Leading Effectively e-Newsletter - August 2008 Issue

7 Jobs of a Mentor

Mentoring relationships allow wisdom to get passed down in the organization and create a platform for more experienced people to help younger employees manage their careers, navigate organizational politics and be successful.

"Mentoring is a way to share institutional knowledge, develop individual skills and help people navigate their role and their careers," says Hart. "Often this is done informally, but increasingly organizations are expecting their experienced people to serve as mentors in a more consistent way."

Before jumping into a mentoring situation, Hart advises leaders to consider the seven functions of a mentor. "Each mentoring situation is different, and your role as mentor will shift depending on the person and their goals," says Hart. "By understanding the seven kinds of things mentors do, you'll be able to clarify your role and create an approach that makes sense. Keep in mind, this isn't a prescription for how to be a mentor - you won't be doing all seven things, all the time."

• Developing and managing the mentoring relationship. Initially, this involves assessing your own readiness and interest, selecting someone to mentor and getting to know each other. Building trust, setting goals and keeping the mentoring relationship on track are ongoing needs.
• Sponsoring. Opening doors and advocating for your mentee allows him or her to develop new skills and gain meaningful visibility. Creating and seeking new opportunities for your mentee and connecting him or her with people in your network are effective ways of sponsoring.
• Guiding and counseling. You may serve as a confidant, sounding-board and personal advisor to your mentee, especially as the relationship grows deeper over time. You may help your mentee explore and understand emotional reactions or personal conflict or explore ways to deal with problems. As counsel, you are also in a position to warn your mentee about behavior that is a poor fit with organizational culture or that is leading him or her into troubled territory.
• Protecting. Keeping an eye out for potential threats to your mentee allows him or her to quell them or adjust before they become significant problems. For example, you might hear rumors and be able to deftly correct misperceptions and misinformation. Protecting may also involve cutting red tape or helping your mentee avoid assignments that aren't a good fit.
• Teaching. Many mentors enjoy the teaching aspects of mentoring: transferring knowledge, sharing their experiences and recommending assignments.
• Modeling. Just by observing you, mentees "pick up" many things: ethics, values and standards; style, beliefs and attitudes; methods and procedures. Mentees are likely to follow your lead, adapt your approach to their own style, and gain confidence through their affiliation with you. As a mentor, you need to be keenly aware of your own behavior and what it is saying about you.
• Motivating and inspiring. Mentors support, validate and encourage their mentees. When you help your mentees link their own goals, values and emotions to the larger organizational agenda, they become more engaged in their work and in their own development.

Learn more about The 7 Functions of Mentoring through CCL's Webinar Series.