Mentoring Therapists Help Businesses Thrive
These days it takes more than business acumen and savvy skills to succeed in any business. Technological advancements in the workplace, increased competition in the marketplace, and the need to complete tasks quicker and with fewer employees have created many career stresses and frustrations. While more companies are employing corporate coaches to assist managers in dealing with the emotional and competing aspects of some of the decisions they must make, many individuals and sole practitioners are finding assistance through mentoring counselors.
Today’s employees face greater challenges in the workplace. Corporate restructuring and downsizing have fostered job insecurity among workers. The reduction of the employment ranks has forced a smaller group of people to work more closely with one another. Workers are more wary than ever about backstabbing and competition. Often folks return home angry, irritable and anxious. Families and marriages are directly suffering the effects of new corporate cultures.
“When there are mergers or buyouts, two corporate cultures must mesh and frequently conflicts arise,” states Beth Sikora, Ph.D., NCC, LPC.
Back in her “insurance days,” Beth experienced this first hand as an employee of the purchased company. Too often the individual is forgotten. A mentor therapist assists employees in taking charge of their destiny.
“Once again,” states Beth, “we can be victims or participants. Counseling can better assure we are participants in our future.”
Mentor therapists can help businesses grow by providing services that foster healthier, happier and more productive managers and employees. Mentor therapists are a natural choice when an executive simply needs someone to confide in. As a manager, there may not be anyone on your level (and certainly no subordinate) with whom you can comfortably discuss personality conflicts, stressful employees, problematic decisions or corporate/individual value differences. In these instances, it is particularly helpful to employ an advisor who is not part of the company structure and who can be objective and non-judgmental.
Doctors, lawyers, dentists, entrepreneurs and other sole practitioners may be the only executive or manager in their business. An outside coach can help these individuals evaluate their management skills and provide suggestions and techniques in those areas which need to be strengthened. An objective advisor can also help him or her evaluate any personal issues that may be a factor.
“Recently I worked with a sole-proprietor who was having difficulty taking his store to the next level of success,” shared Beth. “After meeting with him and reviewing the situation, we determined that there were issues in his personal life that were the underlying cause of some of the difficulties he was experiencing at work. Once we resolved the personal issues, the prognosis for his store was greatly improved.”
Mentor therapists are trained to recognize and help resolve substance abuse and other personal problems that may be inhibiting employee performance. Many times employers recognize that an employee is not performing up to his or her usual performance, but yet, they can’t identify the problem. Mentor therapists can provide one-on-one sessions to evaluate the problem(s) and separate the personal issues from the professional ones. In addition, a consultation is frequently helpful for the small business firm which doesn’t have an Employee Assistance Program. Mentor therapists can often provide insight and guidance to the executive faced with a difficult situation.
“Confronting rather than enabling an alcoholic employee takes therapeutic skill,” summarized Beth. “As a mentor therapist, I work alongside the executive to help him or her evaluate and resolve the situation.”
From her 21 years in the business world, Beth has gleaned practical and hard-won strategies to handle corporate life. As a therapist, she is eager to share them with others as a mentor therapist. Beth has a unique blend of business and therapeutic training and experience. Why not call her next time you confront a business challenge?
Today’s employees face greater challenges in the workplace. Corporate restructuring and downsizing have fostered job insecurity among workers. The reduction of the employment ranks has forced a smaller group of people to work more closely with one another. Workers are more wary than ever about backstabbing and competition. Often folks return home angry, irritable and anxious. Families and marriages are directly suffering the effects of new corporate cultures.
“When there are mergers or buyouts, two corporate cultures must mesh and frequently conflicts arise,” states Beth Sikora, Ph.D., NCC, LPC.
Back in her “insurance days,” Beth experienced this first hand as an employee of the purchased company. Too often the individual is forgotten. A mentor therapist assists employees in taking charge of their destiny.
“Once again,” states Beth, “we can be victims or participants. Counseling can better assure we are participants in our future.”
Mentor therapists can help businesses grow by providing services that foster healthier, happier and more productive managers and employees. Mentor therapists are a natural choice when an executive simply needs someone to confide in. As a manager, there may not be anyone on your level (and certainly no subordinate) with whom you can comfortably discuss personality conflicts, stressful employees, problematic decisions or corporate/individual value differences. In these instances, it is particularly helpful to employ an advisor who is not part of the company structure and who can be objective and non-judgmental.
Doctors, lawyers, dentists, entrepreneurs and other sole practitioners may be the only executive or manager in their business. An outside coach can help these individuals evaluate their management skills and provide suggestions and techniques in those areas which need to be strengthened. An objective advisor can also help him or her evaluate any personal issues that may be a factor.
“Recently I worked with a sole-proprietor who was having difficulty taking his store to the next level of success,” shared Beth. “After meeting with him and reviewing the situation, we determined that there were issues in his personal life that were the underlying cause of some of the difficulties he was experiencing at work. Once we resolved the personal issues, the prognosis for his store was greatly improved.”
Mentor therapists are trained to recognize and help resolve substance abuse and other personal problems that may be inhibiting employee performance. Many times employers recognize that an employee is not performing up to his or her usual performance, but yet, they can’t identify the problem. Mentor therapists can provide one-on-one sessions to evaluate the problem(s) and separate the personal issues from the professional ones. In addition, a consultation is frequently helpful for the small business firm which doesn’t have an Employee Assistance Program. Mentor therapists can often provide insight and guidance to the executive faced with a difficult situation.
“Confronting rather than enabling an alcoholic employee takes therapeutic skill,” summarized Beth. “As a mentor therapist, I work alongside the executive to help him or her evaluate and resolve the situation.”
From her 21 years in the business world, Beth has gleaned practical and hard-won strategies to handle corporate life. As a therapist, she is eager to share them with others as a mentor therapist. Beth has a unique blend of business and therapeutic training and experience. Why not call her next time you confront a business challenge?