The Housing Industry Association and Savant Australia recently wrapped up a highly successful mentoring program, with funding support from Keystone Tasmania. The program was delivered in Launceston and Hobart over 6 months with 22 participants mentored by leading business coaches, mental health experts, diversity specialists and industry insiders. The two-day intensive program offered a balance of personal development and business strategy. Following the intensive days, participants jumped at the opportunity for one-to-one coaching sessions with the mentor of their choice.

The program included sessions on:

• Understanding business finance and cashflow (Robert Cameron, Collins SBA) - Rob reviewed the power of knowing your business model, understanding the four key metrics that every construction business should monitor to predict profits or pitfalls, the margin vs. mark up mistake and the difference between your profits and your bank balance.
• Business growth and mindset (Rachael Downie, Business Success Mentor) – Rachael covered taking the next steps in your career and identifying what habits, beliefs, and behaviours may be holding you back.
• Mental health, wellbeing and suicide awareness at work - (Wendy French, Talking About Training) – Wendy challenged the group’s understanding of mental health, suicide awareness, and self–care, and provided skills and tools to identify if someone is struggling, and avenues for referral to support.
• Leadership and communication (Jess Jansz, Savant Australia) – Jess shared leadership and communication theories and ways to understand how people behave and communicate. Participants explored the “dos and don’ts” of workplace dialogue and discussed how to motivate and inspire others.
• Supporting diversity and inclusion (Jess Jansz, Savant Australia) - Jess delved into the value of diversity in the workplace and what discrimination can look like. She provided an understanding of bias and learning how to build a strong, inclusive workplace culture.
• Time management (Jess Jansz, Savant Australia) – candidates reviewed their available time, how they use their time and explored distractions, whilst considering how to regain and maximise their time by removing the ‘time-wasters’.

At the Hobart and Launceston sessions, local guest speakers shared their professional journey and lessons learned along the way (Scott Greenwood, Master Franchisor for Jim’s Fencing in Tasmania; Tamika Johnston, Building Business Coach). Jess Jansz also worked with individual participants to review each individual’s personality and communication profile (TTI Success Insights, Driving Forces & Emotional Quotient Profiling). The profiling information allowed candidates to better understand how to motivate themselves and others, and communicate more effectively by understanding default personality types and traits. Feedback from the participants was positive, and several participants have reported changing aspects of their approach to interacting with others or managing their business, as a result of being in the program.