Mentoring – discover a relationship with benefits
Mentoring in business is the kind of relationship that can bring real growth to your organization. The flow of knowledge and experience creates a new dynamic and thus fertile ground for change. Employees’ creativity can increase, and work methods will improve. Check out the impact and power of mentoring!
Table of Contents
- Does mentoring always work?
- What does mentoring consist of?
- What is the mentoring relationship based on?
- What are the benefits of mentoring?
- A good mentor, that is, what kind of mentor?
- Can a mentored person be a CEO?
1. Does mentoring always work?
As a rule, it will bring the desired results only if it is voluntary. The right attitude to use the mentor’s knowledge makes the cooperation fruitful. Also important is the mentor’s attitude, which should inspire the mentored person to create solutions on his own. Read how this positive relationship develops and what profits you can reap from it.
2. What does mentoring consist of?
This type of experience exchange generally lasts for a minimum of one year, and can stretch as long as three years. Regular meetings and conversations promote better insight into the development of the mentored person. The mentor has a chance to discover the person’s good points, open his or her eyes to certain aspects of responsibilities, make him or her aware of the impact on the operation of the company and other people. The mentor, getting to know the mentored person, can point out the best directions for development, suggest additional courses and training. In shorter words, the mentor or mentee inspires the growth of the mentored person’s potential, increases his or her awareness, self-confidence and proficiency.
3. What is the mentoring relationship based on?
Mentoring should not be confused with couching. The mentor influences the career of the mentored person, deals only with professional aspects. The basis for creating this relationship is a substantive discussion. What counts here is the awe-inspiring competence of the mentor. The mentor shares his knowledge, insights and allows the mentored person to draw from it, creating his own ideas. He cannot directly influence the decisions of the “student,” but as an authority he points out possible scenarios of events and helps put ideas into practice.
4. What are the benefits of mentoring?
When the time comes to implement demanding handouts or introduce new work systems, there is a huge responsibility on the person coordinating this endeavor. Getting through such a challenge is the result of one’s own work, but it is useful to have a mentor as a backbone. This is a consultant who helps respond to events and weave plans. Mentoring as a tool of Lean Management in the Lean method suggests how to improve processes and how to solve problems. A mentor’s experience in similar projects is invaluable. The master’s gaze gives courage and motivation to the student, who can easily systematize his past experiences and learn from them.
5. A good mentor, that is, what kind of mentor?
It is difficult to become a mentor overnight. It is important to have the right industry competence, but also psychological competence. A mentor should inspire confidence with his knowledge and attitude. He builds authority not only based on experience, but also through self-reflection, which allows him to be a more knowledgeable person. A mentor is supportive, suggests directions and ideas, but does not judge or hold accountable. He allows the mentored person to act in his own rhythm and improve his work, with the help of acquired advice. With the mentor’s input and expertise, new ideas are generated, but it is not the mentor who creates them. The initiator of change is directly the mentored person.
6. Can a mentored person be a CEO?
Of course! Even an experienced leader will appreciate the opportunity to receive feedback from a competent person. Consultations carried out with a mentor can be specifically about a certain part of the business, the introduction of new working methods, or concern the entire operation of the company. Mentoring gives you a good discussion and brainstorming partner, and this allows you to find the best solutions. Looking from the outside and combining the experiences of two people gives the proceedings a more solid foothold and gives new energy to the development.