Mentoring is an important part of professional development in any business, providing a platform for individuals to share knowledge and experience with one another. A relationship is formed between two individuals…one with more experience, knowledge, and expertise and one with less experience, knowledge, and expertise in a particular subject, profession, or position. Mentoring is not reserved for any business, organization, job position, or profession.
Small businesses and SMEs have a need for mentorship, the same as large businesses.
When mentoring is successful, the mentor uses expertise to help guide the mentee toward success in their job and overall professional life. By providing guidance, support, and feedback on career goals and objectives, mentors can help mentees gain valuable insight into how they can reach their full professional potential.
Success and Growth
Mentoring is an important part of career success and growth regardless of position. It can help employees stay motivated and focused on personal and business goals. In short, mentoring is essential for anyone wanting to succeed in their chosen field.
Without adequate and continuous training and mentoring, employees cannot be expected to produce at their highest levels of performance or achieve their maximum potential. Mentoring creates excellence.
Mentoring at Any Level
Although some individuals might think that mentoring is only necessary for the very inexperienced, mentoring is knowledge transfer. Therefore, it works at any level and in any situation. All employees benefit from mentoring as they grow with a business, regardless of size.
Clearly, entry-level employees need mentoring. They should not be expected to step into a job with minimal training and become top-notch employees on their own. Perhaps this happens, but the odds of success are far greater when there is continuous mentoring. Unfortunately, many businesses have a mentoring program for entry-level and new employees that is only short-term in duration. While this sets employees on the right course, it does little to help them learn the job better and prepare them to accept added responsibilities. With an effective mentoring program, employees increase their skills and, generally, become more loyal, adding to a company’s forward momentum.
Managerial-level positions are no different than entry-level positions when it comes to gains that can be achieved through mentoring. Managers at any level still need to be mentored as their job functions and responsibilities change and increase. An ongoing debate has always been about whether a leader is born or made. Regardless of one’s opinion, leaders and managers can improve and become more effective with proper mentoring.
A first-time manager with little or no managerial experience needs mentoring in order to succeed. Likewise, the most experienced manager becoming a director or being elevated to a C-level position can still benefit from proper mentoring. Different issues and situations at every level of management must be addressed in the best possible manner. Mentoring from an experienced manager is a great asset in this area.
Development Tool
Mentoring is a very powerful tool to enhance both personal and career development. When there is open communication and trust built between the mentor and mentee, a positive and enthusiastic atmosphere can develop. In addition to working on skill sets only needed for a particular position, a strong mentor can provide guidance, motivation, and moral support and be a role model. Experienced mentors can relate stories of when they were in similar positions and situations and how their actions proved to be positive or negative at the time. This makes mentoring even more powerful when mentees understand that their tutors have been in the same place where they are now.
As a business owner, manager, or supervisor, implement some of the following tips in a mentoring program:
· Approach each mentee as unique, using different guidance based on distinctive characteristics and experience.
· Work together on common goals to be achieved.
· Show real involvement and take a genuine interest in the mentee learning about the person, background, interests, etc.
· Allow the mentee to make recommendations and discuss different approaches to a situation before giving advice.
· Share previous experiences, both good and bad.
· Give praise when due, celebrate successes, and learn from failures and/or disappointing results.
· Lead by example.
Establish a Company-Wide Mentorship Program
Establishing an effective mentorship program within a company can be a great way to foster collaboration, drive innovation, and promote professional development. By connecting experienced employees with those new to the organization, mentors can provide guidance and support that help employees grow in their roles while also providing valuable insights into the company culture. With the right approach and implementation, an effective company-wide mentorship program can positively impact employee engagement, productivity, and overall success.
Efforts Have Rewards
A business can do nothing or little to mentor employees and still grow and succeed. The same business, however, can put forth a little extra effort, develop an ongoing mentoring program, and reap big rewards.
