I had only an inkling what mentorship was before I took my training with TalentC.  After taking both Levels One and Two to become an Internationally Certified Mentor, I now see the tremendous impact mentorship can have on an organization, a group of any size and most importantly personal life.

Through my own mentoring work I have witnessed amazing positive results through these 2 areas, self -confidence and practicing better communication.

With the growth of self -confidence it allows one to become a risk taker.  Mentees have commented they no longer feel alone and isolated with their problems.  They now have someone to celebrate the positives and successes no matter how small. For example, positives/successes I’ve seen include de-cluttering a desk to become more organized to restarting training for a job that she is passionate about, which, in the long term will allow her to move out of her current employment.  My own self confidence has grown, as well, to be able to ask more meaningful questions and to establish a trust that allows a mentee to become comfortable to share concerns and begin to develop an action plan.

The second, better communication, I feel both my mentee and I have benefited the most. It was important to make the time to pre-plan upcoming conversations, especially those that are perceived as difficult.   First to identify your goal or purpose for having this conversation, next, to identify areas that may be challenging, finally to ensure your thoughts are presented clear and concisely.

A pre-planned approach fosters a more positive outcome than walking in and just “seeing what happens.”

Together “WE” support a change –personal and/or professional. With a guided approach, the people I have worked with have been able to think through the steps needed to resolve their current problem while at the same time have the confidence to tackle the next one.

The course continues to drive home the point that critical thinking skills are desperately needed in today’s world, more than ever.

Mentorship may take some time and dedicated consistency but the benefits gained both personally and professionally are exponential!!!

Thank-you TalentC!!!!

Dania Meyers, CMP

Certified Mentor Practitioner

I took Talent C’s Level 1 Mentor Course where Doug Lawrence was the Facilitator for the course. He and I share the same passion for helping people to be the best they can be by way of Mentorship. When it was time to plan our “Going for Gold” Mentorship Symposium, I knew that Doug would be the right person to have speak at our Symposium. The fact that he was a local speaker was very appealing and provided a local connection. Doug was our very first presenter and his presentation on Mentor Programs or Mentor Culture set the tone for the rest of the Symposium. We wanted the audience to get familiar with the concept of mentorship if they were not already. Doug’s passion for mentoring and his role as a thought leader in the mentoring space was very evident throughout the presentation. He was very accommodating and willing to create a presentation suitable for the event. I would highly recommend Doug as a presenter and as a resource to engage if you are looking at establishing a mentoring programs or a mentoring culture.

Patti LeBlanc, RN

Mentorship Consultant

Regina Qu’Appelle Health Region

"After recently taking the Level 1 Mentoring Course through TalentC, with Doug Lawrence, I found it very informative and motivating.  The course broadened my knowledge in regards to what mentoring exactly was and the importance of it.  By the end of the day, I realized how much of an impact mentoring can have in our organization and also in our personal lives.  I would highly recommend this course through TalentC. "

Tammy Ewaskow, HR Generalist

The Level 1 Mentorship certificate workshop and training process was professional and well presented. During the training there were good opportunities for practicing skills and Doug is a great mentorship role model who truly practices what he teaches. I'm glad I came to the workshop, have already used the questioning skills we learned and look forward to completing the next level!

Marie Gervais, PhD., Director

Global Leadership Associates Inc.

“Ecologists remind us that a tree planted in a clearing of an old forest will grow more successfully than when it is planted in isolation in an open field. The roots of the new planting will follow more easily and more deeply the hidden pathways of the old root system.” *

Mentoring could be considered as guiding another in the process of ‘self-discovering’ life’s hidden pathways to greatness, in the context of a caring relationship where wisdom is uncovered, appreciated and integrated into one’s own life and work.

Doug Lawrence of TalentC  is uniquely able to provide this kind of wise mentoring but also to effectively train others to become equipped and empowered  in this much needed ‘gift of mentoring.’

Recently I had the privilege of taking the Level One Training with Doug Lawrence, and was personally impacted with his insights and inspired by his training.

I would strongly encourage anyone who is seeking to successfully grow their business as well as their own personal lives, to tap into the TalentC’s rich and organic pathway of mentoring.

Submitted by Walter Klassen MA

President of Keystone Insurance

Consultant with Continuity Partnership

*Quote is taken from James Houston’s Book “The Mentored Life”.

Even after years of being involved in mentoring, and in coaching my management teams and employees, I found level one of the Mentor Practitioner Certification program very enlightening and immediately useful in my work.  It is my opinion that we all have a responsibility to give back and help grow our people and our businesses.  Mentoring is a wonderful way to do both if it is done in a way that engages and inspires.  TalentC does a fantastic job with this program to help you walk away with new skills and new energy to share the gift of mentoring in your organization.

After many years of loose/occasional communication Doug Lawrence and I were able to reconnect using social media in 2010 and thus began a weekly routine of calling each other on Skype. With Doug first offering to provide me with free mentoring services, what developed was a rekindling of a lifelong friendship that is as strong today as it was nearly 40 years ago when it began. Doug is a kind giving, genuine soul whose wisdom runs very deep and whose generosity is always at the surface. In a genuine show of incredible caring Doug has utilized his immense experience in dealing with people to create a world class training program that is simple at its heart but incredibly complex in its effectiveness.

TalentC is the delivery mechanism for a massive change that is absolutely necessary and timely in today’s world. The fine art of Mentorship is one in which every person has the ability to perform but few have the tools required to act. The Level One program covers all the basics and delves right into the heart of how our society functions and what is necessary for a thriving future. Knowledge transfer is more critical today than ever before in our world and this program is timely, effective and absolutely necessary. My experience with Level One has left me with a strong desire to continue and a resolution to help bring this message to as many as I can in the future. Doug has created an easy to understand functional training program that will allow certified facilitators an opportunity to help support the coming change.

Doug is a familiar face in Saskatchewan as it relates to Mentorship. I met Doug in October 2010 through the Saskatchewan Association of Human Resource Professionals (SAHRP) Provincial Conference. My initial encounter was memorable and our mentorship relationship has developed progressively since.

Doug has offered himself to me as mentor; offering knowledge, support, experience and aids in bringing out my strengths I did not necessarily know I had as a recent graduate. Coming into the workforce as a young professional, I did not have a point of contact within the working community that I was able to confide in, talk to about work experiences and develop myself as a serious professional. There was a gap in my experience from University and Doug has been able to bridge that.
Over the last months, this mentorship opportunity has allowed me to expand my knowledge of leadership and who I am as a young professional. Doug has facilitated the expansion of my professional networks, serves as an ongoing role model and even a coach. He has an adaptable and flexible approach, which allows him to be what a mentee needs him to be at a certain point in time.

The sheer amount of time Doug dedicates to me as a mentee speaks volumes, as I know his mentorship network is vast. He is instantly there when and sincerely shows a general interest in my well-being, my advancement as a professional and is truly a role model in terms of follow through and deliverables.

I believe this reference letter is barely skimming the top to the type of impact Doug is having on Saskatchewan, succession planning and young professionals in general. His passion for knowledge transfer and the betterment of young professionals is vast and is such a value to our province! I would be more than happy to provide more information regarding Doug, his contributions to my development and his great impact he is having.

Jaylene Boulding, BBA

TalentC® has been a great asset to our organization.  Throughout the consultative process of developing a mentoring culture our team truly appreciated the opportunity to learn how to become engaged, empowered and accountable.  The process of moving toward the development of a true mentoring culture does not come overnight but in this instance practice makes perfect.  The rewards have been immeasurable and have personally realized multiple ‘light bulb moments’.  In a time when attraction and retention of quality employees has never been more important I cannot say strongly enough how much the work we have done with TalentC® has enhanced the work environment.

Brenda Braaten
Executive Director
Regina Construction Association

Doug is a very active member of the Saskatchewan Association of Human Resource Professionals (SAHRP).  This activity includes acting on the Board of Directors as the South Saskatchewan Chair.  Part of his responsibilities is to “reach out” into the various communities to promote SAHRP as well as the Human Resource profession.  Doug is responsible for the research and implementation of the inaugural “Mentorship Program” for the Saskatchewan Association of Human Resource Professionals.  This program in its first year of operation had a total of 51 matches (mentor-mentee) resulting in 102 personnel being involved in the program.    The mentorship program is now in its second year of programming and numerous matches continue to flourish and new matches are continuing to be made. Doug has taken the feedback from the participants and continued to improve the program making it a continued success.

Doug believes in youth and sees them as our future leaders of tomorrow. Doug’s leadership style has resulted in the successful mentoring of numerous individuals. Many of these individuals have gone on to add value to their communities with their own successful careers. Doug’s passion is contagious. He is committed to helping our association be successful through our most valuable resources our human resource professionals.

As a non-profit association, SAHRP is proud and thankful for the many volunteer hours that Doug Lawrence has contributed to making our association and its mentorship program as successful as it is.

Bob Bayles
President – Saskatchewan Association of Human Resource Professionals