Transpersonal Mentoring
for individuals, teams and organisations
Synthesise wants to make a difference to the way we work and live.
There is increasing awareness of the need for a major transformation in our approach to work and to the balance between our work and the rest of our lives.
Synthesise is committed to providing support for individuals, teams and organisations who are facing these issues and who are seeking to embody a deeper sense of meaning and purpose in their working lives. Whatever the field of work, transpersonal mentoring can provide a foundation for growth and development for individuals, teams and organisations.
Transpersonal Mentoring is an approach that believes there is a deeper source of wisdom available to us. This is sometimes referred to as spiritual intelligence. In Synthesise we use the word ‘transpersonal’ as it includes the social and political dimensions along with the spiritual.
Mentoring, like coaching, begins with an exploration of the actual situation that is being faced. Rather than going for immediate solutions we stay with the difficulty or conflict and open up to the sources of creativity and potential that lie within. By slowing the pace and stepping outside of the drama of the situation, movement from places that seem intractable can take place. People find they then have a deeper connection with their purpose and values which in turn informs what they need to do for their future direction.
Depending on the needs of each individual, team or organisation, our range of approaches vary. Some situations require a high level of task focus; others call for the opportunity to ponder and reflect free from the immediate pressure of resolution. Our mentoring team comes from a range of professional backgrounds, who all have extensive experience of applying a transpersonal approach in working with individuals and organisations.
The features which distinguish the Synthesise approach are:
• A safe relationship between mentor and client enables all levels of client concerns to be acknowledged and addressed
• Creative energy is released when spaciousness is opened up so that what appeared blocked can now be freed up
• Effective performance is more than a matter of applying techniques for self improvement. It is, at core, about clarifying and being congruent with our values and our wider purpose, and working through how these are best realised in relation to the situation we find ourselves in.
Many people begin their working lives with a sense of vocation or mission, a desire to make a difference. This vocation can get blurred or lost altogether, leading to a loss of focus and direction. Mentoring is a powerful process to refocus and re-vision our working lives.
The Practicalities
Mentoring can take place in three different ways:
1. One-to-one sessions. This is the most common way for people to receive mentoring and has the advantage of being completely tailor-made to that individual’s needs. They can use the time to identify and explore the issues that may be blocking their effectiveness or undermining their capacity.
2. Group mentoring. This is similar to Action Learning as group members bring issues to share with their peers, and the support comes from the whole group. It also has a similarity to group supervision and the group mentor has a role in offering clarity when appropriate. However it is different to both Action Learning and group supervision as it has the added features described above.
3. Team mentoring. This takes place with whole teams, including managers, and is a highly effective way of getting teams back on track. Bonding comes from people working together with a clear understanding of team purpose and values and honest exploration of their edges.
Outcomes of Transpersonal Mentoring
People who have been mentored report the following outcomes:
• The ability to analyse more deeply, experience new insights and develop a new understanding of difficulties
• The skill to challenge closed mindsets, both other people’s and our own
• Improved morale and reduced stress
• The capacity to think more broadly, release creativity and go beyond the apparent available options
• A renewed focus on holding the bigger picture in times of change
Outcomes of mentoring may be both professional and organisational. At a professional level people develop a more relaxed and powerful presence; at the organisational level, systems become more humanised, balanced and supportive. Clarity of purpose and values leads to clearer strategic and operational thinking.
Next Steps
If you think that Transpersonal Mentoring may be of value to you or in your organisation, the first step is to email our John Shiers, Synthesise Programme Director at john.shiers@synthesise.org
We offer a half hour free phone or personal meeting to consider you or your organisation’s needs and what sort of mentoring is required. In the light of this, a proposal is drawn up including costs for a series of mentoring sessions. The Synthesise mentor who will provide the best fit for your needs will then be identified and an initial meeting set up. Mentoring sessions can take place either at the Synthesise Centre in Didsbury Manchester or at a venue convenient to the client. For individual clients, telephone mentoring sessions can be set up if travelling distance makes personal meetings not possible.