In leadership, there are many skills that contribute to being an effective leader. What sometimes gets forgotten is that mentoring is a vital leadership skill, which helps employees grow professionally. Not only does it aid in attracting and retaining talent but it says something about the culture of an organisation and its commitment to people development.
You [boss] volunteered to be a leader [accepted promotion] hence you volunteered to be a full-time “people developer.” Don’t like it? Fire yourself. -Tom Peters.
Although many of you would be familiar with Buddy/Peer Mentors, which are commonly seen in many law firm ‘grad programs’, it is a very basic yet beneficial form of mentoring. Career Mentors and Life Mentors, however is where the real magic can happen!
Some of the larger national law firms have introduced quite structured mentoring programs with more senior staff members assigned as Career Mentors. These individuals often take the role as a career advisor. By doing this, the mentor provides support by aligning the mentees contributions and strengths to the organisation’s overall purpose. It is important that a career mentor is an individual who is great with people and is enthusiastic about investing time in the mentee’s professional growth. There is nothing to say that you can’t seek out your own career mentor, if your firm doesn’t have a program as such. As simplistic as a monthly coffee meeting to discuss professional goals, challenges and achievements can bring about some huge benefits for both mentor and mentee.
Life Mentors are considered by many to be the most vital mentors of the three. They can be based either internally or externally to an organisation and their role as a mentor is usually in the mid-senior phases of one’s career. Life mentors should be objective and trustworthy, someone you can talk to about professional challenges and/or crucial career decisions such as considering job offers, changing roles etc. There is no reason to be limited to just one life mentor, you can have a few people you consider life mentors and should utilise their knowledge, experiences, guidance and feedback to your benefit.
What is equally important to remember, as a mentor and/or mentee is that there must be mutual respect and trust in order for the partnership to work. Mentoring is a rewarding experience on a personal and professional front. It helps develop skills in leadership and communication, giving new perspectives in your role and career. The benefits for the mentee are endless, the experience, exposure and support of their personal and professional growth are invaluable and demonstrate an organisation’s commitment to its people.
further information + official websites
Management Tip of the Day: Keeping Great People with Three Kinds of Mentors www.blogs.hbr.org/hbr
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