Mentorship Starts with Mentees
Successful business leaders often thank their mentors publicly for the impact they had on their career. Strong mentoring relationships are proven to help mentees (the employee seeking mentorship) in numerous areas, from increased job and company satisfaction to higher pay and more rapid promotion. Additionally, mentees report stronger communication and confidence outside of work. So, it is likely no surprise to hear that most Fortune 500 organizations include mentoring programs as a company benefit. However, a mismanaged mentoring program staffed with disengaged employees results in little benefit and can do more harm than good! Something must change. While many options are available, a good place to start is by asking mentees to be intimately involved in the process of seeking mentorship.
Mentorship programs of days past were often managed by Human Resources. HR dutifully identified mentors and assigned them to mentees. This “sit and wait” approach meant that mentees had little skin in the game. If a mentorship placement was not fruitful, they could just ask for a new assignment. This hands-off approach meant that an intermediary was responsible for collecting the very nuanced needs of the mentees and then recruiting mentors who hopefully had the time and skill set to support them. This coordination involved very little input from the mentee who, in theory, knows best what areas in which they are looking for support. Think of it this way… would you have someone else select your college course list for the semester or curate your Spotify playlist? Likely not. You would take recommendations from others but make decisions on your own. Why not apply the same mentality to mentee involvement?
Additionally, evidence shows that the most fruitful mentoring relationships are created naturally. They are not orchestrated by a third party and don’t start with the question, “Will you be my mentor?” Statistics show that less than 15% of mentor relationships start with a formal request like this. They likely result from interaction on a project, a committee, or client engagement. In theory, your need for mentorship will change as the mentee develops. Today, you are looking to polish your public speaking skills. Next month, you are seeking feedback from individuals who attended a graduate program you are eyeballing. Your needs change, thus, you will look for different types of mentorships. Identifying and finding ways to network internally and externally are the most important parts of seeking mentorship.
Subpar mentoring programs can be damaging to employees. And let’s face it, no one will be as invested in their professional development as they are! So, let’s get mentees involved early and often in the role of identifying and seeking mentorship. It is a lifelong skill that will empower staff to advocate for their needs and support their growth. HR and management can get involved in supporting the mentorship programs in other ways, such as offering training on how to be a good mentor and how to network internally.
