The Fine Art of Mentoring
Mentoring
is not the same as teaching. Very often, people misconstrue mentors to be the
same as teachers. Employees can find mentors in professional and personal lives.
A mentor is not just a teacher. Nor is he a coach or trainer. The job of a
mentor encompasses more than that of a teacher and coach. A mentor literally
takes his mentee under his wing and is morally responsible for the development
of the student. A mentor is not just involved in imparting technical knowledge
to his students. He is also involved in the emotional and spiritual development
of the student. A mentor can have an involved relationship with the mentee than
the relationship with a coach. A mentor is like a godfather for the mentee in
the organization.
It is very difficult to nurture and manage a mentor and mentee relationship. Not
every senior employee is equipped to play the role of a mentor. The job of a
mentor is very demanding. However, organizations that encourage mentorship go a
long way in building their human capital. Organizational structures are stronger
because of mentors. Corporate mentors can build healthy climates for employees
with a positive mentoring program.
A mentor participates in the transition of the employee's organizational growth
and is actively involved in the establishment of the employee's new
organizational roles. A mentor helps the mentee chart out long term career goals
with the organization and stimulates the mentee to enhance work competencies.
A mentor is a person who has a vast repertoire of experience in the field that
he trains. Mentors have had both experience and professional training in the
subject that he has to mentor. For instance leadership mentors need to have
adequate experience as leaders and should have undergone leadership training
themselves.
What do mentors offer to their students that formal training sessions cannot
offer? For one, the mentors can use personal experiences as lessons for
students. Moreover, mentors are capable of resolving dynamic issues due to their
abundant knowledge and experience in the field. A training program cannot
possibly prepare students to face unexpected challenges. Mentors can vary their
training depending on the nature of their students and the different levels of
complexity faced by the mentee.
A mentor need not be an immediate superior or for that matter belong to the same
department. Cross department mentoring is very common and often encouraged. With
a mentor from another department, needless office politics don't creep into the
relationship. Moreover, the mentee finds a mentor at a similar position of power
as that of his boss. The mentor-mentee relationship is often less autocratic,
but more compassionate. There could be conflicts of viewpoint between them but
it does not hurt their relationship in any way.
A mentor grooms his students to take on higher responsibilities and face all
odds that surface in the journey. Mentors have to prepare their students to
tackle organizational roadblocks, power games, bad will, subordinate resistance
and other such challenges.
The relationship of a mentor and a mentee can extend well beyond the mentoring
program. Some mentoring relationships end as per the agreement made by
organizations. Some could end even more abruptly if the relationship does not
work out amicably. In any case, it is the duty of the mentor to formally close
the relationship and ensure that the termination of the relationship does not
affect the student's achievements.
