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The Independent Alliance has launched an inter-company mentoring scheme on Friday (16th November).
Run by Jenny Fry, communications director at Canongate, and Profile’s marketing director Niamh Murray, the new initiative focuses on broader professional guidance rather than solely skills development, featuring mentors from every department.
Each Alliance publisher will put forward both mentors and mentees, with the number of nominees determined by company size. Each mentee will receive a senior-level mentor from another house, with the aim being to provide independent and confidential advice, aid career development, and provide neutral sounding boards for ideas and self-improvement.
“Mentorship can be a brilliant way to allow staff a sounding board for career development, addressing challenges with a neutral party and exploring different ways of approaching situations,” Murray said. “This scheme promises to be a real asset for mentees—and it’s not all one-way traffic: mentors stand to gain much from the experience too.”
Fry said: "I’ve had, and still have, the good fortune of excellent mentors, as well as the privilege of mentoring others, and understand how powerful a development tool it can be. So I’m delighted that the Alliance is putting this initiative in place and harnessing the collective experience of the group."
Stephen Page, Faber c.e.o., said, "The Independent Alliance is more than a shared sales force. We all work hard to recruit talent, and are always looking for new ways to develop this talent. With this pan-alliance mentoring scheme, we are able to tap into the wide variety of experience and expertise that this unique confederation of publishers provides."
This is the latest initiative from the Independent Alliance, a coalition of 15 indie publishers formed in 2005.
For more information, emailjenny.fry@canongate.co.uk"> jenny.fry@canongate.co.uk or niamh.murray@profilebooks.com.