Can you recall a person – someone older, patient and wise – who helped you find your way when you were young and searching for meaning in your life? Someone who understood you and helped you to see the world as a more profound place and gave you advice to help you make your way through it?
Maybe, like me, you lost track of your mentor as you made your way, the insights faded and the world seemed harsher. Wouldn’t you like to see that person again, ask the big questions that still haunt you, receive their wisdom for your busy life today as you did back then?
The origins of mentoring come from the Ancient Greeks. When Odysseys, King of Ithaca, went to fight the Trojan War he entrusted the care of his son Telemachus to his friend Mentor. Over time, the word ‘mentor’ became synonymous with a trusted friend, a teacher and a wise person.
History offers many examples of fruitful mentoring relationships such as Socrates and Plato, Hayden and Beethoven, Freud and Jung.
History and legends only record the deeds of princes and kings, but each of us has a birthright to be all that we can be. Mentors are those very special people in our lives who, through their deeds and work, help us move towards fulfilling our potential.
Mentoring in the workplace
My first workplace mentor was also my boss. Mentoring came naturally to Colin as part of his management style. We never discussed mentoring and it’s only with hindsight that I realise that this is what occurred.
As a manager, Colin challenged me. He gave me assignments that stretched me. He coached me, led by example and demonstrated ways of doing things.
When I brought a problem to him, he would listen attentively, ask some astute questions, and then utter the most powerful words a protg will ever hear, “And what do you think we should do about this?”
I quickly learned not to bring him the problem without also offering a potential solution. Over the three years I worked with Colin, I learned and grew. The knowledge, skills and attitudes I gained built up my competence and confidence.
Bluebirds have to get their young birds from the security of the birdhouse to the independence of flight. If there is one lesson that bluebirds can offer, it is the living illustration of a teacher’s courage to let learners fail.
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Mentors, like human parents, want learning to be free of pain. However, the most significant growth happens through the discomfort of grappling with a new skill. Mentoring is not about creating dependency – it’s about empowering the protg to become independent.
Mentoring, in one form or another, happens in almost every work environment. These relationships are often informal, with the protg selecting their own ‘guru’ and approaching them on an ‘as needed’ basis. These relationships can be very rewarding for the protg but are of little value to the organisation.
Conversely a formal or structured mentoring program provides an organisation with the greatest opportunity for growth and professional development. It assists the organisation to implement change and achieve its objectives in a positive, nurturing environment. Staff morale improves, productivity increases and quality standards are raised.
Experienced, senior staff are the most valuable asset an organisation has. When these people become mentors to new or junior employees they can impart valuable knowledge, information and experience which could otherwise take years for the protg to accumulate.
Young staff often feel isolated from senior management, creating a ‘them and us’ scenario. The mentor can provide a really valuable conduit to upper management and help their protg to feel part of the big picture.
Key success factors
The success of a formal mentoring program depends on the commitment shown by everyone involved to meet the challenges and to capitalise on the opportunities of mentoring. The first step is to develop a clear statement of program objectives against which progress may be monitored and measured.
It can take up to six to twelve months to gain acceptance of the new concept from the key people in your organisation; to establish objectives and methods of monitoring; to design support facilities, such as training courses; and to begin the selection of participants.
Selecting the right people to become mentors is of prime importance. Not everyone is suited to the role and not everyone will want to participate. A selection criteria needs to be developed outlining the skills and attributes required in the mentors. These criteria should be based on the culture of the organisation and the objectives to be achieved.
The selection of protgs should be made on solid track record rather than a prospective protg’s performance in a one-off interview. Merrill Lynch developed an application form for protgs where they had to state why they thought they were suitable candidates, what benefits and skills they wished to obtain, and what kind of self-development activities they had pursued in the last year. This established a ‘framework’ into which the protg could mentally place themselves, ensuring they understood and appreciated the opportunity they were being offered.
Training for both mentors and protgs should be provided to ensure they fully understand their role and responsibilities, the benefits of the program, how to develop goals and milestones, and are able to establish and maintain a professional, friendly relationship. An awareness of some of the problems that could arise and how to avoid them is also very useful.
Mentoring programs can be short- or long-term, a brief ‘meeting of the minds’ or lasting for years until the protg finally outgrows their mentor. There is no hard and fast formula but experience has shown that a one-year program appears to be the minimum to produce some measurable outcomes for the organisation.
The rewards are great and there is help at hand to help you identify the practical aspects of setting up a mentoring program in your organisation.
