What is like to Mentor?
The Mentor has the specific task of guiding employees with less experience within the workplace context and establish strong and reliable relationships with the different individuals involved. One will observe how a mentor interacts with the different stakeholders involved at different stages of the mentoring process. This includes the relations and interactions with mentees, employers and each stakeholder within the mentoring process.
The Mentor at the place of work is responsible for the moulding of individuals into ever-developing professionals. They are a point of reference and the team members of a company to which mentees turn to for guidance and support in their growth and development along their career journey. On a daily basis a Mentor is the source of support and learning.
Daily Planning and Preparation
The Mentor needs to get to know who they will be mentoring and what are the goals of the company and the individuals who will be undergoing mentoring. Thus the mentor will need to dedicate time to researching the goals and mentoring methods and practices through which ultimately these individuals reach the set goals. Mentors needs to identify different practices and select those practices which could work best and are best suited.
This information is crucial for the planning of the mentoring sessions, especially for identifying and selecting best practices for strengthening the mentees’ professional performance and guide them in their immediate improvement and their long-term professional development.
Mentoring Daily – Interactions and Relationships
The Mentor implements the plan drawn up for their Mentee/s. In the implementation of their plan, Communication is key during all stages of the mentoring process, and it is the main tool the mentor works with on a daily basis. Whether it is in the form of writing, a discussion, a demonstration, the Mentor needs to keep a two-way communication where both the Mentor and the Mentee can discuss, give their input and listen to each other.
The Mentor is to further build trusting relationships with mentees and foster a sense of belonging and collaboration. A Mentee learns from a Mentor and vice versa. The Mentor also encourages their Mentee to participate actively in their sessions and to follow-up each session by working upon the strengths and/or weaknesses, and proceed with any actions identified for their continuous professional improvement.
The Mentor also communicates and builds trusting relationships with the companies and employers commissioning and/or employing the Mentor. Employers are generally those who set the goals. Ultimately, the Mentor is giving a service to the Employer by guiding their employees in reaching their goals. Thus it is in the Employers’ interest to recieve updates from the Mentor regarding the progress of their employees.
Daily Challenges of Mentors
Challenges are part of the daily life of any workplace and within any mentors’ role one can identify a number of challenges, that stem from the nature of the role. The mentor deals with different people at the organisation, external stakeholders such as VET Training Providers, own personal issues, and issues that the Mentee might be facing. It is essential that the Mentor retains focus, and deals with problems and challenges through effective prioritisation, whilst maintaining a positive outlook. The Mentor cannot lose motivation because of such challenges, as this de-motivation would surely be sensed by the Mentee, which thus could negatively impact the Mentee’s performance.
Evaluation and Continuous Improvement
A Mentor also needs to evaluate the mentoring provided. Not every session might develop as planned and Mentors might be challenged further through improvisation in response to any developments which might arise during the course of an employer’s career. It is the Mentor’s responsibility to develop their mentoring strategies and be relevant to those seeking to develop themselves. Thus it is also the responsibility of the mentor to make time to attend and follow any seminars regarding any developments in Mentoring, and also make time with other mentors to share and discuss any practices and situations encountered during such mentoring sessions.
Learning Material
- WBL Accelerator_Unit 12_Web_Annex 4_Eisenhower Matrix.pdf
[EN] - WBL Accelerator_Unit 12_Web_Annex 5_Time Wasters and Mentoring.pdf
[EN] - How to Prioritize Tasks Effectively: GET THINGS DONE
https://www.expandapprenticeship.org/system/files/mentoring_for_apprenticeship.pdf - Mentoring: How to be an effective mentor
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3dD2VCsPrsg - Why I chose to become an Apprenticeship Mentor
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=owtms0Neevs - Mentoring Apprentices
https://www.unionlearn.org.uk/mentoring-apprentices - Time Management Skills
https://www.skillsyouneed.com/ps/time-management.html - Eisenhower’s Urgent/Important Principle
https://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newHTE_91.html