Leadership development is crucial to help people fulfill their potential and prepare future executives. But it can also be a powerful way to help achieve a company’s strategic goals. Meet Stela and Mike, whose mentoring partnership has benefited both – and exemplifies how mentoring directly contributes to RGF Staffing’s ability to ‘simplify hiring’.
Stela Mincheva has been with RGF Staffing since 2010, witnessing firsthand the company’s evolution in digital recruitment. In her current role as Head of Recruitment she works with colleagues and contractors throughout Germany to optimize recruitment processes, improve job postings, and enhance the overall hiring experience—all tasks increasingly reliant on digital tools.
When her operating company nominated her for RGF Staffing’s Mentor Me program, she didn’t have to think long. “It sounded like an experience it did not want to miss. It would give me an opportunity to develop both my technical skills and boost my professional growth. So it absolutely made sense to participate.”
Mentor Me program
The Mentor Me program was launched in 2023 to identify and develop high-potential talent. “In fact, we have got four programs running now” says Angela Ashwell, RGF Staffing’s Global Head of Talent, Executive Coaching, Performance and Inclusion. “We initially set up a program to promote development of female leaders, which was so successful that we expanded its scope and have since introduced programs focusing on Digital Talent, peer mentoring for executives and Sales Excellence.”
The Mentor Me program uses a digital matching tool that pairs mentors and mentees based on shared interests and goals. Stela was nominated for the Digital Talent program and was paired with Mike Whitmer. Currently Mike is RGF’s Staffing’s Global Chief Risk and Compliance Officer, but he has decades of experience in a wide range of operational digital roles under his belt, including CIO and CTO positions.
Stela was eager to make the most of his expertise. “It was an opportunity to get a deeper understanding of the technologies I’m working with.” Mike was impressed with her curiosity, drive and commitment. “I let her define what areas of technology she wanted to learn more about, and I could tell she put a lot of time into preparing for our sessions.” In turn, Stela appreciated Mike’s response. “He simplified complex topics and provided a lot of resources that helped me understand them better.”
Personal development and building self-confidence
But the impact of the mentoring sessions went far beyond technical knowledge. Stela highlights Mike’s emphasis on personal development and building self-confidence – a key area in which she feels the program has helped her. “I spend a lot of my time working with software developers and other technical specialists, and I have become much better at knowing exactly what we need and how to communicate it effectively.”
Mike: “Stela is responsible for some pretty complex data collection and analysis processes, all part of our drive as a company to simplify hiring and drive innovation. I can see how she has become more confident in the conversations she is having with partners and developers - and in holding them accountable. And by the way, it has been a big help for me as well. In my current role I am not doing the hands-on technical work I used to, so for me this was also a great opportunity to brush up on my skills and stay on top of the rapid technological developments.”
Another big reward for spending time on mentoring, Mike points out, is to see people grow. “I am a big believer in the value of mentoring, and am currently mentoring four people, both within and outside our company. That is because it gives me a lot of satisfaction, fulfilment and sheer joy to see someone’s development. And in fact, I learn a lot from my mentees. I mean, there have certainly been times in my life when I have not been very confident myself. And when you coach someone through that, at the same time you are really teaching yourself.”
A self-sustaining growth cycle
For Angela, Stela and Mike’s story encapsulates everything that RGF Staffing is aiming for with the Mentor Me program. “After each cohort of the program we invite mentors to provide detailed feedback, and we use that to select a particularly impressive candidate for a Mentor Me Award. Stela was a more than deserving winner this time round, partly because of her incredible commitment and her learning journey – but especially also because she is a wonderful example of functional and personal development can go hand in hand.”
The added benefit from RGF Staffing’s point of view is not only that Stela herself has grown and is better equipped in her everyday work, but also that she can pass her knowledge, insights and experiences on to others. Angela: “The Mentor Me program has been running for a few years now and we have been able to help over 100 mentees. And I am confident that many of them will become mentors in future programs. Once you see that, that is the kind of self-sustaining growth cycle that we are looking for.”
