Most of us can identify at least one person, sometimes more,
who has served us as a valued mentor.
This is or was an individual whose fundamental function was to help
us–the newcomer–into an organisation, a profession or the world. Mentors are traditionally accomplished
individuals with extensive knowledge and experience in their field who play a
supportive role in overseeing and encouraging the development of less
experienced, knowledgeable individuals with the expressed purpose of
facilitating a mentee’s personal and professional development.
There are several mentor characteristics that form the
foundation for establishing and exercising an effective mentoring
relationship. Rather than behaviours
displayed, these qualities are personal traits and intentions possessed and
displayed by the mentor. Because a
mentor becomes much more that a ‘career coach’–something more akin to a trusted
friend and confidant–the quality of the mentor’s character becomes a primary
issue as does their purposes for choosing to mentor.
Before one can enter the role of a mentor, this person must
be someone with a very high degree of credibility. A mentee is not likely going
to pay much heed to someone who lacks credibility in the areas for which they
seek mentoring. Credibility may come
from a significant amount of experience, a reputation for achieving outstanding
results, having extensive and current knowledge of the field, and being known
as an active learner as demonstrated by reading, attendance at seminars,
continued coursework, professional memberships, and the like.
A second critical characteristic is integrity. For a mentee to form a bond of trust and
respect, a mentor must adhere to codes of both personal and professional
ethics. Honesty and accuracy of
information are hallmarks of a relationship that serves a mentee well. A mentor is often required to inform a mentee
of things the mentee may not want to hear.
But if the mentee believes the mentor has their best interest at heart
and is a person of integrity, the information will be received as it was
intended.
A third quality shared by effective mentors is the
perspectives they hold of their roles as mentors. Effective mentors see the primary purpose of
a mentoring relationship as assisting mentees in becoming competent,
contributing members of a society or profession. Therefore, effective mentors interact with
mentees in ways intended to inspire mentees to want to become better–both as
people and professionals.To this end, effective mentors offer support and guidance to
their mentees’ attempts to set stretch goals.
This may require the mentor to make the mentee feel secure enough to
take appropriate risks in order to achieve goals, gain needed experience, or
develop important professional skills.
In many cases, this means giving mentees the confidence to rise above
their inner doubts and fears.
Finally, effect mentors will often present opportunities and
challenges for mentees that they may not have had on their own. In doing so, mentors provide the means for
mentees to take action toward achieving their goals, gain necessary experience
to understand the significance of the role demands of a professional, and begin
to build a resume of skills and accomplishments that will serve the mentee as
they build their professional career.
Research provides strong evidence that there are a myriad of
benefits accrued, not only by the mentee, but the mentor as well. Potential
benefits derived by a mentor from an effective mentoring relationship include:
a) increased social status in the organisation, b) improved job performance c)
significant personal learning, and d) quality social interaction and
satisfaction. But to achieve the
benefits of an effective mentoring relationship, one must first possess the
requisite traits and qualities that will serve as the foundation for good
mentoring.
Do you have what it takes?
