Testimonials From Protégés and Mentors

Philip Meyer

FNZIM. Mentoring has been a very fulfilling experience for me.  I have been able to engage with intelligent and aspirational people who enthusiastically participate in and appreciate the opportunity to gain from the experience.  Mentoring has refreshed my view of corporate life and enabled me to appreciate the pressures on modern middle management in today's world.  I am delighted to be able to make a contribution to the success of our future corporate leaders.

Ray Harding

Emits FNZIM. I served my ‘apprenticeship’ as a Line-manager in IBM and for a long time been a devotee of mentoring – everyone needs one. I have no doubt a business or any organisation with a mentoring approach will be more successful than one without. Mentoring is highly rewarding for both the mentor and the protégé.

Tony Hassed

Life FNZIM – Chairman Columbia Group Limited
Abraham Lincoln said, “You can’t lead a man where you haven’t been yourself.” Drawing on the many experiences, both positive and negative, that have occurred in my life, Lincoln’s words form the basis for the huge level of satisfaction and stimulation I get from being an NZIM mentor.  Whether it is addressing the exuberance of youth or the challenge of being a CEO, my life experiences always seem to bring a dimension or an aspect that sets the protégé on a new track.

Carol Oliver

As I reflect on the past year of involvement in the NZIM mentoring program I find myself a different person. Where previously I had vague goals as to what I wanted to do, I now have clarity of the work I want to do.

My mentor has listened, questioned and guided. I have found my own answers through this process. The process of discovery at time has been challenging as I confront myself and reflect on how I have previously managed situations and circumstances.

Often I have found that I have had lots of ideas but have not enacted or followed through. I now hold myself to account. Having a mentor who is interested in my progress has provided me with impetuous and personal support to take action.

My year as a protégé has been one in which I have experience significant personal growth and development. I came out of the year more measured, circumspect and comfortable with who I am and what I have to offer. I am more accepting that the right role does take time to find, that to effect significant change one must take a series of small steps. Each step leads one to explore different avenues. Along the way, I have met some wonderful people and learnt from them.

My thanks to my mentor, David Brown and NZIM for providing this wonderful programme.

Phil Hartwick

MNZIM – NZIM Mentoring Facilitator
"I have had two fantastic relationships recently through the NZIM Mentoring programme. The protégé’s have been up-and-coming individuals that were facing career and workplace challenges and tough choices. I have no doubt that these individuals benefited from discussing their issues and problems and we have become friends and continue to meet informally. I have also been rewarded by learning how to further develop myself as a 'teacher' rather than an advisor to help others learn to think through problems and take a more 'big picture' approach. Its a good feeling knowing you have been of help".

John Butterfield

FNZIM
"Being involved with NZIM Mentoring has proved to be one the wisest things I have done. It has introduced me to a group of people from very different backgrounds with colourful histories and great stories to tell.  My job has been, in essence, to be a good listener and in the process, my life has been enriched enormously.

Phil Kerslake

As a firm believer in lifetime learning I signed up to the NZIM’s mentoring program as both a mentor and a protégé simultaneously. I felt my 20 years in business would help someone younger progress in their career, but I wanted to continue my own development too.  Specifically, as a then general manager I wanted to learn more about the role of CEO – my next logical career step.

I was matched with a current CEO who proved ideal. He had all the relevant experience and knowledge I could hope for and a similar leadership style and values to myself. 

My mentor provided me with a perfect blueprint for progression to a CEO role. However two things conspired to alter the path I was on.  Firstly, I was diagnosed with cancer, interspersing mentoring sessions with chemotherapy and the like. Secondly, as I learned more of a CEO’s life I found myself questioning my motivation to pursue the role.

The outcome was a complete change in career direction. I left general management to establish a life and business coaching company! As the saying goes, ‘you aim for what you want and you get what you need.’

My experience as a protégé in the mentoring program proved invaluable for me. In essence it helped me find myself. It helped steer me to a vocation infinitely more fulfilling and rewarding for me. Needless to say I would commend the program to anyone.

Ron Rowe

Life FNZIM, JP
"Offering and promoting development opportunities to your future leaders is the single most important factor in 'ensuring a great tomorrow' (for your organisation) that I have witnessed first hand in many years of consulting and mentoring to management. The now well tried NZIM mentoring programme is a really good way to nurture the development opportunities for those you believe have the capacity to lead."