Mentoring--- Part 2 ( word count 718)

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How effective Mentoring relationship can be achieved.

When we mentor someone, we have an opportunity to guide the mentee positively on the course of his / her career.

Most people who achieved something had someone who believed in and encouraged them at the start of their career. It made a real difference in their career growth and that person is a mentor. The mentoring relationship is a shared opportunity for learning and growth.

Let us remember the teacher, or, boss who believed in us and helped us believe in ourselves.

A mentor as discussed in the previous blog provides a mentee with support, counsel, friendship, guidance and advice. Mentors are, the people who care, who listen and who want to help.

In the best mentor mentee relationships mentor helps the mentee define and achieve his/her goals.

A mentor, might help the mentee:

Set some career goals and start to make them happen.
Strengthen communication skills

To be effective mentor. He/she should

1) Have a sincere desire to be with mentee.

2) Respect mentees .

3) Actively listen.

4) Empathize.

5) See solutions and opportunities.

6) Be flexible and open.

Role of a Mentor

Defining roles of a mentor can be very challenging, to understand this ; let's start with something we are familiar with.

Most of us have a supervisor "a boss in our office" Let's discuss about the job of a supervisor.

A Supervisor wears many "hats" He is a

Role model.

Cheerleader.

Coach

Policy Enforcer

Spokesperson for senior management.

Liaison between staff and organization.

Just as supervisors wear many "hats" so does a mentor. Here are some of the roles a mentor plays, and does not play

A mentor is a Role Model; He/she is a

Guide
Friend
Coach
Motivator
Supporter

A mentor is not a

Social worker
Parent
Parole officer
Baby sitter
Therapist
Savior

What Mentees Want from a Mentor?

When this question is asked, the new employees invariably say that they want a mentor to help in three key areas i.e.

Advice
Access
Advocacy

Mentors should find from their mentees what they want from them

Advice

Mentors, bring a wide range of experiences. As a result they can be a great source of advice and information to mentees. They can help mentees gain a new perspective by sharing their experiences...

Mentors role is to offer insight, advice and suggestions. It is the mentee's role to evaluate the options, consider what the mentors have said, and then make the best decision.

Access

One of the most valuable things mentors can do for their mentees is to help open doors. That's what ?access? is all about.

They can help their mentees find people, opportunities and information that mentees might not have found on their own. They can help them about resources that will help reach their goals.

Advocacy

Here mentees have someone stand up for them when they need it. Or speak on their behalf . That's what advocacy is all about.

But to be an effective advocate mentors have to really get to know their mentees. The more they learn about their mentees, the stronger an advocate they can be.

However acting as an advocate for career promotion / salary raise is not their role.

Tips for Success

Now that mentors know what is expected of them, here are some Do?s and Don?ts that they should remember.

Do Appreciate any signs of growth