Why Mentoring Works
- You have someone “in your corner” who is eager to share their best practices to help you achieve your goals while minimizing a myriad of mistakes.
- A personalized partnership is formed to assist with your specific career path and developmental needs based upon their own success in the general direction you’re are headed in.
- The relationship is developed on trust and more times that not provides help and assistance in a supportive atmosphere free from judgment and unhealthy criticism.
- In our case it’s multi dimensional in it’s focus. Educational, social, financial, physical, emotional, and spiritual wellbeing are all see as areas of development.
- It is flexible in terms of how it can be delivered. It fits in with both the mentor and the mentees needs for privacy and domestic circumstances.
- It is independent of employment relationships that may discourage self-disclosure and honest feedback.
The Impact of Mentoring
Mentoring, at its core, guarantees young people that there is someone who cares about them, assures them they are not alone in dealing with day-to-day challenges, and makes them feel like they matter. Research confirms that quality mentoring relationships have powerful positive effects on young people in a variety of personal, academic, and professional situations. Ultimately, mentoring connects a young person to personal growth and development, and social and economic opportunity. Yet one in three young people will grow up without this critical asset.
“Good is the enemy of great. And that is why so little becomes great. We don’t have great schools, principally because we have good schools. We don’t have great government, principally because we have good government. Few people attain great lives, in part because it is so easy to settle for a good life”.
–Jim Collins – author of “Good to Great”
The quote by Jim Collins is central to our views on mentoring because we believe that it’s not good enough to just do a job well, we must do a great job. That’s why mentoring, great mentoring that is, is a critical part of a young person moving through life making every effort to do the very best that they possibly can. Standards and expectations are set at an early age in order to ingrain positive self-reflective accountability measures that allow a person to push themselves because they know that they have someone that is pulling for them and they are able to see that what they are seeking is attainable.
Additionally the mentor receives unlimited amounts of reinforcement as a result of seeing their direction bring about positive results. Giving back has proven to be immensely rewarding and it sets the stage for continued growth for both the mentor as well. Great mentoring is a give and take engagement where the Mentor is also learning from the mentee.
Wulston Alderman FCILT
Founder: Life & Corporate Coaching
Wulston works with clients to improve their business performance, in particular the areas on supply chain and procurement, both in the public and private sector.
