A two-way path of self-reflection and trust
As International Day for Women in Maritime on 18 May approaches, four marine professionals examine how mentoring allows them to step into another person’s shoes and self-reflect.
Vanessa Victoire SIMarEST met her mentor when they worked for the same company. “Ann immediately motivated me,” says Victoire, adding it was the first time she’d met a female Captain. “Ann told me she’d support me as DPA and mentor. Onboard my first ship, we would often be in touch via WhatsApp, about gender issues and my cadetship.”
When Ann left the company, they stayed in touch. “Ann advised me where to study, how to bring my training record book up to UK standards and encouraged me to join the IMarEST. She’s always been there for me.” Being mentored means having someone to share the difficulties, insecurities and successes for Vanessa who hopes to mentor a cadet soon and give back what she has received.
“One of the many joys of mentoring is how it helps keep me up to date with what people are being taught, viewpoints on the industry and even questioning some of my staid perspectives,” says Vanessa’s mentor, Captain Ann Till CMarTech MIMarEST, who is chief vessel operator with Ocean Infinity, based in Southampton.
In addition to her workplace mentees, and Vanessa Victoire, Ann also mentors a deck cadet and a shoreside maritime professional. “These three mentees are three different nationalities yet represent the future of our industry,” says Ann. “Apart from the fact they are all female, more by chance than design, they all share one common thread – passion for the maritime industry.”
Ann differentiates between “on-the-job mentoring and the longer-term career-orientated mentoring.” Both bring joy, but mentoring an individual she has hierarchical responsibility for is very different to mentoring someone she does not work with directly. Ann was mentored as part of the Honorable Company of Master Mariners scheme which she joined in 2001 and is still in touch with her mentor today.
Mentoring at all levels of responsibility
Richard Graham CEng CMarEng FIMarEST is Chair of the IMarEST’s Professional Affairs & Education Committee. Early in his career, he was mentored by chief engineer officers who provided support, not only to achieve his professional goals, but also providing wise counsel when the going was getting tough.
Graham says marine professionals should seek a mentor at all levels, adding that when he was Head of the RFA Marine Engineering Branch in Navy Command headquarters, the FD of the Navy was his mentor. He has mentored many maritime professionals and was involved in the development of the Erasmus #Mentor4WBL (Mentor for Work-Based Learning) programme and the EqualEngineers pilot mentoring programme for engineers of all disciplines, with a remit to make engineering and technology more diverse and inclusive.
All successful mentoring relationships are based on mutual trust, according to Graham, with shared expectations, and an agreed action plan and communications strategy. “Mentoring is as much about developing personal qualities and inter-personal skills,” says Graham, “as it is about learning.”
Graham highlights how useful a mentor can be when discussing concerns that may not be appropriate to discuss with a line manager or tutor. And the mentor benefits hugely also. “Mentoring is an integral part of professional development for mentors also, with benefits ranging from fulfilment from helping others, improved communication skills, and better self-reflection and awareness.”
Sharing experiences
Captain Mike Melly thought mentoring was something a captain did with his chief mate and junior officers but sees it differently now. “Mentoring is very simple – it’s simply to walk side by side with someone, sharing experiences in a way that the other person can relate to them, and use them as a learning experience.”
Captain Mike Melly (centre) with two S.A.T.S. General Botha Old Boys Association mentees and bursar recipients
The South African master mariner’s first mentor was the skipper of a National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) rescue boat and he credits him for encouraging a life at sea. Today, Melly gives back through his time on the S.A.T.S General Botha Old Boys Association Bursary Fund that finances a senior cycle education for disadvantaged teenagers in South Africa, mentoring them throughout their final three school years at Lawhill Maritime Centre, towards a career in maritime.
Self-reflection and understanding are key when mentoring and Captain Mike Melly suggests potential mentors ask themselves:
- Who am I and how do I relate to others?
- Do I have the capacity to do the potential mentee justice?
- What experiences of mine do they need to learn from?
- How can I communicate my experiences in a way that will be well-received by the mentee?
- Does the mentee REALLY understand what a sea-career is all about, and do they REALLY want to go to sea?
- Will we be able to develop an open, honest and trusting mentoring relationship?
- Does the mentee have the academic ability to make a success of a sea-career? If not, but if they really hanker after a sea-career, do I have the capacity and knowledge to be able to offering tutoring, or find a tutor?
- Does the mentee understand that mentoring requires buy-in from them, and are they prepared to follow advice, set goals, and work towards those goals?
Look back at the IMarEST’s Houston branch’s recording of its June 2020 webinar ‘Empowering the Next Generation of Female Leadership in Offshore with Ally Cedeno, founder of Women Offshore foundation.