We seek to elevate women who have advanced their careers as Agile leaders within enterprises to serve as mentors.
IMPACT
The ability to lead yourself and others through change is imperative in today’s rapidly changing world. And this ability should be present at all levels of an organization, not just with leaders of an organization. With this approach in mind, the Women in Agile Mentorship Program focuses on building mentor-mentee relationships that help the Women in Agile community unlock their full potential.
Whether you are an experienced leader interested in investing in the next generation of agilists or you are just starting your agile journey, being a part of a supportive mentoring community can propel your personal goals forward.
As a Mentee in this program, you will:
- Expand your knowledge through learning with an experienced practitioner
- Have a safe space to brainstorm real-life scenarios to identify possible solutions/next steps
- Build confidence through connection with other professionals who have been there
- Develop personal agility (e.g., self-awareness, mindfulness, etc.) and relational agility (e.g., emotional intelligence)
As a Mentor in this program, you will:
- Invest in the next generation of agilists
- Grow/expand your own network
- Become a more effective mentor – learning and sharing experiences alongside other mentors
- Develop personal agility (e.g., self-awareness, mindfulness, etc.) and relational agility (e.g., emotional intelligence)
PROGRAM DETAILS
WiA’s Mentoring Program focuses exclusively on people navigating their career within Agile enterprises and puts special attention to creating value and development opportunities for those who offer their time as mentors.
The common options for Agile practitioners seeking mentorship limit them to leaders in their own company or career consultants in the Agile industry who provide training and coaching services, both of which can create conflicts of interest. Our intention is to provide an alternative for mentoring relationships within the Women in Agile community.
“Mentoring is a learning relationship, involving the sharing of skills, knowledge, and expertise between a mentor and mentee through developmental conversations, experience sharing, and role modeling. The relationship may cover a wide variety of contexts and is an inclusive two-way partnership for mutual learning that values differences.”
definition from EMCC Global
Being a mentor can be personally rewarding, enhance your interpersonal communication skills, and provide a window into what is on the mind of the next generation. WiA provides a cohort-based program for women who have advanced careers working as Agile practitioners and are leaders within Agile enterprises to level up their mentoring skills and grow their networks.
How to Get Involved as a Mentee
Mentorship is a competitive and transparent process wherein applications are judged on their merit, as well as against all applications. Mentees will be selected as a result of a thorough reviewprocess that seeks to maximize community impact with available mentors.
Step 1: Be a WiA member – Participation requires being a member of the Women in Agile organization in good standing. Join at no cost.
Step 2: Review Eligibility & Process – Selected mentees will meet with their mentors February-July 2023 (no less than one meeting per month). Mentor-mentee pairs will establish their own call schedules.
Step 3: Mentee applications are closed for the 2023 cycle. Notifications will be sent to submitters February 17, 2023.
How to Get Involved as a Mentor
Being a mentor can be personally rewarding, enhance your interpersonal communication skills, and provide a window into what is on the mind of the next generation. WiA provides a cohort-based program for women who have advanced careers working as Agile practitioners and are leaders within Agile enterprises to level up their mentoring skills and grow their networks.
Step 1: Be a WiA member – Participation requires being a member of the Women in Agile organization in good standing. Join at no cost.
Step 2: Review Eligibility – We seek to avoid conflicts of interest and potential conflicts of interest between mentors and mentees. Independent Agile trainers/coaches, Agile consultants, and employees of companies selling Agile-related services are not eligible to participate.
Step 3: Mentor applications are closed for the 2023 cycle. Mentors for the 2023 program will be finalized by January 28, 2023.
Shared Resources
A key feature of WiA’s Mentorship program is the opportunity for mentors to connect and learn from one another during our monthly Power Hour sessions. Here are resources shared by our 2022 and 2023 mentors that they found useful. We hope you find them helpful!
Communication and Women in Workplace:
- (book) Breaking Through Bias Second Edition: Communication Techniques for Women to Succeed at Work by Andrea S. Kramer and Alton B. Harris
- (book) Silenced and Sidelined: How Women Leaders Find Their Voices and Break Barriers by Carrie Lynn Arnold Ph.D.
- (digital training) 50 Ways to Fight Bias from Lean In
Mentorship Process:
- (podcast) Dare to Lead – The Mentor Method and Why Values Matter with Janice Omadeke
- (article) “The Art of Giving and Receiving Advice,” by David A. Garvin and Joshua D. Margolis in Harvard Business Review
On Neurodiversity:
- (illustrations) Neurowild
- (book) Neurodiversity at Work by Theo Smith and Amanda Kirby
- (website) The Neu Project
- (article) “Helping Neurodivergent Employees Succeed” by Emily R. Russo, Dana L. Ott, and Miriam Moeller in MIT Sloan
Hiring, Interviewing, Career Development:
- (PDF) Hiring Ideal Team Players – An Interview Guide to Help You Identify Candidates Who Are Humble, Hungry and Smart from The Table Group
- (video course) Develop a High-Performance Mindset
Relationship Management:
- (PDF) Agile Coaching Agreement Canvas
- (PDF) Mentor Canvas
Scheduling Tools:
APPRECIATION
Thank you to ICAgile for making the Women In Agile Mentorship Program possible. Their support and generosity is enabling us to bring this new program to our global community.