"Mentoring is to support and encourage people to manage their own learning in order that they may maximize their potential, develop their skills, improve their performance, and become the person they want to be."
- Eric Parsloe, The Oxford School of Coaching & Mentoring
The Power of Mentoring
Mentoring is a powerful personal development and empowerment tool. It is an effective way of helping people to progress in their careers and is becoming increasingly popular as its potential is realized. It is a partnership between two people (mentor and mentee) normally working in a similar field or sharing similar experiences. It is a helpful relationship based upon mutual trust and respect.
Role of a Mentor
A mentor is a guide who can help the mentee to find the right direction and who can help them to develop solutions to career issues. Mentors rely on having had similar experiences to gain empathy with the mentee and an understanding of their issues. Mentoring provides the mentee with an opportunity to think about career options and progress.
Benefits of Mentoring
A mentor should help the mentee to believe in herself/himself and boost his/her confidence. A mentor should ask questions and challenge while providing guidance and encouragement. Mentoring allows the mentee to explore new ideas in confidence. It is a chance to look more closely at yourself, your issues, opportunities, and what you want in life. Mentoring is about becoming more self-aware, taking responsibility for your life, and directing your life in the direction you decide, rather than leaving it to chance.