What are your thoughts on the importance of CONFIDENTIALITY within a positive MENTORSHIP relationship, or any business related relationship for that matter?
Please add your thoughts as a comment to this post.
Feel free to talk about its importance, and share an example you’ve seen which illustrates either the potential positive impact or negative associated results.
Please add your thoughts as a comment to this post.
Feel free to talk about its importance, and share an example you’ve seen which illustrates either the potential positive impact or negative associated results.
2 comments:
From Margo Murray, MBA, CPT
Author of the book, "Beyond the Myths and Magic of Mentoring: How to Facilitate an Effective Mentoring Process."
Jim, each partner in a mentoring relationship must explicitly say how to maintain confidentiality of what is shared in the skills and experiences transfer. And, most important, what must be reported outside the relationship, e.g., harassment, substance abuse, etc., for which organization policies or laws require other action. best, margo
Jim's comments: Thank you Margo - yes, there is a real balance that is necessary. There is the confidentiality that the Mentor has to the Mentee (Protege), but you are absolutely right, there are also responsibilities that the Mentor has to society (legal/ethical).
In addition to touching on "confidentiality", Ian Hope provides a couple of other key success factors to build into a Mentorship relationship. Thanks Ian!
Find a quiet place where you can meet for confidential discussions, be open and honest in all communications and avoid being judgmental.
Keep the relationship friendly but professional and objective.
Be available to one another and meet with some regularity at times that are convenient to both your schedules.
Also, be sure to manage expectations … have a good discussion starting out about what each expects from the other, including the term of the mentorship and points where you can consider renewing the mentorship relationship. There may come a time when it will be best for the mentoree to move on to another mentor for continued growth and development.
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