure to different parts of the organization and achieve their professional goals. So how can Taulians get the most out of the program?

A key feature of LIFT is its flexibility: the people taking part can decide which topics they want to focus on, and how often they would like to meet. As Justyna Hinz, Project Manager at Taulia and Secretary of the LIFT program, explains: “It’s an opportunity to talk to experienced people about whatever’s relevant to you, whether that’s developing leadership skills or learning how to negotiate better.”

Crucially, anyone who works for the company can participate, either as a mentor or as a mentee. “To be a mentor, you don’t have to have decades of experience – you can be a new joiner, or maybe just have been in your current position for a couple of months,” Hinz comments. “There will still be something you can teach someone else.”

As with any mentorship arrangement, participants should think carefully about what they want to gain from the program from the outset – whether that’s networking, developing skills, or simply getting an opportunity to spend some time with someone on the management team.

Next steps

Taulia never stands still – and naturally, plans are afoot to continue developing the program in the coming years. The current focus is on raising awareness of the program and continuing to enhance its value to everyone who takes part. Future developments could include bringing in more external mentors and experts alongside mentors from within the organization.