mentoring

Last month, Mo Abudu launched Your Dream Moment with Mo, a new mentoring programme for young women. In doing so, she was fulfilling a lifelong dream of her own to contribute to the development of Nigerian girls who are driven to make the most of their talents and opportunities.

Staged at the Oakwood Park Hotel in Lekki, the day consisted of a series of practical workshops, led by a number of influential speakers, including Bola Adesola, CEO, Standard Chartered Bank; Nimi Akinkugbe, CEO, Bestman Games; Lanre ‘Coach’ Olusola, author and life coach; Bidemi Zakariyau, CEO, LSF PR and Veronica Odeka, Founder, Vanestyle. Naturally, the event was anchored by Mo herself, as she dispensed pearls of wisdom and experience, encouraging the young ladies to reach for their dreams in a very strategic way.

Bola Adesola shared her personal journey of balancing a successful career with being a wife and mother, along with tips on goal-setting, being purposeful, living a full life and finding a spouse who supports your ambition. Lanre Olusola spoke about the principles of success, finding your purpose, loving yourself and having a clear vision for your life.

Nimi Akinkugbe‘s theme was Wealth Management & Funding Your Dream and she emphasised the importance of budgeting, saving, investing in yourself, lifelong learning and finding your passion. As Nigeria’s foremost celebrity stylist, Veronica Odeka, spoke about the importance of style as a way of projecting your personality, standing out from the crowd, increasing your confidence and improving your self-esteem, as well as sharing tips on building a beauty brand. Bidemi Zachariyau gave pointers on how to build a personal brand and why it is critical to impressing your next employer or client.

Speaking after the event, Mo Abudu expressed her gratitude to the speakers and support staff who made the event possible and how much it meant to all the attendees. “I’m so glad we finally made this happen. The future of Nigeria is extremely bright if we manage to nurture our young women and empower them to make their dreams and plans come true. I learned so much today about the strength, resilience, innovation and creativity of these bright young women, and I am determined to continue with this mentorship programme to ensure that as many as possible become successful entrepreneurs, executives and top professionals. They have so much to offer Nigeria.”

Amongst the attendees were lawyers, doctors, bankers, bloggers and entrepreneurs, looking for a way to fast-track their way to greater heights. Judging from their response, Your Dream Moment with Mo, was a resounding success. As the first in a series, the programme will continue across Nigeria throughout 2019.

Mentoring is a two-way street. I actually do quite a bit of work in the mentoring field–I am a mentor, I have a mentor, and I help train people to be good mentors. Your career is part of your life, and great mentoring changes you deeply, not just the way you work. Here are four tips for mentors and mentees alike:

Look for clues of success
Successful people are successful for a reason. People who have achieved greatness in an area of their lives are typically using great strategies. And these people tend to make excellent mentors. So when looking for a mentor, look for the clues of success. Think about what is important to you and the things you want to achieve personally and professionally. Do you want to be a better businessperson, mother, leader, yogi, speaker, writer, etc.? Start to look for people around you who exemplify the skills you want to acquire.

Mentoring goes both ways
To be sustainable and healthy, mentoring must be a two-way street. Both parties need to give 110% to the relationship. This ensures that the mentor and mentee continually learn from each other. Give as much to your mentor (or mentee) as he or she gives to you. And if you are looking for a mentor, actively seek out ways to add value to their life as well. Understand what matters most to them and find ways to contribute.

There is no one-size-fits-all
No one can (or should) guide you in all facets of your life. I actively seek out different mentors in a variety of areas in my life such as fitness, finance, public speaking, etc. For example, I’m expecting a baby girl, so I reached out to mothers and daughters and asked them to share their wisdom with me. Identify growth opportunities in your life and think outside the box.

Change your definition
A mentor is someone whose life or work you value and admire, and whom you think might be a good guide. These days, a mentor can be any age, in any field, so stop thinking of a mentor in traditional terms. Too often we limit our mentors to those “above us.” Don’t let a persons age, title, or experience pigeonhole your thinking.

-Camille Preston

source: Fortune Insiders

MO ABUDU HOSTS SUCCESSFUL MENTORING PROGRAMME FOR YOUNG WOMEN

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