Doug Lawrence | Author | Mentor | Founder of TalentC | International Mentor Community (Audio)

The Kino Isaac Podcast

I was honored to sit down with Doug Lawrence, the founder of TalentC® and co-founder of the International Mentor Community. Doug is a passionate leader in the world of mentoring, helping organizations, mentors, and mentees unlock their full potential through the transformative power of mentorship. Doug is an International Certified Mentor with over 2,000 hours of mentoring experience, both in-person and virtual. He’s also dedicated to teaching others how to mentor effectively, with 672 hours of mentoring instruction and nearly 200 hours of speaking engagements under his belt. Doug has earned multiple certifications, including the Certificate of Achievement – Mentoring and the Certificate of Competence – Mentor, and he’s currently pursuing the prestigious Certificate of Competence – Journey Mentor. In our conversation, Doug dives into the profound impact mentoring can have—not only on workforce culture and productivity but also on reducing costly employee on boarding and improving organizational success. He also shares his unique insights into mentoring as a tool to support those struggling with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), a passion fuelled by his law enforcement background and volunteer work. Doug’s mentoring extends beyond organizations, as he works with the Sir Richard Branson Entrepreneur Program in the Caribbean and the American Corporate Partners in the U.S., guiding military personnel as they transition into civilian life. This episode is packed with wisdom, actionable strategies, and heartfelt stories about the life-changing power of mentorship. Whether you’re a leader, aspiring mentor, or simply curious about how mentorship can drive personal and professional growth, this is an episode you don’t want to miss. Book: You Are Not Alone - Mental Health Mentors – Take the Journey with you "You Are Not Alone" came from suggestions/recommendations that I write a book that speaks to how mentoring can bring value to the support structure for mental health. After a rather extensive review of the literature that is out there, I found that there was literature that looked at mentoring and mental health from an academic perspective but not from a practice perspective. That needed to change. Writing this book providing me with the opportunity to confront some of my demons and to also better understand why I had behaved the way that I did. I realized that I had Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and that I had not treated it properly. I had relied on my spouse and two children to provide the support that I needed and yet they had their own trauma in dealing with my behaviour. This book will give you a glimpse into my own story which will help you understand the value that mentoring could have brought me. "You Are Not Alone" provides you with some insight into the world of mentoring and mental health. I hope that you come to the same conclusion that I did. There is truly a place for mentoring as part of the support structure for mental health. The benefits are many and include; reduced sick time in the organization, engaged employees, less turn over, less stress and anxiety, to name but a few. I have learned so much in writing this book for you. I sincerely hope that you get the same value that I did and that together we can become part of the support structure and walk beside people that are beginning their healing journey."