Global Links
Here's a selection of global links which we hope you find helpful.
Websites
There are thousands of great websites out there in the global online community. So how do we narrow this down for you? Well we decided to start with five solid sites that we know you can visit, get some good ideas and tools from, and that we have used ourselves when we've been supporting formal mentoring programs over the last 10 years. We hope you find them useful and use them as a launching pad to find more!
Free Tools for Online Conversations
As mentoring is a confidential relationship and sometimes distance is involved, it's important to consider the privacy of the information that you share across the 'airwaves'. If you are searching for a way to create a private online conversation/reflection environment - we've listed below some free blog/journal type tools that you could consider using. It's just a matter of setting up an online space that just you and your mentoring partner have access to - this way, keeping your online conversations all in the one place and secure for you both.
There are also a number of smaller online diary type sites including:
Just a quick note - we don't endorse any of the above systems, but we have included them here as a starting point for you to research and make up your own mind about using!
Websites
There are thousands of great websites out there in the global online community. So how do we narrow this down for you? Well we decided to start with five solid sites that we know you can visit, get some good ideas and tools from, and that we have used ourselves when we've been supporting formal mentoring programs over the last 10 years. We hope you find them useful and use them as a launching pad to find more!
- Harvard Business Review (HBR). Harvard Business Review is a well respected global journal. And while you may not subscribe to the printed edition, the online HBR Blog site is a great source of contemporary content that supports, engages and challenges our development. This is a great site to go to if you are seeking up to date writing across a range of content to support your mentoring conversations. Access this site via www.hbr.org.
- Mind Tools. Mind Tools has a great selection of resources, tools, templates and articles etc that support your career development. Some of the content is free, other you will need to register for. As a sample, some of the areas covered include: leadership, management, strategy, problem solving, communication skills, time and people management, learning skills and career skills. Access this site via: www.mindtools.com.
- Business Balls. This is a free resource site full of 'learning materials, guides, templates and tools - for personal, organisational and business development'. Despite the name sounding more business like - the content covers a significant amount of topic areas that can support your mentoring conversation. As a sample, topics of resources include: leadership/management, self/personal development, writing/communication, human resources, and team building. Plus - a unique aspect of this site is a set of PDF posters with motivational quotes. Access this site via: www.businessballs.com.
- TED. If you know that TED stands for Technology, Entertainment and Design and is all about ideas worth spreading then you probably consider yourself a TEDster and already have your favourite video playlist! However, if you've not yet come across the global phenonemen that is TED - then visit www.ted.com. Here you'll find a repository of thousands of videos on a huge range of topics. As TED has grown - so has the expanse in the content of videos and mix of speakers. We've shared some of our favourite TED videos via the Ideas link and we hope that you will also find your favourite video list to inspire, motivate, educate and encourage you in your mentoring conversations.
- The Leadership Challenge. This website is based around the book of the same name by Jim Kouzes and Barry Posner. Essentially this website contains a good number of ideas, resources, articles etc that surround the notion of leadership from every level. If you are including leadership as a mentoring conversation topic - then this website might be a good starting point. Access this site via: www.leadershipchallenge.com.
Free Tools for Online Conversations
As mentoring is a confidential relationship and sometimes distance is involved, it's important to consider the privacy of the information that you share across the 'airwaves'. If you are searching for a way to create a private online conversation/reflection environment - we've listed below some free blog/journal type tools that you could consider using. It's just a matter of setting up an online space that just you and your mentoring partner have access to - this way, keeping your online conversations all in the one place and secure for you both.
- LinkedIn - this is a professional, business oriented networking site. As a user, you can set up a private group and invite your mentoring partner to this. The potential benefit is that by creating a LinkedIn profile - you'll also be working on your online, personal branding. Here's the link: www.linkedin.com.
- Wordpress - this is a blog site. You can create a basic free online blog and set some privacy permissions on this. To learn more - go to www.wordpress.com. Plus - here's the link that explains about the privacy aspects: http://en.support.wordpress.com/adding-users/. Note - the free version of Wordpress is the Beginning site. Check out the differences here: https://signup.wordpress.com/signup/.
There are also a number of smaller online diary type sites including:
- Penzu - this is a free online journal. Find out more here: https://penzu.com/home
- Penmia - this is a free online notebook. Find out more here: http://www.penmia.com.
- GoodNight Journal - this a free online journal. Find out more here: http://www.goodnightjournal.com.
- Blog.com - this is another free online blog. You can register here: http://blog.com.
Just a quick note - we don't endorse any of the above systems, but we have included them here as a starting point for you to research and make up your own mind about using!