How to make your mentoring relationship work

Having the right mentor to guide and advise you can give you a major career boost and push your performance to new heights. In fact, statistics show that 71% of Fortune 500 companies have long-standing mentoring programmes, and 97% of those with a mentor say they find them  valuable.

If you feel you need a mentor or are in the position to be one, think about the following points to understand the real meaning of the purpose of being a mentee or mentor.

Being a mentor requires the following:

1. Time: Investing quality time to work with your mentee, be it monthly catch-ups or weekly check-ins, is crucial in order to see results.
2. Listen: Any manager should be a good listener. Hearing your mentee’s thoughts and listening to them with an open mind is key to be able to give the necessary insight and guidance.
3. Commitment: You need to walk the talk and actively support your mentee with your actions and words.
4. Honesty: Mentoring is not just about sharing your successes, but also your failures to give your mentee a realistic, authentic insight into the lessons you have learned during your career. Understanding why things didn’t work out and giving constructive feedback is what is required to grow and learn.
5. Learning: You might be the mentor, but that doesn’t mean you are done with learning. Keeping up with the latest trends and topics and being up to date with the industry’s movements is key. Be open to learning from your mentee too during the process.

Mentees, be prepared to:

1. Expect support, not miracles: Be specific about the guidance you need and be clear about the insight you hope to gain from your mentor. It is a long-term learning curve, not an instant promotion.
2. Think ahead: Work on long-term goals and focus on where you want to be in the future rather than where you are now.
3. Be committed: Get the basics right to show you are serious and respectful. Be on time for meetings, appreciate your mentor’s time and respect their knowledge. Show that you are committed and focused.
4. Take ownership of your path: Showing interest and being enthusiastic about learning will make the mentoring process more dynamic and fun. Try out your mentor’s suggestions and give them feedback.