Elaine Lewis talks about being a Women in BIM Mentor

Now in its second year, the Women in BIM (WIB) Mentor Scheme is designed to create opportunities for more WIB Members to connect and support each other with guidance to learn and grow, both professionally and personally.

Having been a WIB Member since its inception in 2012, when Elaine first learned about the Mentor Scheme, she was instantly interested in getting involved to support this global network of female BIM professionals. Having had previous experience of mentoring and being a non-Executive Director for the UK BIM Alliance, places Elaine in the perfect position to support others in the early stages in their career.

Elaine spoke with the WIB team to discuss what makes a great mentor/mentee relationship: “The role of the mentor is to provide the mentee with the support, guidance and inspiration to assist then to thrive in their career. For the mentee, I believe it is helpful to work with someone who has gone down a similar path they are on currently, who can provide context, shared experiences and has the ability to listen. For me, it is about overcoming challenges together and identifying and advising on courses of action.”

Elaine continued: “There also needs to be mutual respect and trust. The mentee should feel comfortable in sharing their hopes, fears, and goals in a safe environment. Equally a good mentor should be an empathetic listener, as well as open, enthusiastic, and supportive in helping the mentee talk through their ideas and issues, excited to see them grow and succeed.”

Read the full interview with Elaine on the Women in BIM website here.