Concept of Mentoring
Mentoring is a powerful personal development and empowerment tool. It is a process whereby more experienced managers actively guide less experienced managers. The mentor provides guidance through direction, advice, criticism, and suggestions. Unlike a management relationship, mentoring relationships tend to be voluntary on both sides, although it is considered possible for a line manager to also be a mentor to the people that they manage.
It is an effective way of helping people to progress in their careers and is becoming increasing popular as its potential is realized. It is a partnership between two people (mentor and mentee) normally working in a similar field or sharing similar experiences. It is a helpful relationship based upon mutual trust and respect. This wisdom and guidance helps the less experienced manager to obtain necessary skills and socialization for job performance and career progress. The learner learns and develops potential as he goes along with mentoring to solve managerial problems. The mentor grooms him to assume higher responsibilities in future. The mentor is like a “guru”. If mentoring is done by the immediate supervisor, it is known as coaching. Reverse mentoring happens where senior managers are mentored by younger managers about technology matters, especially information technology advances. Unlike a coaching relationship, mentoring relationships are more usually unpaid.
Role of Mentor:
A mentor is there to share their wisdom, their mistakes and their successes, so that you can learn the lesson faster. Apart from their insights, expertise and knowledge on business matters, mentors, as established business people, are more than likely to have an extensive network they can offer you access to. Think of all the senior decision-makers you might gain access to!
What does a mentor do?
The following are among the mentor’s functions:
- Teaches the mentoree about a specific issue
- Coaches the mentoree on a particular skill
- Facilitates the mentoree’s growth by sharing resources and networks
- Challenges the mentoree to move beyond his or her comfort zone
- Creates a safe learning environment for taking risks
- Focuses on the mentoree’s total development
A mentor is someone with more entrepreneurial business experience than you, probably in the same industry as you, who serves as a trusted confidante over an extended period of time. Clearly mentoring is taking place in a wide range of fields. Futhermore, the concept has expanded. A mentor isn’t always someone who has “been there, done that” before, who draws on his or her own experience to guide the younger less experienced person, but in some cases, a professional trained in coaching, who is guiding and advising people who are pursuing a wide range of goals and careers. In recent years, especially in the management and human resources literature, there are consultants whose job is to advise members of the business community on the mysteries of mentoring.
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