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Mentor Me!
Watch how this method is used
Doing it Right
Doing it Wrong
Mentoring is a powerful career development and engagement tool. It is an effective way of helping people to progress in their careers. It is a collaborative relationship between two people (mentor and mentee) normally not in a supervisor-supervisee relationship. The relationship is based upon openness, mutual trust and respect. A mentor helps the mentee explore career issues and guides them to take self-ownership for career development. Mentoring provides the mentee with an opportunity to think about career options and progress. A mentor asks questions, challenges assumptions while providing guidance and encouragement thereby strengthening the confidence of the mentee.
- Set clear boundaries in mentoring meetings.
- Set agenda for points to cover, or some performance goals for the mentee to pursue.
- Adopt an honest and open relationship.
- Discuss issues or concerns of mentee.
- Build long term capability instead of quick fixes.
- Exchange views and give the mentee guidance, and don’t just give the mentee immediate answers to a problem.
- Make sure the mentee knows when you’re acting as a mentor, rather than as a manager.
- Organisation / management
- Promote the use of mentoring in the workplace to help individual contributors navigate career or development growths and challenges.
- Provide mentoring guidelines and instructions to managers and supervisors.
- Workplace ‘trainer’
- Be a good listener.
- Is trustworthy, ethical and respected.
- Is knowledgeable, skilled and well-connected.
- Is interested in teaching, guiding, inspiring and empowering.
- Is successful and experienced, with a proven track record and high standards.
- Workplace ‘learner’
- Strive to succeed. Maintain the highest level of integrity and confidentiality. What you do and how you do it reflects on your mentor.
- Be open and honest about your needs. If the relationship is not working, say so in a considerate way. Don’t waste your mentor’s time.
- Show thanks to your mentor often! Send a note, an email or a small token of appreciation.