ABOUT MENTORING
Mentoring is a long standing form of training, learning and development. Mentoring is a
process by which a mentor, who is outside the line management relationship, gives
support and advice to other members of staff (the Mentee).
A mentor will use many of the key skills of a coach or counselor. Mentoring looks at ways
of enhancing the personal development of the Mentee with a view to improving future
performance.
Objective of Mentoring
The objective of mentoring is to support the personal development of the Mentee to
increase their personal effectiveness by ensuring that each Mentee’s abilities are
developed to their full.
Mentoring and Talent
Mentoring is the most cost efficient and sustainable method of fostering and developing
young talent in an organisation.
It is the ultimate win–win business tool. The employee gets a hand to fast-track their
career and the mentor gets the satisfaction of helping others develop, while the
organisation gets improved performance and employee retention.
UNDERSTANDING THE BENEFITS OF MENTORING
► New perspectives & thought processes
► Personal skills development which may include knowledge, technical and
behavioural improvements
► Better management of career goals
► Learning from ‘experience’
► Improved and shared networks
► Opportunity to influence the organisation
Benefits to the organisation
► Raises motivation and increases productivity through better engagement and
job satisfaction
► Makes organisation better able to adapt to change
► Aids employee recruitment and retention
► Cost effective method of developing individuals
► Helps with succession planning
THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF MENTEES
Mentees “own” the mentoring process so it is the mentee’s responsibility to arrange
meetings and decide what to discuss. Mentees should identify and make the most out of
the development opportunities. Mentees are advised to maintain a confidential learning
record describing the activities they have been involved in and what they have learnt
from them.
This will enable them to track their progress with their mentor. Both
mentors and mentees must be clear on the boundaries of their relationship.
HOW SHOULD A MENTEES PREPARE?
Great preparation for meetings is vital. If meetings are to be productive, both mentor
and mentees must be well prepared.
MENTEES SHOULD:
► Understand what documentation would help the mentor understand their
development needs?
► Be clear on what issues would they most value guidance or a different
perspective?
► Provide examples will help them illustrate what they mean?
► Confirm if there any issues remaining from any previous meetings with
their mentor?
► What can they do to make the most of the time together?
► Understand what should their line manager be update on?
► Clarify what they wish to be kept confidential?
► Review their plan of action