Calling of the potential
mentors
Most of us have likely been formally
or informally influenced by a mentor at some point in our lives. It can be
compared to “paying it forward” or “giving it back.” An individual may desire
mentoring at certain times in their development at which point they may ask
someone for guidance. More formal types of mentoring are required for
apprenticeship and professional associations; it may also be the culture of the
organization.
As I started thinking about the
potential for a mentorship program in CSC, I turned to the internet to research
more about how to become an effective mentor. It was intriguing and interesting
to discover there are many companies established to teach mentoring skills. Based
on my research, some of the following is paraphrased from some of the websites
I visited.
A few of the benefits of an
individual mentoring may include recognized involvement in a program of
strategic importance to your organization/company; new perspectives and insight;
potential for networking; opportunity for self-reflection; and personal
satisfaction such as paying it forward.
As for organizations and companies,
a mentor influences the personal and professional growth of a mentee. Most
traditional mentorships involve senior employees mentoring more junior
employees; however, mentors do not necessarily have to be more senior than those
they are guiding. What matters is mentors have experience from whom they can
learn from.
Some well-known and successful
companies have engaged firms specializing in mentorship programs. One training
company I looked at has a client list that includes Goodyear, Bic, Rogers,
LinkedIn, and Stanley Black & Decker.
These businesses have recognized the
benefits of mentoring in the workplace: employee retention, job satisfaction,
leadership skills, better teamwork, stronger internal networks; attracting
staff; harnessing the power of natural leadership; and increasing confidence.
Mentorship training: some of it
includes addressing cross-cultural differences; identifying potential
challenges in the mentorship relationship; and developing an action plan that
helps their mentee grow.
Mentorship requires unique skills
and qualities, including patience, effective communication, providing
constructive feedback, empathy, active listening, and a willingness to learn.
It is also important to train potential mentors on ethical and strategic
aspects of mentorship.
An organization may choose to
implement mentoring training to cultivate a culture of mentorship within the
company. One website I visited said the success of a mentoring program is
dependent upon how strong it is rooted into the culture of the organization and
building ways to recognize those who wish to participate.
If you are interested in becoming a
mentor or think this type of program could benefit your company, perform a
simple web search using the keywords “training for mentors.” There are even
online courses available, too.
Yours in service. I am CSC