“Doctor, heal thy self! We take pride in helping our clients but what about getting some help for oneself?

Did you know that one of the MRS’s services for members is mentoring and coaching for research professionals seeking support with managing their current role or their career progression? 

We have a wealth of talent in our market research organisations, and this presents a real opportunity to nurture and develop our talented people.

Becoming a coach mentor for the MRS about 18 months ago is definitely one of the most rewarding projects I have embarked on over the last 25 years.

It’s easier and more fun than I thought it would be. I get to know some really interesting and talented people; and after every meeting I have the sense that today I really made a difference to someone in a way that matters. What’s not to like?

The coaching conversations I’ve been having with research managers and directors have really shown that we have some great leaders in our ranks. When I first meet with people, most commonly they talk about situations or people they’d like to be able to handle better; they want to understand how to present themselves more confidently in meetings and business development scenarios; they want to feel more effective as a team/department leader; or they want to engender more support from colleagues and feel better connected (especially in remote working situations).

My observations

When we unravel what is going on, most commonly, what I find is that three things are holding people back – or even making them feel ‘stuck’:

1. Wavering confidence in themselves (which can ‘hijack’ or overshadow amazing qualifications, skills, and accomplishments). Sometimes people can be totally at ease with themselves, but at other times the quiet inner confidence that they seek and want to lean into evades them and they feel like they’re struggling or under-achieving.

2. A feeling that what they are contributing or doing is not enough, or perhaps is not seen as enough. This is so often a self-criticism levied by our talented professionals at themselves, especially where they strive for perfection (the very thing that can underpin why they are so good at what they do!).

3. The pressure from the quantity and urgency of the wide range of tasks on their ‘to do’ list – seeing ‘the wood from the trees’ can lead to procrastination or at the very least a frustration at not moving business goals forward sufficiently quickly.

People struggle to know how to prioritise and organise so that everything that needs to be done today is done today; they give everyone on their team and their clients the direct support that they need when they need it; and they can make time for new business development and self-development.

However, the inspiring quality I have noticed about the wonderful people I have been privileged to coach through the scheme, is that they all have a growth mindset. They want to achieve their full potential, and to do so they are committed to the whole process of opening up, and learning how to explore new ways of thinking that can help them do better.

In my position, as coach, the courage people show in opening up and sharing honestly is humbling. The way I can see the light shining from their faces when a mentee feels themselves shift forwards is inspiring. What a privilege this is to be a part of.

As I write this, I am aware that potential mentees may be put off applying because they feel unclear about their goals and feel in a muddled, uncertain state.

If you feel this way, don’t worry and don’t let it hold you back. That’s the whole point of the programme – to help people clarify your way forward. As one previous mentee said: "I was feeling somewhat lost in my career and unsure of my goals, with low confidence and doubts about my worthiness for such an opportunity. However, I knew I needed change, and the opportunity to reflect helped me gain clarity on past experiences and equipped me to handle future challenges. It had a transformative impact on my confidence, and I believe I am now a better researcher as a result."

Caroline Thompson is a leadership coach, qualitative research director and founder of Caroline Thompson Associates

The MRS mentoring scheme is currently open for applications here until 15th November 2024.