February 12, 2021

Mentorship: Thriving Through Personalized Attention and Lifelong Learning

Shailja Sharma

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Nelson Mandela once said, “there can be no greater gift than that of giving one’s time and energy to help others without expecting anything in return.” Great leaders believe in championing the development of others. One of the most overlooked but incredibly powerful professional growth tools is the mentoring relationship. Having set your New Year’s resolutions to boost your career in 2021, it is time to explore how to bridge the gap between where you are and where you want to be. The myriad benefits of mentoring range from greater career success, increased opportunities, higher student or employee engagement, knowledge sharing across organizations, and increased employee retention. Effective mentoring requires specific skills, structure, and commitment from both the mentor and mentee. For the relationship to be successful, both parties take responsibility for their roles and dedicate time to developing them. A mentor offers career guidance and serves as a sounding board for a mentee.

Selecting Your Mentor

When you are considering the person you wish to approach to mentor you bear in mind that they must exhibit certain qualities beyond being successful in the field you wish to pursue. Do they have the drive and disposition to help others grow? Are they genuine in their desire to see you succeed? Are they willing to share their experiences including what they have learned from past failures? Availability is also a key factor to consider. The person must be committed to the relationship and have the time and energy to invest. The best mentors must also have the deep industry knowledge and expertise that you wish to develop. Are they open-minded and do they have a growth mindset?  Great mentors have developed powerful skills that enable them to be engaging and help champion their mentee’s development. Active listening and asking open-ended questions stimulate self-reflection and increases a mentee’s self-awareness. Throughout history, human beings have learned through stories. Story-telling helps people to see things from other perspectives and to share in the experiences of others. Mentors who share personal anecdotes and examples are great teachers. Successful mentoring relationships happen when the mentor and mentee are the right match.

What is Your Role as a Mentee? 

You must be committed to achieving success and expanding your capabilities. Mentors are looking for people who are dedicated and focused. Be clear about what you want from the relationship and set the mentoring agenda. Have an open mind and be willing to explore issues from different perspectives. If you are open and receptive to learning new ideas and being honest and sometimes even vulnerable, you will allow your Mentor to help you break through the barriers that may be holding you back. Accept constructive feedback and demonstrate responsibility and accountability. You must also have the time and energy to invest in the relationship.

How do you Find a Mentor?

You can begin the search for a mentor in your own professional circles. These individuals can be former bosses, former professors or teachers, co-workers, or family friends. If you are a member of an Alumni Association or have a formal mentoring program in your place of work or study then that is a fantastic place to begin. These programs have structured approaches to matching the right mentors with mentees. They factor in industry and career goals during the matching process and have access to networks of powerful, successful individuals that would otherwise be difficult to engage with.

Developing your Mentoring Relationship

As you begin your relationship with your mentor of choice, be clear about what you are hoping to get from the relationship. Do not assume that your mentor knows this intuitively. Most mentors have experienced the benefits of mentoring themselves and can also help you set clear expectations and increase your self-awareness. Designing the alliance with your mentor is crucial to success. Factoring in logistics such as scheduling, modes of connection, and frequency of meetings is an important first step. Respect your mentor’s time and be on time for meetings. As the relationship progresses you may find your needs will change from meeting to meeting. If you are honest and explicit about your evolving needs you will help your mentor to help you. Keep your Mentor informed about your progress. They may give of their time and energy without expecting anything in return but the truth is there is nothing more rewarding for a mentor who is truly invested in your success to see you begin to scale new heights.

At Strathmore University Business School, we offer dedicated mentoring services to all our Undergraduate students. Through our mentoring office, we ensure each student is allocated a mentor within three weeks of orientation into the university. Our mentors are selected from within the Business School.

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Article by Shailja Sharma, Executive Fellow, and Coach

Would you like to share an article? Write to us at sbscommunication@strathmore.edu 

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