A well-designed, well-structured mentoring program benefits both the mentee and the mentor.

At a glance
A formal mentoring program can provide the mentor with the necessary tools to effectively transfer knowledge and experience gained over the course of a career.
In addition to the opportunity to learn more about their organizations, the mentees are given the opportunity to improve their strategic thinking, communication and stakeholder engagement skills.
In turn, mentors will benefit from the experience with improved listening and empathy skills.
Paul Viney FCPA has been both a mentor and a mentor and has no doubt about the benefits that mentorship offers.

The chief financial officer of the Tasmanian-based Elphinstone Group, a maker of mining and railroad maintenance products, says the mentorship he received as a young man was mostly informal and was the result of being lucky enough to be among high-profile people who sincerely interested in its development as a CPA.

Companies these days prefer a more structured approach to mentoring. This is because multiple studies show that participants in mentoring programs report significant improvements in their ability to think strategically, lead teams, and influence stakeholders and networks.

They also feel more involved in their work and more committed to their employer, which reduces employee turnover.

Things have changed for Viny and he is now helping to manage a large number of junior accountants through the CPA Australia mentor program.

“I found it was like putting on a different hat,” Vini says. “You realize how many pieces of knowledge and skills you have learned throughout your career. The benefit of a formal mentoring program is that it gives you so many additional tools to better convey that knowledge and makes the conversations I have with mentees more structured.”

One of the biggest challenges any mentor-mentee relationship faces is making time to step away from day-to-day work and focus on the bigger picture.

“Since we are all busy, mentors and mentees have the same problems of lack of time. But based on my experience, I was able to say that this is a short cut, have you thought about it? "Vini says.

A mentor is not a one-way street. Viney reflects that over the past few years, especially since becoming a mentor, he has “become a much better active listener. This is definitely a trait that comes with age and maturity and is a basic skill for any mentor.”

Insider's view
Mentoring is not a universal relationship. There are many ways to design and implement a mentoring program. What is right for each individual will depend on the organization they work for, its size and structure, and specific business needs.

For internal or corporate programs, mentors are usually senior managers who have been identified and trained to mentor junior employees from different departments. This separation is necessary to avoid conflicts of interest and to ensure that participants can speak freely about the issues they face.

"Mentors can help you understand [the organization's] unwritten rules, map uncharted corridors to power, and identify the 'business behind the business'." Professor Julie Cogin, RMIT University
Having a mentor from inside the organization can really help a mentee understand the organization they work for, says Professor Julie Cogin, Associate Vice Chancellor for Business and Law and Vice President of the College of Business at RMIT University.

“The benefits of talking to a person in total confidentiality, who can be a sounding board for ideas, concerns, and concerns, are very rewarding. Mentors can help you understand [the organization's] unwritten rules, map uncharted corridors to power, and uncover "the business behind the business," she says.

Space for reflection


The external mentoring programs provided by mentoring and coaching consultants differ primarily because they offer mentees a neutral space away from their workplace.

They are valuable in that they offer access to senior executives from different sectors who can be objective, offer unique perspectives, and be more free to ask tough questions. Mentees often feel more relaxed talking about the problems they are facing with someone outside of their organization.

There are also many private companies that will help businesses set up or launch their own in-house mentoring program. Serendis leadership is one of them. Kom

The company has been running cross-sectoral mentoring programs for organizations including Women in Banking and Finance (WiBF) since 2010.

Founding Director Maude Lindley has some useful insights into what makes a good mentor and mentee.

“The mentor needs to find a good balance between sharing their own experiences, providing confidence and clarity, acting as a sound board, and being able to inspire change, action, and a positive influence on the mentee,” says Lindley.

Good mentors are able to generate energy and commitment in mentees by asking the right questions and listening with empathy. By gently challenging perceptions, she says, by offering a different perspective, wards can grow.

On the other hand, the mentee must have a clear idea of ​​what he wants to achieve by setting focused goals with the help of his mentor from the very beginning. “They have to enter into relationships with a willingness to act outside of their comfort zone,” Lindley says.

“The biggest hurdle, especially in the middle of a coachee's career, is taking enough time to put aside day-to-day results and focus on strategic thinking. They need to get out on that balcony,” Lindley says.

How to deal with inconsistency
Even with the right attitude and the right skills, as in any relationship, chemistry between mentor and mentee can be lacking.

Lindley says she's seen the good, the bad, and the ugly in a mentor relationship and thinks she understands what makes a marriage successful.

“Without trust and mutual understanding, people cannot openly and sincerely talk about their fears and problems, and relationships die of their own death. The discussion must be genuine. If the conversations are awkward, full of small talk, then mentoring is ineffective because neither participant gets any benefit from it,” says Lindley.

“In the virtual world, mentoring continues to provide much-needed personal support, especially at a time when people are feeling isolated, and helps organizations keep employees engaged.” Maud Lindley, Serendis Leadership
In contrast, two people who share similar values ​​and understand each other's environment are more empathetic. They can communicate because the mentor has gone through a similar experience that the mentee is struggling with, or is passionate about the issues the mentee is working on and has overcome the same limitations.

It's this safe space that allows the best mentoring relationships to flourish, Lindley says.

"I remember one woman saying to me, 'I was able to put my guts on the table and I felt like this is someone who can really understand me.'"

Final goal


Another common reason mentoring relationships fail is lack of preparation or unclear strategy, says Kogin.

“Guards arrive without a clear idea of ​​what they want to get out of spending time together. So they agree and talk about things as they go, instead of working with a mentor towards a specific career goal.”

Kogin says that the mentee needs to be asked specifically what he wants from mentoring.

“If, for example, they are looking for international experience, how can they find the right mentor who can help them in this particular case? Often this is the missing ingredient.”

For the internal mentoring scheme, the involvement of the top management of the organization is also critical to success. If senior management does not support the program, it will be difficult for employees to release them to serve as mentors, Kogin said.