NRHA Program Facilitates Mentorship

Mentorship can play a large role for an individual at any step of their professional journey, says Paula Coate, manager of Hagersville Home Hardware in Hagersville, Ontario.

Her mentor and boss, David Dishke, who also owns Grand River Home Hardware in Caledonia, Ontario, has helped her grow in the two-store business for 18 years and counting.

Now, Coate has become a mentor to Hagersville Home Hardware assistant manager, Darcie Bryczka. Coate and Bryczka have worked together at the company for four years, but their relationship as a mentor and mentee was strengthened by the North American Retail Hardware Association’s (NRHA) Foundations of Leadership Program.

Coate and Dishke thought the program could enhance Bryczka’s skills as she prepared for her role as assistant manager of the company’s new, second location, where she would lead a new staff that was inherited with the store.

Bryczka developed a foundational understanding of communications techniques, leadership skills and team-building best practices during the 16-week online course. Coate mentored Bryczka to help her apply what she learned directly to the business. The women identified three positive results from their mentorship relationship.

Honest Feedback

“As a mentor to Darcie during the Foundations of Leadership Program, I got insights and truthful feedback about how I manage and lead people on my team. It was nice to hear input on some of my shortcomings as well as some of the things I do well,” Coate says.

Encouragement and Support

“In my day-to-day job, it’s nice having someone there to help me learn from daily situations and challenges that arise. It’s important to know you’re not alone and that you have support when you’re struggling at work,” Bryczka says.

Strengthening Relationships

“We support each other to make sure we’re performing as strong leaders. The NRHA program helped affirm our relationship and what we knew about each other and helped us grow so we could better lead our team,” Coate says.

 

Fore more information at the Foundations of Leadership Program, visit nrha.org/fol.