Mentoring is not a skill we are necessarily ever taught - but mentoring is often something we feel called to do.

Close your eyes and imagine the African continent 25 years from now. It’s a continent rich with professionals, connected to themselves, to their communities and to the world around them. These are conscious, curious, courageous, compassionate, creative leaders who are connected to their values of contributing to the present and the future of their continent.

When a conversation isn't going well we easily fall into any of five traps. When we don’t understand those thinking traps or the assumptions

I don't know how many people I have written off in my life because of communication styles. I know it's probably a lot though. I suspect I have been written off by a lot of people for the same reason. We all fall into conversation traps that can cause us to misunderstand and disconnect from each other.

Few people like giving negative feedback. Being on the receiving end is just as hard. However feedback that is skilfully delivered provides valuable opportunities to learn – and therein lies the rub! Many of us never learn how to skilfully deliver or receive feedback, and in many cases have been socialised to see negative feedback as a bad thing. Bill Gates is quoted as saying: “Your most unhappy customers are your greatest source of learning”.

Moving into the world of work is exciting, terrifying, awkward, fun, the start of earning independence and the beginning of realising how little you know! Well that was my experience! I got my first real job just after I completed my Master's Degree. I sent my CV out to about 50 companies and went for a few interviews. I received two job offers - the one I took was from a mining consultancy that paid my flight costs from Cape Town to Joburg for the interview. I remember s