Developing Natural Talents to Deliver Big Results
“Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire.” – William Butler Yeats
When people are aware of their innate strengths and abilities and they’re allowed to grow in those areas, they tend to retain more information, stay interested, and achieve more overall.
That may sound obvious, but it’s really the opposite of a long-accepted one-size-fits-all approach, particularly in the realm of higher education. Taking a more innovative route, today’s institutes of higher learning are becoming more flexible in their efforts to help individuals develop their natural talents and abilities. Today’s forward-thinking institutions have begun to prioritize the person, focusing on self-awareness over conformity to a particular group standard. Research shows that when students are aware of and embrace their natural abilities, they are three times more likely to enjoy life, and their engagement in their work can increase as much as sixfold.
At FocusWorks, we understand the power of mentoring and success coaching in helping students gain real experience, insight, and clarity. The considerable benefits of close interaction with someone who has “been there” are well documented. Mentoring brings those with wisdom and experience together with learners to offer the kind of encouragement, real-world information, and practical guidance that builds essential skills and confidence. Effective mentors are also active listeners, adept at bringing out the best in their mentees.
President Roberta Pettis had the honor of leading a dynamic training session for faculty mentors as part of the Spartan Student-Parent Network (SSP-N), launched in May 2025. Her guidance helped prepare mentors to support students and their parents navigating academic and family responsibilities, reinforcing NSU’s commitment to inclusion, connection, and student success.
With its more structured, goal-oriented approach, success coaching focuses on measurable outcomes and accountability. Success coaches help clients identify internal and external obstacles, develop resilience, and stay aligned with their purpose. Taken together, mentoring and success coaching provide a practical one-two-punch of essential information and successful execution.
At FocusWorks, we work with businesses, schools, and other organizations, helping them to build vibrant cultures of understanding and cooperation through strategically targeted and customizable training programs, seminars, and interactive workshops designed to break down barriers. Our mentoring and success coaching program is one of many tools we utilize to help create thriving workplace cultures where everyone feels valued, increasing enthusiasm, productivity, and employee retention.
To learn more about FocusWorks Consulting Group higher education mentoring program, contact us at Admin@focusworkscg.com