Is Mentoring Worth It?

I’ve been wanting to write an entry on mentors in the workplace and how important I think they are. The thing that has been holding me back is that I hadn’t experienced enough with mentoring in the workplace. I did do a study while I was in school where the outcome was a student’s desire for a mentor once that student began to experience academic problems as a result of adjustment problems, but it was difficult to do studies on mentors that I think would be most practical. 

So, with the nerdy beginning out of the way, I’ll tell you what really inspired me to write this long overdue entry. One of my favorite summer shows just concluded; The Voice on NBC. If you aren’t familiar with the show, YOU SHOULD BE, but here is a quick rundown of the concept and procedure NOTE: IF YOU KNOW THE SHOW SKIP TO THE NEXT PARAGRAPH! There are three distinct components to the show. The first is a blind audition in which the singer sings for the four judges/coaches (Christina Aguilera, Blake Shelton, Cee Lo Green and Adam Levine) with the judges unable to see the singer. If the coach is interested in putting them on their team (which totals 8 singers), they turn their chairs around. This is done so that the individual is judged purely on their voice. Following that, there are “battle rounds.” This is where the coach puts two individuals of their teams against each other on the same stage singing the same song in a duet style. Following the “battle” the coach chooses one artist to move on to a live show were America votes for their favorite artist.  

The thing that struck me most about that show is that the camera showed how the coaches really influenced their team members to be the best vocalists that they could be. There was a definite progression of every artist that made it past that first audition. The coaches built confidence, pushed the vocalists just enough and took them out of their comfort zones to explore differing facets of their vocal talent. I was so in awe of that, especially in the entertainment industry where it seems to be more cut-throat than developmental in nature.

I have been on the receiving end of formal mentoring programs and informal mentors. My personal experience was that my formal mentoring program was not the best for me. My mentor was very capable and I think could help me with my shortcomings, but as she never experienced some of my difficulties, struggled to really understand what I was going through and offering advice that she has used successfully. I have several informal mentors that have been much more successful. By several, I would say a total of 5 both male and female individuals that range in jobs, levels and experience. Those mentors just kind of developed as I looked up to them in one way or another. 

These people have really made me what I am today. They helped me to navigate things that they struggled with or that they could see me struggling with. I respected them enough that when I get negative feedback, I really tried to take that into account and change the way I was doing things. One of the things that set these people apart is that they seemed genuinely interested in my career success and celebrated my triumphs and aided in my failures. I still look up to all of these people, and I’m pretty sure most of you read my blog! : )

I do have a point though that I want to tell older, more experience professionals. DEVELOP your “minions.” By that I mean show interest in those at the bottom of the totem pole, interns, entry-level, etc.  I think many professionals sometimes feel that they can’t talk to these individuals, don’t have anything valuable to offer or really feel that the younger, less experienced worker could become a threat to their job. Those things can happen, but you don’t know that they will. Once the relationship is built, it may surprise you how much this individual really wants to help YOU with your job! Go back to The Voice and think about what those artists did. The vocalists will be in direct competition with all of the coaches, but the coaches still gave them the best advice that I thought possible and developed them into great, competitive singers. It makes me more likely to buy one of the coaches and the “voice’s” songs because I see they are interested in young or new talent. That I think can translate into the business world as well. Subordinates could buy into what you are doing because you offered them genuine coaching and developmental advice. 

Does anyone have any stories about mentoring they’d like to share?