Why Mentoring Needs To Be A Higher Priority For You
At its heart, mentoring is about skill development and specialized knowledge transfer. However, it offers so many more benefits in today's workplace, whether you're a mentor or mentee. "But I'm too busy," you retort. "I already have too much on my plate."
Before you see mentoring as just one more thing to do, consider these benefits:
If You're The Mentee
- You acquire skills more rapidly. Formal learning is important. However, research by Bersin found that 80% of corporate learning occurs through informal approaches like mentoring and coaching.
- You can ask the tough questions. While you might feel uncomfortable asking your immediate supervisor about organizational culture, posing the question to a mentor is much easier.
- You get to see the bigger picture. Mentoring programs normally connect you with people who are in a better position to help you see how all the parts of an organization fit together.
If You're The Mentor
- You have a greater influence on the company's future. As a mentor, you have a unique opportunity to improve the retention and engagement of the most promising employees.
- You get a better understanding of how to work with other generations. You only have to read a few of the comments posted about my Linked In article, Millennials Don't Want Work Life Balance, to see the need for all generations to improve their cooperation in the workplace.
- You acquire skills more rapidly. Because you are normally paired with a "younger" employee, you get tips on getting work done effectively from their perspective and skill set.
All these benefits lead to you being more productive, engaged, and able to apply your best efforts at work every day. I'd say that's worth the investment of your time.
How could you benefit from having (or being) a mentor?
