The Busy Leader's Handbook

25Mentors Matter:

Here’s How to Be One and How to Work with One

Leaders are always looking for ways to build the skill set of their employees and improve engagement. Putting a formal mentoring program in place may be one of the most cost-effective and efficient ways to help transfer knowledge from more experienced employees to those who want and need additional training. Great mentoring programs are the kind of personal development people want. They will help you attract and retain talent and leverage your most valuable asset—your people.

Mentorship is a partnership between individuals to promote professional and career development. The key word is partnership. A mentor must be an active participant in the relationship. The ideal mentee is a motivated individual who is open to feedback, coaching, and guidance. They also need the ability to learn, a good dose of patience, and comfort with being a team player. Both parties must be highly engaged, so making participation in a mentoring program mandatory probably won’t work.

Mentoring has many benefits. Mentees learn practical skills they can use on the job and gain insight into the organization’s culture and the nuances of the company. The organization gains more highly skilled leaders and employees and creates a more positive and engaged workplace. Mentoring helps build relationships and can be a great way to get honest feedback and figure out what employees are passionate about (all key to reducing turnover). It’s a great way ...