The benefits of mentoring

Who is the purpose of mentoring?
Who can be a mentor?
What does it take to be a mentor?
Benefits of being a mentor?
What is the difference between a coach and a mentor?
The role of the supervisor/manager and the mentor

The Tasmanian Government has introduced a Keeping the Skills in the Workplace – Mentoring Program.

What are the benefits of mentoring?

Mentoring is the transfer of knowledge, skills and insights from a more experienced person who guides the mentor by giving examples and advice, by sharing their own stories and by opening doors of opportunity.

For an individual involved in the mentoring program, there is a:

transfer of skills and knowledge from a more experienced individual
focus on the individual’s overall development.

For the organisation involved in the mentoring program, there is:

a transfer and retention of knowledge for the organisation
the ability for the mentoring to be traditional or peer-to-peer
employees become involved, build relationships and gain essential skills and knowledge
an environment that assists employee’s to succeed in their new role, or gain critical knowledge and skill to assist in employee development or career transition
an enhancement of leadership, interpersonal and management skills of the mentor
an increase in employee motivation, work satisfaction, commitment and loyalty
increased ability to attract and retain excellent employees
an increase in employee’s sense of being valued by the organisation, through the provision of career development and networking opportunities; and the recognition of individual contributions
the retention of corporate knowledge and sharing of organisational culture and values
the establishment of staff support networks during periods of organisational change and low staff morale
a decrease in staff turnover
demonstration of commitment to EEO and diversity issues in the workplace.

Mentoring is particularly important in today’s working environment, where people move freely from organisation to organisation (agency to agency) and the business needs to retain and transfer the knowledge and skills of their more experienced employees, minimising the ‘brain drain’ when they leave or retire.

Who is the purpose of mentoring?

Almost anyone can benefit by having a mentor. A popular form of mentoring is peer-support, where knowledge and expertise is transferred from a person working in the same or similar role.

Benefits of mentoring for mentees include:

increased confidence and self-esteem

personal growth and support towards achieving goals

advancement of knowledge, networking and communication skills

increased clarity in personal direction and the development of ideas

development of skills to enable better career prospects and choices

gathering ideas and techniques for balancing work, life and family

a learning opportunity which will provide exposure to new ideas and ways of thinking.

Who can be a mentor?

Mentors may or may not be more senior; they will always be more experienced. The relationship’s strength lies in the mentor’s specific knowledge, experience and wisdom. It is generally accepted that a mentor is a person who:

has a desire to assist others
wants to share their knowledge and wisdom
wants the person (mentee) and the organisation to succeed.

It is highly unusual for the supervisor/manager to be a mentor for a direct report.

What does it take to be a mentor?

If you have sound experience in your area of expertise, and you are passionate about helping others achieve satisfaction in their lives and career, you may make a good mentor.

In additional to these specific qualities it is also good to have, or be able to develop:

good communication and rapport-building skills

knowledge of industry and Government protocol, methods for “getting ahead”, and diversity issues

a track record of achieving a balance of work and family

honesty, integrity and confidence in your own position and area of expertise

good organisation skills to assist the mentee lead the mentoring process.

Benefits of being a mentor

A mentor can gain a lot from the mentoring relationship.

Studies indicate that the benefits of being a mentor can include:

development of management, leadership and communication skills

a learning opportunity which will provide exposure to new ideas and ways of thinking

helping to develop and support our potential leaders of tomorrow

personal satisfaction in making a contribution through sharing your ideas and experience

transfer of knowledge

increased respect, prestige, confidence and self esteem

contributing to your career development track record.

Note: the level of benefits obtained depends on the quality of the mentoring.

It is not uncommon for mentees to become mentors.

What is the difference between mentoring and coaching?

Mentoring is the transfer of knowledge, skills and insights from a more experienced person. The mentor guides the mentee by giving examples, guidance and advice, by sharing their own experiences and by opening doors of opportunity. Mentors may or may not be more senior; however they will always be more experienced. The relationship’s strength lies in the mentor’s specific knowledge and wisdom.

Coaching facilitates the employee becoming aware of and realise their own potential, providing a practical action plan for taking their performance and experience to a higher level. In coaching, the relationship is that of equals, partnered together to achieve agreed outcomes.

Coach

Mentor

For the individual

Develops the individual’s own skills and potential.
Focus on individual’s performance.

Transfers skills and knowledge from a more experienced individual.
Focus on the individual’s overall development.

For the business

Coaching has potential to develop all individuals in the organisation.
Some organisations train managers to coach.

Mentoring programs concerned with transfer and retention of knowledge for the organisation.
Can be traditional or peer-to-peer.

The role of the supervisor/manager and mentor

It is important that the role of the supervisor/manager and mentor is clearly defined to ensure there is no confusion between the roles.

The supervisor is responsible for managing the on-the-job performance of the mentee; the mentor is not involved in performance assessment/appraisal.

The supervisor has authority or ‘positional power’ over the mentee; the mentor may guide and suggest but does not have a supervisory function.

The supervisor/employee relationship is by its nature interdependent. The aim in the mentoring relationship is for the mentee to become independent of the mentor.

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