What Is Mentorship & Why It's Important For Both, Mentors & Mentees

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In our life, we often come across people who lend a helping hand - be it the friendly senior who helped with a tricky project or the teacher who took time after classes to clarify your doubts. But can we consider all of them as mentors? Not really. A random act of kindness, as valuable as it may be, doesn't define mentorship. So what is mentorship? 

Mentorship is a mentoring relationship between two people, where the more experienced individual (mentor) guides the less experienced individual (mentee), who may be younger in age. 

However, it's not the seniority in age that makes you a mentor, but rather the years of experience.  In other words, mentors may not always be older than the mentees in age, but will most certainly have more experience than the mentees. 

While people may find a mentor from any walk of life, and even have lifelong mentors outside of their professional network, mentorship is most common in organizations - startups and corporates, alike.

Most organizations assign mentors to new joiners or individuals who're new to a role to help them in their career tracks. These mentors are responsible for guiding mentees through their personal development and professional growth. By its very definition, a mentor is responsible for providing direction to a mentee in the form of honest feedback, professional guidance, and if need be, by listening to their concerns about the workplace, if any. 

To sum up what is mentoring in a single line - it's the act of guiding and teaching another, less experienced individual, usually in an organization, by relying on your own experience. 

Read ahead to understand the history of mentoring, the role of mentors in a professional network, how mentors can help mentees achieve their career goals or attain career success, and what makes an effective mentoring relationship:

History of Mentoring

Like most things in the modern world, mentoring too has Greek origins, more specifically in Greek mythology. The idea of a mentor first originated in Homer's Odyssey. In the epic novel, the Greek Goddess of Wisdom, Athena, takes on the role of a 'wise mentor' to guide and help the young prince, Odysseus' son Telemachus. 

Of course, in the modern world people do not have Greek Goddesses to guide them. But the idea of a mentor in the professional network still holds merit. Especially a mentor who provides much-needed guidance for career development and career advancement, despite the associated career cost. 

Who Exactly Is A Mentor?

Now that we've understood the brief history of mentorship and what it entails, it's important to understand what being a mentor actually means. 

Mentors are experienced individuals who have the requisite skill set (active listening, leadership skills, interpersonal skills, and communication skills, to name a few) to help mentees at different career stages in life. Mentors most often exist within an organization, but may also exist outside of it. Their career pathways may not replicate a mentee's, but they possess the knowledge and experience to help mentees achieve their career outcomes. 

It's important to understand that both mentors, within an organization and outside of it, play an important role in helping mentees achieve their career aspirations. Mentors also need to understand and manage the career cost (emotional and psychological) associated with being a mentor. 

In fact, the SNT framework for mentorship states that mentees should build developmental networks from multiple, simultaneous relationships that provide valuable developmental assistance and advice (Higgins and Kram, 2001).

SNT refers to the social network theory. SNT focuses on the role that social relationships play in transmitting information, channeling influence, and enabling a change in attitude or behaviour. There are many approaches to mentorship. But, in the context of mentorship, the SNT approach--to have multiple networks of mentors certainly makes sense. 

The multiple networks of mentors also refer to the various types of mentorship that can exist, such as peer mentorship, academic mentorship, information-based mentorship, advocacy-based mentorship, etc. 

Mentors Within A Professional Network

Not every senior leader or experienced employee in the organization can be a mentor. The definition of mentorship entails that mentors take on the role of a guide by providing honest feedback and keeping open communication. Thus, usually, direct managers are not assigned as mentors - though exceptions may exist.

Similarly, a senior leader may be a mentor - but not for individuals who're too junior to them in position. Because such mentees are either too intimidated to learn from senior employees or are at a career stage where they require a different learning experience than the one a senior employee can provide. 

Ultimately, the role of mentors is not to manage or instruct mentees but rather to push them on the path of professional development by helping them on their career path. A mentee's career goals may not always directly focus on career development but can also be about developing various life skills that support their career aspirations or even, personal development. 

Organizations usually craft a mentorship program or framework for mentorship to guide mentors and mentees. Such programs define the scope and content of mentorship within the organization. 

Mentors Outside Of A Professional Network

Mentors can also exist outside of your immediate professional network. These mentors are individuals who have the ability or skill set to translate their years of experience into valuable and tangible lessons that can help individuals build important life skills. This can also be treated as an information-based mentoring relationship. Herein, mentors offer advice and resources on the basis of a mentee's needs. They may also teach them vital skills essential for a new job or role.  

These mentoring experiences can take place through online or offline teaching, formal programs, informal sessions, etc. In many cases, individuals also develop personal connections through such sessions that eventually, transform into a healthy and effective mentoring relationship. 

Ultimately, such mentoring experiences help mentees develop life skills, improve their knowledge, and enable career development. Personal branding, resume review, placement prep, interview training, cracking case studies, or niche domain expertise (data science, etc.) are some vital skills that individuals can learn from a mentor outside of the professional network. 

Essential Skills For A Potential Mentor

There are different approaches to mentorship and different types of mentorship. The framework for mentorship might also differ from organization to organization. And of course, mentors also exist outside the professional network.

However, there are certain vital skills or essential qualities that mentors should ideally possess. Qualities such as these: 

i) Active Listening: Active listening is an essential life skill but in the context of mentorship, it takes on greater importance. As the name suggests, active listening implies listening attentively to the speaker and retaining the information they share to process and respond, only if required. Simply put, active listening is when you listen to understand, rather to simply respond. For an effective mentoring relationship, mentees must feel heard by their mentors. 

ii) Interpersonal Skills: It goes without saying that interpersonal skills are essential for an effective mentoring relationship. While it's not necessary to know every minute detail about each other's personal lives, mentors and mentees often share a personal connection. Without effective interpersonal skills, mentors may struggle to understand their mentee's concerns or address them effectively. 

iii) Constructive Criticism: The definition of mentorship clearly states that a mentor's core responsibility is to provide honest feedback and criticism to the mentee. However, it's crucial that mentors provide constructive criticism that actually helps a mentee improve. Harsh feedback on performance or unfounded criticism can turn the mentor-mentee relationship into a negative experience, and in extreme cases may even hamper a mentee's personal growth or career prospects.

iv) Leadership Skills: Mentors should be good leaders. There's a high chance that a mentor is responsible for more than one mentee in an organization. Even outside of an organization, a mentor may be guiding multiple mentees along their career tracks. Mentors who display leadership skills have a better chance of managing multiple mentees, even those on different career pathways. 

v) Communication Skills: Here's yet another vital skill that becomes incredibly important in mentorship. A mentor-mentee relationship can't exist in silence. Keeping open channels of communication is integral to building an effective mentoring relationship. In many cases, mentees may take time in opening up with a mentor. They may also be confused about their career prospects or nervous about career outcomes, and struggle to articulate their problems. Mentors with excellent communication skills, coupled with interpersonal skills, can guide such mentors on the right career track and help them realize their career aspirations.

vi) Advanced Knowledge: The mentorship definition makes it clear that to be a mentor, it's important individuals possess advanced knowledge of their subject. It's only when mentors are well-informed about their domains or have considerable experience, that they can help a mentee improve their career prospects. Moreover, if mentees work with mentors who have limited career knowledge, they may experience a sense of frustration or fail to achieve the kind of professional growth they desire. This could even result in lower career satisfaction in some cases. 

Mentors often take up the position of a role model in a mentee's life. This is not to say that every mentor is a role model - but that there is a high chance of a mentee treating a mentor as one, especially when they impact their career prospects or teach them important life skills. This is why some organizations introduce formal programs to train and develop potential mentors. Such programs enable mentors to better navigate the mentor-mentee relationship, while also building their own career contacts. It also gives mentors the tools to understand and process the career costs that mentorship can extract from them. 

Why Is Mentoring Important 

By now it must be clear that being a mentor, especially a good mentor, is no easy task. While career progression can guarantee you a promotion, it can't automatically make you a good mentor. Remember, a mentor has a different role to play in a mentee's life than a manager. Yes, a mentee may find a mentor in their managers. But not every manager can be a mentor. 

And yet, time after time, across industries, organizations put importance on mentorship and work to build a mentor network for their employees. Similarly, without fail, individuals sign up to become mentors - even for people outside of their organizations. Why? It's because mentorship can be an enriching learning experience for all parties involved. 

While the benefits of mentorship (for both the mentor and mentee) are manifold, listed below are some of the most important reasons why mentoring is important: 

• Career Advancement: Naturally, all working professionals have career aspirations. And the role that mentorship plays in career advancement for mentors and mentees can't be ignored. Mentorship allows mentees to better adapt to a new working environment. In some cases, it also allows for swifter knowledge transfer than usual since mentorship makes room for informal discussions. On the other hand, mentorship can help in a mentor's career advancement as well. Mentorship is a great way for mentors to show they're proficient in their subject or career knowledge and are ready to shoulder more responsibilities, or even take on a different role.
• Networking: Building career contacts is one of the most obvious benefits of mentorship for a majority of employees. Mentorship provides networking opportunities that often go beyond the immediate work circle. This enables individuals to tap into professional networks they may not usually have access to.  
  
  
• Career Satisfaction: Mentorship can actually enhance an individual's career satisfaction. In fact, CNBC and SurveyMonkey revealed through a joint survey that 89% of employees with mentors felt their work was valued by their colleagues. The number stood at 75% for employees without mentors. Individuals who hold mentorship sessions outside of their organizations may also experience a renewed interest in their profession since it allows them to share their knowledge. It also allows them to keep abreast of industry trends, and constantly improve their knowledge. 
  
  
• Employee Engagement: Mentorship improves employee engagement. Many employee engagement programs focus on building better workplace connections - something that is a natural product of mentorship. With senior employees, mentorship adds a different dimension to their role - and helps break the monotony, if any, that they might be experiencing in day-to-day work, thus improving employee engagement. 
  
  
• Finding Talent: Mentorship can be a great tool to find the right talent, especially among new or upcoming employees. Mentors may also be able to align mentees with the kind of projects that enhance their learning experience or career prospects. And in turn, provide teams or organizations with talented individuals. 

While there are myriad benefits of mentorship in terms of personal growth and professional development, mentorship can also improve employee retention and actually save the company money in terms of recruiting and training new employees. As per a study by Randstad (a recruitment agency), employees who participate in mentoring programs are 49% less likely to leave an organization.

Mentorship, A Guiding Relationship Not A Fail Safe

From career contacts to career satisfaction, mentorship has a lot to offer. But, it's of utmost importance that mentees remember and treat mentorship as a guiding relationship and not a fail-safe.

In other words, a mentor is not someone who can take decisions on your behalf. They can help you align your career track or improve your career outcomes, but they can't do your job. Nor should they be held responsible for your mistakes. Or tasked with taking on your responsibilities. To give an example, a mentor can give you the right tools to improve your communication skills, but you will have to put in the effort and practice those skills. 

It's also important for mentors to award their mentees the space to grow and learn. As a mentor, you can only guide your mentee on the right career track, not run their life for them. Mentors should also not offer false promises of ensuring career success. 

Establishing boundaries is important in the workplace, especially in the context of mentorship. Regular feedback sessions can ensure that mentorship remains an enriching experience for both parties. The influence of mentorship is huge, and it's important that both mentors and mentees see value in it - but do not exploit the relationship and turn it into a negative experience. 

Real-Life Examples Of The Influence Of Mentorship

By now, you have a fair idea of what mentorship entails and why it's an incredible learning experience for all employees, be it new interns or senior leaders. But here are a few real-life examples of the massive influence of mentorship:

Review by mentee, Neha Aiyer: 

"I have had the pleasure of working with Rakesh as my mentor for interview preparation, CV review, and exam preparation for business schools. I must say that he is simply amazing! Rakesh's expertise in the field of business education is exceptional, and his ability to translate that knowledge into practical tips and tricks for students is truly outstanding. Rakesh's teaching style is patient, encouraging, and always tailored to the needs of the individual student. He takes the time to understand each student's strengths and weaknesses and uses this knowledge to develop a personalized strategy that will help them achieve their goals. Whether you are struggling with interview nerves, need help crafting the perfect CV, or want to improve your exam-taking skills, Rakesh is the mentor for you."

Review by mentee Shaik Abdul Hafeez:

"It was a good session with Baishali. I got clarified regarding what steps to be taken further to prepare for CAT. And also got suggestions regarding the Data Science career path. Thanks a lot for the suggestions and for mentoring me. I will come back once again to take mentorship if I get confused."

Review by mentee Aliah Kapoor: 

"Rakesh is an exceptional mentor for interview, CV, and exam preparation for business schools. He tailors his teaching style to each student's individual needs, using personalized strategies to help them achieve their goals. Rakesh's expertise and practical tips help students feel confident and prepared, making him highly recommended."

These experiences have been shared by individuals who undertook mentorship sessions with Unstoppable mentors. Unstop mentors are industry experts from all walks of life. They have worked with companies like Ernst & Young, Google, BCG, and Capgemini, to name a few.

Unstop has a pool of over 500 mentors, who collectively have expertise in 50+ domains. The mentorship process at Unstop includes mentor evaluation and one-on-one connection. You can find more details about Unstop's mentorship program here. 

Mentorship can be a learning experience for both, mentors and mentees. Mentorship has a role to play in all aspects of your career, whether it's building career prospects, finding the right career contacts, fulfilling career aspirations, or achieving career satisfaction. 

In some cases, mentorship can even help individuals discover new career pathways. Individuals may realize they wish to make a career path out of mentoring or expand their career knowledge about the act of mentoring. Whatever might be the case, there's no denying the importance of mentoring or mentorship in an individual's life.

The impact of a fruitful mentorship goes beyond building career contacts or achieving career success. Mentorship can help you build invaluable life skills and influence your professional development. While the value of a good mentor is hard to quantify, what no one can deny is that mentorship is a truly invaluable learning experience. 

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