Today must also be about Tomorrow.

“It’s a great thing to do, I just can’t afford the time.” Is perhaps the most common sentiment I observe when the subject of mentoring comes up. Yet when you stand off the challenge presented and a) analyse the benefits that it provides and b) devise a plan that becomes integral to your day then I would return. “Actually can you afford not to.?” Mentoring should be something that we should all at least consider as part of our responsibilities as leaders.

THE BENEFITS FAR OUTWEIGH THE TIME COSTS.

The benefits to those receiving mentoring are clear and numerous, they include the benefits of an alternative perspective on career development, knowledge and experience transfer from the mentor, increased levels of motivation and engagement from the perception that time is being invested and an improved opportunity for career progression through improved network points.

Yet, the bits that often get missed are the benefits to the mentor from engaging in the process. From my own experience these include, an increased level of knowledge, the ability to stay in touch with those in different sectors and levels. An ability to gain perspective from other organisations. A challenge to your existing way of operating, forcing a more consultative approach, and increased awareness of contemporary,current issues. All of these left me with a sense of a major personal opportunity to learn and develop skills from those I mentor.

When translated into hard benefits both of these will lead to higher levels of individual effectiveness, both short and long term. There is also the reduced risk of staff looking elsewhere for career development and all the benefits associated with lower staff turnover. As the talent market becomes increasingly tight the role mentoring can play in staff retention becomes increasingly significant. Staff turnover and the costs associated will become increasingly onerous to all business as we move forward.

BUILD IT INTO YOUR ROUTINE.

I think part of the challenge is often that mentoring is perceived as something “over and above” our day job..... But Why?

Most of us use 1 to 1’s as a management tool. Take an incremental approach - for example, Instead of rotating around 6 why not build in a mentoring session to make it 7? In that sense they become part of your sequence of individual time investments. They are not burdensome and simply become part of your time commitment to individuals development.

We can also embrace “on the job” mentoring. In that way we use real life issues and challenges to help

On line mentoring, some would argue, is the most powerful form, as it makes mentees link the abstract with the practical. Mentoring is fundamentally about an approach to developing people and improving their capability. It’s about active listening, asking great questions and intelligent knowledge migration. That can be done on the job if we manage our approach and are disciplined enough to turn current challenges into opportunities to learn. 

There is no reason mentoring needs to be above and beyond..... unless you want it to be..... some of us do and enjoy it but it is a choice for us all to make.

Legacy is part of our responsibility in Leadership - we would all do well to remember that. We should never forget who gave us our opportunities and help put us where we are today. Part of our task as leaders is to nurture the acorns of tomorrow’s great oak trees. Mentoring provides an amazing opportunity to do that - it is good for your soul - do not let time, the one thing we do control, be a reason to take that away. We make time for what we perceive as important. Make mentoring a priority.

Thoughts and comments are always valued.