This is the second installment in a series on mentoring. Read part one here.
In the first installment of this series on mentoring, we focused on the importance mentorship has had on society and the potential that awaits if a strong company culture is established, utilizing it as a tool to promote healthy growth within your organization. Mentoring is not equivocal to internships. Once again, internships have the potential to involve an aspect of mentorship, but they are often void of it. So if this is the case, what does mentoring look like in an organization?
Simply put, there is an aspect missing that is a key factor in having an effective mentorship program – trust. What I don’t mean is going through team building exercises like the “trust fall” or the vocal trust exercise “mine field.” Gaining trust from a mentee is an asset that can be obtained by several different methods, including gaining respect, showing the mentee’s interests are most important, and being a palladium in which to confide. These different ways to build trust as a mentor are essential in assuring your organization can establish a mentoring program, whether mandated or unofficial.
Trust through Respect in the Mentor’s Experience
This method of developing trust is the easiest due to the fact that it is already time-honored. Mentees will trust the mentor with advice on their career goals or how to be a stronger asset to the organization, because the mentor simply has more experience and has already gone through the things that mentees are dealing with. Obviously, the less experienced team member will trust the seasoned veteran when it comes to business advice. Imparting knowledge is the most important aspect of a mentorship. Understandably, the mentor needs to be constantly learning and building on past experience to better lead others and stay innovative. Focusing on this aspect will help create a culture focused on staying relevant and innovative from top to bottom.
Trust by Knowing Best Interests are at Hand
The workplace can sometimes be a minefield of politics and drama. For a younger or less-experienced worker, navigating these dangerous issues can be daunting. Knowing that there is a trustworthy person who genuinely wants the mentee to succeed is key to helping him or her engage in the mentoring process and develop into top talent. In some cut-throat, corporate-ladder organizations, workers have an every-one-for-themselves mentality, focusing on personal growth instead of overall team success. As long as the mentee can know that the mentor wants what’s best for the student instead of keeping growth at a minimum for selfish reasons, this relationship will flourish and be an example to other team members.
Trust the Mentor as a Confidant
With businesses doing more with thinner workforces, employees are becoming more skilled and well-rounded, but the strengths come at a cost – a higher-stress environment. This is where trust is crucial in developing a strong mentor-mentee relationship. Employees who are stressed over projects or dealing with office politics may feel the need to vent to deal with productivity-killing levels of anxiety. Whether the mentor is offering advice on how to deal with issues or simply acting as a confidant to help the mentee work through things, this type of relationship can be instrumental in overcoming workplace hurdles and bringing about higher productivity.
In a world of social networks, texts, and emails, purposeful and direct engagement with others is dwindling. However, it is still the most effective way in the education and relationship process. In the third and final installment of this series on mentorship, we will dive into the different ways to implement mentoring in organizations and which ways are best in establishing a culture thereof.
Do you have ideas on other important values involved in mentorships? Let us know in the comments section below.
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