- Mentorship can help people further their careers and expand their professional networks.
- Understanding how mentorship works and how it differs from coaching can help you decide if becoming or choosing a mentor is right for you.
- Before choosing a mentor, consider several factors that make mentorship successful.
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The importance of mentorship to your career development should not be overlooked. Many successful people in business credit their professional growth to effective mentoring. It builds a strong connection and teaches the mentee critical lessons they might take years to learn without a mentor.
Mentor-mentee relationships bring career benefits. Mentees often enjoy more career satisfaction and commitment than individuals who have not had a mentor. Mentees also tend to earn higher salaries and advance faster in their careers.
These benefits extend to both the mentor and the mentee, providing a great incentive for forming this type of relationship. Before taking on a mentor or mentee, you should understand what mentorship is, why it is so valuable. You should also know how it differs from other career development tools like professional coaching.
What Is Mentorship?
In a mentorship, a more experienced individual shares knowledge and wisdom with another professional to help them grow. The more experienced individual is known as a mentor. Mentors are commonly further along in their career or education and can use their experience as role models to guide mentees. This guidance helps mentees grow their skills and gain insights that usually take years to learn. The mentor-mentee relationship is a safe space, focusing on areas like skill-building, networking, career advancement, emotional support and encouragement.
Benefits of Mentorship
The benefits of mentorship extend beyond the professional development of the mentee. Both the mentor and the mentee gain from a mentorship relationship in various ways.
A mentee benefits from mentorship by:
- Increasing industry and institutional knowledge
- Growing their professional network
- Improving soft skills
- Gaining professional development
In turn, a mentor benefits from the mentorship process by:
- Refreshing their career perspective
- Cultivating leadership skills
- Growing their professional network
- Experiencing personal fulfillment
Every mentorship relationship is different, but the benefits of committing to being a mentor or mentee can last a lifetime.
How Does Mentorship Work?
The mentorship process varies depending on the people in the relationship. Generally, it involves going through several stages in which the mentor and mentee grow professionally. These include:
- Initiation Stage: This initial stage depends on the formality of the mentorship relationship and includes the mentor and mentee getting acquainted. It allows the mentee to share their career goals and reasons for choosing to find a good mentor. It also helps the mentor share knowledge gained from experiences and connect with the mentee on a more personal level.
- Cultivation Stage: Once they get to know each other, the mentor and mentee can explore different areas of professional development. This may include a deep dive into learning, upskilling and relationship building. The cultivation stage includes the mentor sharing more specific lessons from their work experience. It is also when the mentee develops skills based on these teachings.
- Separation Stage: Once the mentee has learned all they need from their mentor, the mentorship enters the separation stage. At this point, the mentor and mentee mutually agree to end their relationship. This stage can be difficult since both participants can grow accustomed to regular interaction. However, mentees need to know how to apply what they have learned without the constant guidance of their mentors.
- Redefinition Stage: During the final stage, the mentor and mentee redefine their relationship moving forward. The redefinition stage allows them to set new parameters around their interactions and expectations.
While mentorships are not meant to last forever, many professionals recognize the impact these relationships have had on their careers. Good mentors are often acknowledged in books and speeches and praised for their commitment to the success of their mentees.
In this video, Robert F. Smith shares the story of how he became Vic Hauser’s mentee while he worked at Bell Labs early in his career. This was a pivotal relationship for Smith, and he shares the value of his mentorship experience years later during a fireside chat:
Key Differences Between Mentorship Versus Coaching
Mentorship and coaching are often used interchangeably, but there are some key differences between the two.
- Mentorship is a less formal relationship with goals that change based on the needs of the mentee. In a coaching relationship, goals are specific and measurable, with the relationship often ending with the goals being met.
- Mentoring is focused on professional development, whereas coaching is focused on driving performance.
- A mentor is normally a senior professional in the same industry or organization as their mentee. A coach can have more specialized knowledge and experience outside the mentee’s profession.
- A coach leads sessions by asking questions. In a mentorship, a mentee poses questions to their mentor.
Both mentoring and coaching are valuable tools for professional development, but they focus on different aspects of your career. Many times, you can incorporate coaching alongside your mentorship relationship.
How to Choose a Mentor
Choosing the right mentor can make all the difference when it comes to your mentorship experience. Many mentorship programs pair mentors with mentees who share similar traits, job functions or professional goals. However, there are also opportunities to find a mentor independently.
In this video, Smith talks about the importance of mentorship, particularly for STEM students. He mentions his experience adopting mentors early in his career and how persistence in adopting mentors accelerated his capacity.
As Smith mentions in the video, mentors and mentees do not have to share all the same characteristics. Mentorship relationships go beyond gender, ethnicity and nationality. Rather, they are based on what the mentee wants to accomplish and how the mentor can help. That is why developing criteria for a mentorship relationship before committing to one is crucial.
When looking for a mentor, consider these factors:
- Are they passionate about helping others succeed?
- Can they provide honest and unbiased feedback?
- Do you value their knowledge and experience?
- Can they make time in their schedule for mentorship?
- Are they in a similar industry or part of your organization?
Becoming a mentor or mentee is a long-term commitment, so considering these questions and your personal goals is a good place to start. The ultimate goal of a mentorship relationship is to achieve mutual success in your given industry.
Stay up to date with the latest from Smith and learn about the importance of mentorship by following him on LinkedIn.
