The degree of benefit derived by either party will of course vary depending upon the circumstances. As we’ve mentioned in other BLOG posts, and perhaps you’ve noticed from within your own experiences, mentoring can take place across a wide variety of forms. And with that, the benefits can also vary when we contrast mentorship within a “formal” program versus mentoring within an “informal” setting. The same might be said of variation resulting from mentoring within a “one-to-one” mentoring relationship versus what comes from mentoring within a larger “group” context.
Regardless of the format, "mentorship is a journey" that can be experienced and enjoyed, as we travel down life’s road together. The key in my opinion is for the participants to be very clear on what they hope to gain from having participated in the mentoring relationship, and to make a full effort towards achieving the results that were anticipated and agreed to at the outset.
I like this quote from John Maxwell which speaks to the true intent of Mentorship:
“All of the certificates of recognition we receive in life will fade. The monuments we build will crumble. The trophies will corrode. But what we do for others will make a lasting impact on our world. True success comes only when every generation continues to develop the next generation, teaching them the value and the method of developing the next group of leaders.”
Source: John C. Maxwell – “Developing The Leader Within You”
What are some of the things that make for a healthy mentoring relationship?
Here are a couple of the key characteristics that we’ve found evident within high-quality mentoring relationships:
Respect - Mutual appreciation, as both the Mentor and Protégé have important information and knowledge to share, as well their respective contribution of time and energy in to the relationship.
- The Mentee/Protégé should recognize the knowledge, skills and abilities of their Mentor.
- The Mentor should appreciate the measure of success experienced to date by the Mentee/Protégé, as well as the drive and determination they have to develop in their career path or business.
Integrity and Honesty - Integrity and honesty are the cornerstones of a mentoring relationship.
- Both are vital to the achievement of the goals within the mentoring relationship.
- By agreeing that questions and mistakes are okay, and by being honest with each other, mentors and their Mentee/Protégé strengthen and build their mentoring relationship.
Note: We’ve uploaded a number of short video clips to our YouTube Channel that address Key Characteristics within Healthy Mentoring Relationships. Each video features a number of those we've spoken with in the past regarding their mentorship experiences. Here are some quick links to the following:
Mentorship Characteristics - "Commitment"
Mentorship Characteristics - "Collaboration"
Mentorship Characteristics - "Free Expression"
Within a healthy mentorship relationship, it is quite natural to see that the level of respect, trust and openness between the Mentor and Protégé develops. We endeavour to build these characteristics into the working relationships we build with our clients at Pro-Vision Solutions Inc.
PLEASE feel free to add your comments to our post. We'd be very pleased to hear from you as you share your experiences related to improving Mentoring Relationships.
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