Who Benefits from Mentoring?
So who benefits the most from mentoring? The mentee? The mentor? The company? It’s rather difficult to quantify who benefits the most. One thing is certain: all constituents benefit.
Mentees, if they take full advantage of their mentoring relationship and the program, will grow in ways they never imagined. For some, it’s a life altering experience. Like many things, you get out of it what you put into it.
Today’s worker will most likely have numerous jobs at numerous companies during their career. They will
most likely also have periods of time when they are unemployed or perhaps under-employed. To thrive in such an environment, they will need to continually hone their skills, have a deep understanding of what kind of corporate environment they excel in, and keep their network very much alive.
In formal programs, most mentors will tell you they think they got as much out of it as the mentee. You see when we “teach” we also learn. For many mentors, it’s been a long time since they were in the place their mentee is. It gives them great insight into what employees in their own organization are going through. If it’s a senior male executive mentoring a mid-level female, or another ‘majority’ person mentoring a minority – well, I’ve seen it open the mentor’s eyes to a whole new way of thinking, perspective and understanding of the challenges up-and-coming talent faces in their organization.
If a company is engaged in providing mentoring programs, it will benefit most from a formal program that has well thought-out goals and objectives. Mentoring can enhance leadership development in a way no other method can. If the program has detailed learning components to it, it makes the partnerships much richer, which benefits the mentee as well as company.
Mentoring is a powerful tool. Use it often and watch the benefits help you and your company reach new heights.