Typically when we think of mentoring, we see the process as one that sees benefits flow from the wise mentor to their less experienced mentee. Research from Columbia University suggests that mentoring can be just as beneficial to the mentor as it is for the mentee.
The benefits of mentoring are fairly well established, but the research highlights that over 60% of employees don’t currently have anyone to guide them in their careers. The researchers believe a major barrier to the recruitment of mentors is the belief that mentoring requires a lot of time which renders the process not worth the commitment. This can be a particular impediment for high-profile people, who are generally time-poor.
A sense of purpose
While mentoring programs often highlight the benefits for mentees, they seldom note the benefits to mentors in terms of reinforcing their sense of purpose. There is also scant recognition of the skills and knowledge flowing from the mentee to the mentor.
Part of the problem is that people assume that learning only flows upward, but the research shows that when mentors believe that knowledge can flow both ways, they are often more engaged and effective mentors. This then makes the process more enjoyable too.
“By demonstrating that learning direction is malleable and open to intervention, the current research offers a new instrument in a mentor’s toolkit,” the researchers explain. “Reversing the common intuition—that knowledge flows in only one direction, from higher to lower positional power—helps mentors improve their engagement and their effectiveness.”
Much to learn
The researchers found that when mentors are truly invested in their task, they tend to realize that they usually have much they can learn from more junior colleagues. Such mentors are also usually more effective mentors themselves.
“People used to stay within one company for years, but we are seeing that people are moving between companies and industries more often,” the researchers explain. “As a result, people can learn a tremendous amount of information from someone who’s a newcomer or more junior person, who likely comes with different prior experience and knowledge.”
The fact that people are often coming in from different regions and industries means that the knowledge shared isn’t always just related to technology, but also different processes and ways of working.
Mutual gains
As a result, the researchers believe that mentoring should be reframed from a process in which one side gains at the expense of the other, and toward one of mutual gains for both parties.
“It’s a two-way street that requires individuals to challenge prevailing notions about their sources of learning,” they explain. “Organizations tend to recruit people into mentoring programs by highlighting the benefits to mentees. Instead, what if organizations flipped the script and said to potential mentors, ‘Come join this mentoring program. You may learn a lot from folks with a new perspective or different industry experiences.’”
Mentoring is undoubtedly a beneficial process, but it’s time it was repositioned from one in which only junior participants benefit. That way, the gains really can become supercharged.
