MENTORING

I've been incredibly fortunate to have crossed paths with some truly extraordinary mentors who have profoundly shaped my career. Steve Kaufman, former CEO of Arrow Electronics and now a Harvard Business School Professor, was instrumental in sharpening my business acumen. Sir Peter Gershon, my visionary Chairman at Premier Farnell and former Chairman of National Grid, offered insights that were nothing short of transformative. The distinguished Sir Roger Carr, Chairman at BAE Systems, provided unwavering support during my tenure on the board. And then there's Ginni Rometty, the trailblazing CEO and Chairman of IBM, who not only hired me but also mentored me with a leadership approach that has left an indelible mark on my journey.

These remarkable individuals are just a few of the many wise and trusted advisors I've been privileged to learn from. Their influence has inspired me to dedicate myself to mentoring and coaching others across all stages of their careers and business journeys.

Mentorship is not just for beginners—it's a lifelong, reciprocal learning experience that fosters mutual growth. It’s about evolving together, where both mentor and mentee learn from each other’s insights and experiences. I find immense fulfillment in this process and believe that a great mentor does more than just guide—they also grow alongside you, discovering new perspectives as you navigate your path together. Whether you're just starting out or well into your career, I highly recommend both seeking and becoming a mentor—it's a transformative journey that enriches both parties.

Below are some videos showcasing mentoring in action, along with testimonials from individuals I've had the privilege to work with.

Top Tips For Mentoring

  1. Identify the Right Mentor and Make the Ask: Think about who you admire and who could help you grow. Whether it’s someone you already know or a leader you respect from afar, don’t hesitate to ask them to be your mentor. On the flip side, if you’re looking to mentor others, put yourself out there—whether by sharing a LinkedIn post or simply offering your guidance when approached.

  2. Embrace Risk and Take the Shot: Mentorship involves taking personal risks—both for the mentor and the mentee. Don’t shy away from the opportunity; remember, the greatest growth often comes from stepping outside of your comfort zone. Just like in sports, you miss 100% of the shots you don’t take. So, be bold and pursue mentoring opportunities.

  3. Be an Active and Engaged Mentor: A great mentor doesn’t just passively offer advice; they actively engage with their mentees. This involvement not only benefits the mentee but also sharpens your skills in hiring, developing talent, and ultimately thriving in the competitive landscape of talent acquisition.

  4. Create a Mutually Beneficial Relationship: Effective mentoring is a two-way street. While you guide and support your mentee, be open to learning from them as well. This mutual exchange enriches the mentoring experience, making it more impactful for both parties.

  5. Be Consistent and Committed: Mentoring is not a one-time event but a continuous process. Regular check-ins, consistent feedback, and ongoing support are crucial for building a strong and effective mentoring relationship. Your commitment to your mentee’s growth can make all the difference in their success.

You can find more mentoring advice on my blog, and I invite you to follow my daily posts on LinkedIn.

  • “I was invited to TEDx talk late last year and since this was my first time to embark on the TEDx stage, I wanted to make it big. I reached out to Harriet and she was kind enough to give her feedback and guidance on how to ace my speech. Her inputs gave me a completely different perspective and allowed me to structure my talk in a world class manner. Our engagements continued even after TEDx related discussions and I was able to get her insights on my career and how to manoeuvre it which has helped me in many ways in achieving my goals. Looking forward to working with her to continuously improve my career.”

    Muhammad Jawwad Paracha

    Global Transformation Lead and Innovator

  • “I have hugely benefited from Harriet’s coaching directly for many years as both a direct report and part of her extended leadership team. She brings immense clarity and focus drawing from her experience of leading global organizations and driving successful transformations. These coaching moments were always structured, hugely insightful and brought my personal and business self into focus. They shaped me to be a better leader and achieve better outcomes than where I would have landed naturally. In short, it was great leadership personified in a coaching moment."

    Salman Syed

    Vice President, Sabre Inc.

  • “Harriet’s unique perspective creates a balance between coaching, mentoring, and challenging that has helped me, and arguably those who report to me, to learn and grow. Her belief and ability to listen are a powerful combination and she has emboldened me to take on, and succeed at challenges I never believed I could. Her mindset of constant growth helps turn failure into a learning opportunity, and her own extensive global experience is an endless source of knowledge and inspiration.”

    Jenny Peters

    Chief Communications Officer

  • “I have known Harriet for most of my career as a client, friend and business mentor. In any successful business environment having the ability to take tough decisions and bring together a collegiate team mindset can have challenges but ultimately many rewards. As my business mentor, Harriet has brought so many skills to help develop my career, notably years of industry leading experience that comes from a positive and energetic approach, a good listener, constructive criticism, and understanding an individual’s key goals and aspirations. Having an enthusiastic and respectful approach has certainly helped progress my career. For this, I am extremely grateful for all of Harriet's guidance into my journey.”

    Stephen Ford

    Managing Director, Investec

  • “I can only say if anyone gets the chance to be mentored or coached by Harriet seize it with both hands. The laser like insight and direction that is both challenging and put forward in such a constructive way have had an instant positive impact on me and my business. Harriet listens intensely to not just what you say but also what you don’t say! Inspirational and kind – thank you.”

    Jonathan Boase

    Entrepreneur and Founder

  • “Harriet has been a tremendously empathetic and balanced coach as I worked closely with her over the past few years. She has a unique style where she coaches with respect and without judgement. Her ability to ask the right questions and have an open dialogue on a myriad of issues ranging from business problems to leadership skills is powerful. Each coaching session with Harriet either enabled me to problem solve creatively or walk away with appreciation for both my strengths and areas of development. That’s the power of a wonderful coach.... The ability to shine light over the right issues at the right time.”

    Neha Pareek

    Senior HR Exec - Head of ASEAN

  • “While working with Harriet for almost 4 years, I received valuable coaching from her on ongoing basis and was able to further develop my leadership and business related skills. The most effective, yet also the most challenging, was to think through what else can be done to gain the desired impact. She often asked questions such as “what do we want to achieve with this,”, “how is it going to be different”, “how are people going to feel about it”, “is this all that can be done”. Although I was confident that the presented plans are good enough, I always realised that there is something more or different to consider.”

    Miroslav Hazer

    Former Chief of Staff to Harriet Green at IBM, CEO and Chair, Asia Pacific

  • “During my year abroad work experience at King’s Business School, I was lucky enough to secure a placement at IBM Singapore in Harriet Green’s office. My experience learning from Harriet and working with her is life changing, she really cared about my time in Asia and has taught me two huge important lessons! Firstly, practical application, get out there, anywhere, and apply what you’re learning at University. Secondly, and Harriet lives and breaths this, never stop learning. The key to success is to be better than you were yesterday, constantly evolving and learn new skills. Whilst I observed Harriet, I also realised she always treats everyone with respect and often says “You never know what the person on the other side of the table is going through therefore you always need to be caring and kind”. I am also learning a great deal of technical knowledge as well, becoming more organised, more responsible, much more educated particularly about international business and its workings. I truly feel lucky that I can call myself a citizen of the world thanks to my parents, Harriet‘s mentorship, and Kings Business School.”

    George Kiroyants

    King’s College Student 4th year (International Management BSc)