Even in retirement, development is important, says Chartered Manager Tom Doran

Tom Doran CMgr FCMI FIC had been retired for a few years before he achieved a CMI Level 7 Diploma, at masters level, in leadership, coaching and mentoring. He decided to go for the extra qualification so he could be part of a local college mentoring programme, which required a qualification of at least Level 5. 

“One of the local colleges had been awarded a contract for mentoring and they’d asked me to go on their list,” he says. “I said yes, but then I remember thinking, ‘I don’t have a mentoring qualification’. So I had to phone them back and say I couldn’t do it because they needed a minimum of Level 5.”

Tom had been mentoring for many years and was now a few years into retirement. He already had a wealth of experience as a CMI Regional Board member, as Chair in Northern Ireland and as a Chartered Manager Assessor. Nonetheless, he decided to go for the qualification to enable him to be put on that list, and not miss any more opportunities. 

“I was the first person in Northern Ireland to achieve that award, and so much work came my way as a result. I had to keep saying: ‘I’m retired, I can’t take on more!’” says Tom. 

Becoming a manager “by default” – then growing with CMI

Throughout his career, Tom pushed for development at every opportunity. His career started in electricity, at a regional utility company in Northern Ireland, in 1980. But when privatisation came along, he got a role as a trainee supervisor. Within two weeks, it was no longer a trainee role. 

“I went from being offered a trainee position to becoming a supervisor with no experience whatsoever,” says Tom. 

From there, he moved into various management positions, and was introduced to CMI. 

“I became one of the first Chartered Managers in Northern Ireland, in 2006,” he says. “I had become a manager by default, but it was through joining CMI and using the resources and network that I developed as a manager.”

Tom then went a step further, becoming an assessor of Chartered Managers and a Chartered Fellow, then gaining his Level 7 Diploma. Despite retiring in 2017, Tom became a Chartered Manager moderator two years ago. 

I went from being offered a trainee position to becoming a supervisor with no experience whatsoever

“Becoming a moderator was really the icing on the cake, because it allows me to be the guardian of standards,” he says. “While assessors are measuring against the standards, I am ensuring that those standards are applied effectively. I am one of the gatekeepers.” 

Tom takes this position seriously, knowing the responsibility it demands and the sometimes difficult conversations that need to happen as a result of sticking firmly to these standards.