MENTORING

A MANAGEMENT TRAINING
TOOL
 Origin
Mentor
In Greek mythology, Mentor was friend and counselor
of the hero Odysseus and tutor of his son Telemachus.
In Modern English, the tutor’s name has become an
eponym for a wise, trustworthy counselor or teacher.

Lord Krishna
The greatest known Indian mentor. The proponent of
the Bhagvad Gita

Gurukulas/School
The early days of Mentoring
 What is Mentoring?
• Mentoring is a developmental
partnership where one
person shares knowledge,
skills, information, and
perspective to foster the
personal and professional
growth of someone else.

“Mentoring is a brain to pick, an ear

to listen, and a push in the right
direction.” by John Crosby
 What is Mentoring?
Off-line help by one person to another in
making significant transitions, in knowledge,
work or thinking
– Mentor serves as
• A role model
• Coach
• A Confidante

It also provides a highly confidential way to

share and explore problems, difficulties and
strategies...."
 Mentoring?
Mentoring can be defined as relationships at work that provide a variety of
developmental functions
• Career functions
– Those aspects of a relationship that enhance learning the ropes and
preparing for advancement in an organization
– Your Contribution
• Experience/organizational rank/influence
• Role model to emulate
• Psychosocial Functions
– Those aspects of a relationship that enhance self competence,
clarity of identity
– Your Contribution
• Initiate /establish interpersonal bond to foster mutual trust
What is Mentoring?

Career Functions
• Sponsorship
– Opening doors for the mentee
• Coaching
– Teaching the mentee the ropes and providing feedback
• Protection
– Acting as a buffer when necessary
• Exposure
– Creating opportunities for the mentee to demonstrate
competence
• Challenging work
– Provision of interesting and stimulating work
What is Mentoring?

Psychosocial Functions
• Role modeling
– Demonstrating valued behavior, attitudes and skills
• Counseling
– Listening, trust and rapport to help resolve personal
and professional dilemmas
• Acceptance and Confirmation
– Provision of support and reinforcement
• Friendship
– Mutual caring and sharing of experiences outside the
work setting
 Characteristics of Effective Mentors
• Are professionally competent
• Are trustworthy
• Are consistent
• Have the ability to communicate
• Are willing to share control
• Set high standards
• Are willing to invest time and effort
• Actively steer protégés into important work

10–8
Why Protégés Need Mentors
 Improve and develop skills and
career opportunities
 Learn about organization and key
players
 Explore their untapped potential
 New hire on boarding
 Develop their leadership skills
 Make valuable contacts within the
company
 Enhance career advancement
opportunities
 PHASES OF THE MENTORING
RELATIONSHIP

Intensity
of
learning Progression Maturation

D
R

R = Building Rapport Time

D = Setting Direction
 Skills of Mentor
CARE

REACH TEACH

SHARE
 The Mentor-Mentee relationship

• Shared responsibility
• Regular structured contact
– Minimum of two meetings a month
– Assist the mentee to be capable of thinking and acting
independently
• Mutual respect
• Assignments for the mentee
– Minimum of one assignment per quarter
 MENTORING
GROUND RULES
• Confidentiality of information about mentee
• The mentee’s use of the mentor’s authority and
contacts
• Reasonable and unreasonable behaviour between
the two parties
• The allocation of time to the relationship
• Issues that are off limits to the mentoring
relationship
 Hurdles in Mentoring
• Overload
• Role perception
• Unhelpful Attitude
• Lack of information
THANK YOU