“What's so powerful about mentoring is that it creates an opportunity for people to connect at a higher level than would normally be the case at work.”

Leadership coach and Moving Ahead ‘Golden Thread’ facilitator Tanya Gordon explains why her childhood and 15-year career have made her so passionate about mentoring

I was born in Tottenham in north London, a baby of second-generation immigrants. My parents came to the UK as children – my mother from Jamaica and my father from St. Lucia. It was difficult growing up in north London, even though I had a lot of family around me.

From a young age, I was ambitious and curious about people. That often got me into trouble. I was intrigued by differences in behaviour and backgrounds. I remember saying to my mum, “I want to become a psychologist, because that's understanding the brain and how people work. How do I do this?”

I was stumped because there was no one around me who could point me in the right direction. Nevertheless, I continued my education and did a Business Studies degree. My favourite parts of the course were thinking about strategy and improving performance within an organisation.

However, I looked around and still couldn't find anyone who was doing what I wanted to do. I started listening intently to Oprah Winfrey, who overcame horrific difficulties to become stratospherically successful. How was she performing? What is she doing? What makes her special? To be honest, she became my TV mentor. Inspirational as she is, she clearly wasn’t available to answer any of my own questions or help me with my specific goals.

Personal challenge

I found out about the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development and landed a job there as a business executive, responsible for their coaching and mentoring portfolio. My boss was informally my first personal mentor and she challenged me. She wanted me to step out of my comfort zone, and I struggled with that initially. One of the first things I say to Moving Ahead mentoring groups is that they will feel uncomfortable, but they need to lean into it. You may be apprehensive or anxious, and that's normal. To borrow a phrase: feel the fear and do it anyway.

All mentors and mentees have a ‘golden thread’ facilitator like me to support them throughout the programme. My role includes answering any questions you might have or giving you a push in the right direction if you get stuck.

What's so powerful about mentoring is that it creates an opportunity for people to connect at a higher level than would normally be the case at work. On this scheme, it’s easier to share personal stories, because it’s cross-company and cross-sector. With your mentor, you can craft a way forward and they’ll sit with you as you push ahead.

Shared values

There are other things that make this programme special. Many have described the matching process as ‘magic’ – but I can reveal it’s actually a sophisticated computer algorithm overseen by highly experienced people. The key is that we do not match on role – instead we look at core values such as aspirations and vision for the future.

A big part of the Moving Ahead scheme are the sessions outside your mentor meetings, where you can hear from great speakers talking about their life stories. You will learn about difference and inclusion, and why that’s so beneficial in the work environment. I also help run the networking sessions which give you a broader crew of people to tap into.

There's no one type of person involved in the scheme. It’s amazing to hear from diverse people on the cohort, who’ve come from different backgrounds and countries. They work at different organisations, with various ways of doing things, which is incredibly valuable.

The most rewarding thing for me is watching the development of all involved. We know from our participant feedback that a large proportion of our mentees have a big rise in confidence – I can see a difference in how they talk as the programme goes on. Many go for and get promotions. At a time when there is a war for talent, a programme like this makes staff feel valued, which boosts retention.

Diverse thinking

I started as a ‘golden thread’ facilitator at a time where I was questioning lots of things around my race and work, just after the death of George Floyd. It's been like therapy for me, sharing stories with a diverse cohort and inspiring me to think about what's important. I've been in both tears and fits of laughter and I've been able to bring the authentic “me” to the sessions. It’s helped me hugely in my own development.

I love collaborating with Moving Ahead – as they understand how important diversity and inclusion is for creativity and performance. Working with the team personally challenges me to think more deeply and broadly about relevant issues surrounding people and development. 

For more information click here or contact Maria.May@moving-ahead.org