In Greek mythology, Mentor was a friend and trusted counselor of Odysseus. When Odysseus left for the Trojan War he placed Mentor in charge of his son Telemachus and of his palace. The goddess Athena disguised herself as Mentor for the purpose of giving counsel to Telemachus. She encouraged Telemachus to find out what happened to his father. As Mentor, the goddess encouraged Telemachus to stand up against the suitors and go abroad to find out what happened to his father. When Odysseus returned to Ithaca, Athena appeared briefly in the form of Mentor again at Odysseus' palace.
An experienced and trusted adviser (Oxford English Dictionary ) A trusted counselor or guide, tutor, coach
The aim of the mentoring initiative to provide a platform through which experiences can be shared on a one-to-one informal basis thus providing support to people at various stages in their careers.
Mentoring is a Career Management Tool used by organisations to nurture and develop their staff. It is a relationship between two people in a work setting the purpose of which is passing on knowledge and information, sharing wisdom and experience and offering advice and help in a confidential manner. It is a relationship where - help by one person to another in making significant transitions in knowledge, work and or thinking. It builds on the formal Mentoring scheme where new employees are allocated a mentor.
A relationship between equals in which one or more of those involved is enabled to: increase awareness, identify alternatives and initiate action to develop themselves.
Creating possibilities and providing guidance and support to others in a relationship of trust; it includes facilitating, bringing visions to life and enabling people to achieve.
Offline help by one person to another in making significant transitions in knowledge, work or thinking A relationship, not just a procedure or activity, where one person professionally assists the development of another outside of the normal manager/subordinate relationship
The Mentor-Mentee connection focuses on building trusting relationships. Mentees are supported and encouraged by Mentors who voluntarily give of their time.
Coaching can be the responsibility of a line manager who has an immediate and day to day accountability for the learner s performance while a mentor is rarely a learner s line manager.
Helping Mentees to build self confidence Sharing knowledge, skills and experience Help with career planning
Pairs will not be matched within the same Department./Division unless specifically requested. Job Title and grade the mentor will generally be employed at a higher grade (2 grades higher in administrative post 1 above in academic posts) that the mentee. The type of help the mentee is looking for Preferences in terms of what the mentee is looking for Activities and interests of both
All Mentors & Mentees must undertake training. Be clear on what mentoring is and how it is different that other development interventions Understand the role and responsibilities of the mentor and mentees. Know what needs to happen to make a mentoring relationship work.
Understand the areas that mentoring is suitable to deal with and what issue are outside the boundaries of the mentoring relationship. Know what can go wrong in mentoring relationships and the action you can take Explore the skills necessary in any mentoring interaction.
To the Mentee: A smoother adjustment to a new role or position Help in acquiring more quickly and comprehensively the skills and knowledge they need Help with the necessary choices in the development of their careers Access to someone more senior than themselves, other than their line manager A greater understanding of both the formal and informal workings of the organisation
To the Mentor: Increased motivation and self-esteem brought about by the mentoring role Greater respect and recognition from staff in the organisation An opportunity to hone and improve their own management skills, particularly advisory and supporting skills in a safe environment An opportunity to learn about the perspectives and views of others less senior than themselves and in other parts of the organisation A chance to influence and improve communications with others in the organisation
To the Organisation: An opportunity for staff to be encouraged, supported and motivated to reach their potential Greater job satisfaction, morale and commitment by mentors and mentees to their work Improved work performance of mentees Leading to a more stable culture Improved communication through linking different departments and levels within the organisation Established routes for effective career development that can aid the recruitment of high calibre staff
A mentor is usually A more experienced and senior person than the mentee May have technical or professional expertise Not the Mentee's manager Those who are interested in the development of others and who enjoy sharing their knowledge and experiences Have considered the time commitment, emotional resources and sustained effort that may be involved.
To provide guidance on how to acquire the necessary knowledge and skills to do a new job Advice on dealing with any administrative, technical or people problems. Information on the way things are done around here Help in obtaining access to information and people within the University and outside Mentoring in specific skills e.g. managerial skills, leadership, communication skills etc. A parental figure with whom mentees can discuss their aspirations and concerns and who will lend a sympathetic ear to their problems.
For the mentoring relationship to be effective the mentor and mentee need to be clear about their respective roles and responsibilities. They also need to consider the role of the mentor in relation to the Mentee's line manager. Without clarification misunderstandings may occur that could impact on the effectiveness of the relationship.
Mentors will: Meet with mentees for confidential discussions Prompt mentees to draw up their own plans Prompt mentees to make contact with others who might be able to provide useful information or advise Prompt mentees to approach their line managers to seek specific support for development activities
Mentors will not: Take action on behalf of mentees Intervene on behalf of mentees Take part in any succession planning discussions that relate to their own mentee Discuss the mentee with the line manager
Mentees will: Meet with mentors for confidential discussions Access other sources of information and advise as may seem appropriate Share information about their strengths, weaknesses, ambitions and so on openly with their mentor Take responsibility for drawing up their own development plans Take responsibility for appropriate contact with their line managers about development issues Initiate their own development plans
Will allow mentees time to attend mentoring sessions Will provide whatever support is feasible to the development of the mentee Will not attempt to talk to the mentor about the mentee.
A Mentor is someone who: Listens Is an opposite (at times) Uses non-judgemental questioning Offers different perspectives Has specific knowledge Cares; is warm; wants to help Can relate to issues of the mentee Sees patterns Has experience Is trustworthy/ensure confidentiality
Motivated Articulate expectations and own objectives Meets commitments Accepts feedback and acts on it Listens Self-aware Open Trustworthy Understands scheme objectives/process
To provide: 1. Support 2. Challenge 3. Guidance
Careful preparation at the start of the relationship will help build rapport Trust is reciprocal, if the mentor trusts the mentee and vice versa the relationship is more likely to build on trust. Once trust is lost it is very difficult to rebuild The importance of valuing and respecting difference
What do they want (from the mentoring relationship, what learning outcomes are they aiming for etc.) How will they know when they have got there? What strengths do they have in what they do now, that will help them get this outcome? How much time can they expect from my Mentor?
Agree a Mentoring Contract Below Expectations (of each other, of the relationship, of what both parties will learn) Confidentiality (should any third parties be informed, and if so, what can be discussed with third parties about the relationship and about the discussions?) Duration of relationship 12 months Meetings (frequency, duration, location in office or outside the workplace?)
Broad purpose and goals Review and evaluation (of relationship, of mentor/client, and of client s progress) Roles and responsibilities (preparing for meetings, setting the agenda, ensuring the meetings take place, setting goals) How feedback will be handled (trust and openness) How you will end the relationship (celebration, disengaging) What actions we will take if things go wrong in our partnership.
Do you want to share your knowledge and experience with others? Do you enjoy encouraging and motivating others? Are you comfortable asking challenging questions? Do you want to contribute to other people's growth and success? Are you prepared to invest your time in mentoring on a regular basis? How will mentoring contribute toward your own career goals? How will mentoring add to your sense of contribution and community? What type of person do you ideally want to mentor? Can you describe the professional and personal qualities of this person? Do you want someone from the same profession or the same career path? In what areas are you willing to help? Are there any areas that you don't want to go near?
When you meet a prospective mentee, this will help you assess your compatibility.
Although you may want to jump right in with both feet, think about these practical considerations: Frequency of contact How much time can you commit to this relationship? Can you "meet" weekly? Biweekly? Once a month? How long can you spend in each meeting? Half an hour? An hour? More? Do you want to be available between "formal" sessions?
Method of contact Would you prefer face-to-face meetings, phone calls, or emails? If you were to use phone calls, who places the call? Can you both use an Internet phone service such as Skype (giving high quality, free local and international calls)? Duration of partnership Do you want to limit the length of the mentoring partnership? Do you want to set regular intervals to review whether you're both happy with the relationship, or do you just want to informally review progress on an ongoing basis? Skills, knowledge, and experience What specific expertise can you offer to a mentee? Confidentiality How will you approach confidential business information? Think of ways to speak about general concepts and situations while maintaining confidentiality.
When developing a mentoring partnership, make sure you have clear boundaries of what you can and cannot do for the mentee. Answer the above questions to help you clearly define these boundaries for yourself. Then, when you meet your potential mentee, you'll better understand your own mindset what areas you're interested in covering, and what you will and will not do. Take the lead on where you'll allow the mentoring relationship to go and what ground you'll cover. As a general guide, focus on your expertise and experience. If anything is beyond your skills and abilities, refer the mentee to another expert.
For example, if a discussion about human resources issues raises a concern about employment law, send your mentee to an internal expert or attorney. If conversations about work problems lead into personal or family problems, the mentee may need more focused professional help from a psychologist or therapist. As a mentor, you can become the mentee's confidante and adviser. You may be called upon to be a "sounding board" for all sorts of issues and concerns. So know in advance how you're going to deal with difficult situations and getting "off subject."
A mentoring partnership can be an enriching experience. You can develop your leadership and communication skills as well as contribute toward your own career advancement. Mentoring can also give you a great overall sense of personal satisfaction, knowing that you're helping someone else learn and grow on a professional and personal level. Before you begin a mentoring partnership, it's important to think about your reasons for becoming a mentor and the practical considerations and logistics of such a relationship. If you decide that mentoring is right for you, the time and effort that you put into it can reap great rewards that far exceed your expectations.