Executive Summary Some major business executives may say that earlier in their career they established a mentor relationship that helped them to get to where they are in their career. Research has shown that this statement can be true for some executives but not for all. Some experts believe that just having mentor relationships can or cannot affect someone’s career path and development. The purpose of this paper is to explain exactly what mentoring is and how it successful works within the workplace environment. Using support from various scholarly articles, I was able to discuss define the concept of mentoring and how it relates within the workplace setting. Using this concept, I establish the role of the mentor and mentee in regards …show more content…
Communication is key at the beginning of the relationship, mentees have to express to their mentors their “needs, future goals, and the kind of help they want from the mentoring relationship” (Moore, Miller, Pitchford & Jeng 2008, p.78). Mentees should not be consumed with having the perfect mentor, but should use their energy to invest in the mentoring relationship, and give it time to grow and develop where trust and respect are one in the same (Janasz, Sullivan, & Whiting, 2003, p. 84). Mentors and mentees should establish a structure to their relationship in order for both parties to achieve something out of it.
Establishment of Mentoring Relationships When a company establishes a corporate mentoring program there are some factors that have to be considered. There has to be an understanding of the “organizational dynamics,” and use these dynamics to create strategy, process, and programs for the mentoring relationships (Friday & Friday, 2002, p.154) The purpose of having a strategy for corporate mentoring is to have it align with the objectives and long term goals of the organization. Without an efficient strategy in place there cannot be a process or programs established. Once a mentoring program is established, the organization should decide what type of mentoring relationship they want to institute. There are two types of mentoring relationships, informal and formal. An informal mentoring relationship is one that is not created
Dr. Lois Zachary provides a well-organized, hands-on approach to research-based mentoring in The Mentor’s Guide: Facilitating Effective Learning Relationships (2012). This book serves as an excellent introduction for an individual new to the mentoring role; it is also a resource for current mentors. Zachary (2012) provides solid examples, concrete exercises, and a roadmap for building an effective mentoring relationship. Mentors in the business world, nonprofit organizations, and educational settings would benefit from reading this book.
To be a good mentor you have to have great qualities like being helpful and being really good at giving good constructive criticism. Whomever you're mentoring should receive information that is both positive and negative. You want to makes sure you give pros and cons so that your mentee can learn from them. (Patterson) Some social activities that you can do in mentoring programs include talking about life experiences, having lunch together, and visiting the mentor's home for a bonding experience. (Wexler) Although most mentoring programs usually have short durations and are claimed to be a “waste of money,” they are beneficial to girls because they prevent peer pressure, diseases, and pregnancies; encourage girls to be more mannerable, respectful, and ladylike; and results in kids being more likely to graduate high school and attend college.
Mentoring involves a manager passing on his/her knowledge and expertise to an employee. Typically, the employee has a mentor who is at management level but not directly involved in his or her work area, so that issue s can be discussed in an impartial and confidential manner.
Over time, organizations have adapted and refined the way that mentoring is used in their companies. For example, mentors now help the person to solve problems, navigate through the culture at a company and even advance their career. This, in turn, will create a person that is ready to lead and manage.
Clutterbuck & Megginson (1999, p.17) describe mentoring as being like ‘standing in front of a mirror with a trusted other, who can help you see things that you do not know how to see, or that have become too familiar for you to notice’. It is a helping relationship between an individual with potential and an individual with expertise. This multi-dimensional relationship is a partnership between those in similar roles, who can support each other. A number of roles of the mentor have been listed by Bolton (2010, p.193): role model, enabler, teacher, encourager, counsellor, befriender, facilitator, coach, confidante, supporter and ‘un-learner’. To be successful roles and responsibilities of those involved need to be clear and they need to be matched to each other and understand expectations of them.
An advantage of mentoring is that it helps to acclimatise less successful workers to the job and organisational requirements. By having a "go to" person to ask questions, discuss scenarios and generally learn the nuances of the company, the mentee can become a productive member much more quickly and never feel that he has nowhere to turn for help. The mentee can gain the sense of achievement that comes from the mentor's feedback and assessment of his progress. The mentee's quest to gain the mentor's approval can serve as a motivating force to continue to improve his performance. The mentor can gain satisfaction from knowing that she is helping an individual and can take a measure of pride in her accomplishments. For a mentor that has already achieved a great deal of success, she can look at the process as a way of "giving back”.
"Mentoring is a special quality, skill set and attitude," she says. "The benefits are not only between the mentor and mentee, but the future generations."
It takes a lot of commitment to be a mentor, an appropriate meeting time needs to be discussed between mentor and mentee so that it doesn't conflict with family, school, and/or social life. Mentors are usually provided for: troubled teens, young children with busy parents that work, children or teens with special needs such as Autism or ADHD, or anyone under or over the age of 18 who needs to have one on one time with someone they trust and can talk to confidentially.
Mentors are influential, senior organizational members with advanced experience and knowledge committed to providing perception to a mentee’s career development. A mentor supports a mentee’s views of self within a work role as well as it supports the mentor’s sense of self for the valuable wisdom and experience they have to share.
Mentoring is a process where a more experience person creates a supportive relationship with an inexperienced, mostly younger person with the aim of providing information and advice. The process of mentoring must benefit both parties.
Mentoring is relationship orientated – it provides a safe environment where the mentore shares any issues which can affect their mentors professional and personal success. Mentoring also focuses on work/life balance, self confidence and self perception.
Mentoring for the mentor is about challenging himself to perform to greater capabilities while nurturing a mentee and stretching them to realise their full potential. Mentors counsel, tutor and guide their mentees in developing themselves.
Mentorship is very important in the workplace especially in the area of training and development. The mentor-protégé relationship is a much needed relationship that begins in the early career stage and this relationship involves the current or new employees and the supervisor or other colleagues that provide work-related guidance. The relationship itself is comprehensive and involves “educational, occupational, physical, social, and spiritual development” (Greenhaus,, Callanan, & Godshalk, 2010, p 211). One of the initial task of the early career the establishment of the career field which involves the gaining of the workplace competence, learn what is needed to excel in the organization, and to gain acceptance in the workplace to be recognized as the valued employee. There are many ways of achieving the above mentioned advantages in the workplace which one main method is through the use of the mentorship program.
Implementing a strong mentoring program that fosters individual and personal growth within the company is vital for the future of this firm. This includes setting up and maintaining a mentoring program. The mentoring program will be set up with individuals from all levels of achievement, that are willing to devote a portion of their time to the firm’s prosperity.
With the development of the more organic and less formal organisational structures the role of mentors has shifted with these changes. Unlike previously where mentors where seen as formal trainers who taught newcomers the processes and got them acquainted with the cultures and the systems within the organisation. Which required good interpersonal skills and a good knowledge of the activity or tasks the mentee would have to undertake, and be able to effectively relay or demonstrate the tasks or activities to the mentee. As opposed to more recently where a mentor would have to be more of an emotional counselor and demonstrate more skills than were traditionally required from