How to Build a Successful Mentorship
By Daryl C. Hannah
February 13, 2009
When Rushabh Mehta, a senior
consultant in the financial-services office of Ernst & Young, wanted
guidance on the best ways to develop business relationships with his clients, he
didn't go to his immediate supervisor. He also didn't turn to the senior people
on his team. He went to his mentor--Simon Plummer, a senior manager of risk
advisory services with Ernst & Young, No. 17 in The
DiversityInc Top 50 Companies for Diversity®.
"An important aspect within the firm
is developing business relationships with your clients, and that is something
which, as a senior [in financial services], you don't get too much exposure to,"
says Mehta. "I wanted to tap into this mentoring program to be able to learn and
get some exposure to the business-development aspect of this organization."
Today, Mehta and Plummer are
enrolled in Ernst & Young's Learning Partnership mentoring program, a
one-year formal program in which participants are matched on the basis of their
answers to an online questionnaire.
"I thought it would be a great
opportunity to get to know someone with less experience within the firm, to help
them develop that talent and to help them to learn some of the things I have
experienced through my time in the firm," says Plummer.
Like Mehta, many
people from traditionally underrepresented groups are discovering the benefit of
having a mentor when trying to manage their careers. It can be "very critical to
the development of one's progress," says Allan Mark, America's director of diversity
strategy and development for Ernst & Young.
But how do you find a mentor that's
right for you? And how do you get the most out of that relationship once you do?
Take a look at these five tips from senior executives on how to build a
successful mentor-mentee relationship.
1. Make Sure Your Mentor's a Good Fit
Choosing a mentor is rarely easy,
even if your company has a formal mentoring program. Research is vital to making
sure you choose a mentor that is a good fit.
"When trying to find a mentor, you
need to assess whether or not your needs align with your potential mentor's
abilities," says Kym Ward Gaffney, national director of coaching at PricewaterhouseCoopers, No. 4
on the DiversityInc Top 50. "What you're looking for in a mentor is someone
who is somewhat different from you, but you see some skills or qualities in them
that you … would like to model yourself after."
Ward Gaffney also advises mentees to
talk to others about their potential choice during the research phase and find
out what impact that person has had on other mentees' careers, as well as
getting feedback on what the person was like as a mentor.
Karen Brown, director of corporate
diversity at Rockwell Collins, one of DiversityInc's
25 Noteworthy Companies, agrees. "Mentoring is about building a relationship," says
Brown. "It's important to find someone with whom you can build a trusting
relationship," she says.
If your company does not have a
formal mentoring program, seek one out on your own, even if it means going
outside the company to find the right person. "Don't wait, go for it," says Ward
Gaffney. "You have to go out and be proactive, listen to the feedback that you
are receiving from others and maybe that can help direct who could possibly be
your next mentor."
DiversityInc Top 50 Tip:
All of the
DiversityInc Top 50 companies have training for mentors.
2. Don't Be Afraid to Step Out of
Your Comfort Zone
While your first instinct might be
to find a mentor who is like you, stepping out of your comfort zone and teaming
up with someone from a different race, ethnicity or gender can give you a
competitive edge.
"It's important to have an
association with a wide variety of individuals. Different mentors bring
different perspectives and possibly an orientation to life's circumstances that
you have not had," says Margot Copeland, executive
vice president and director,
corporate
diversity and philanthropy with KeyBank, No. 33 on the
DiversityInc Top 50.
Stepping outside your comfort zone
can be particularly beneficial if you are from a traditionally underrepresented
group. "Having someone who is different can certainly serve as a springboard for
ideas," says Copeland, who has had male mentors and mentors from different
racial groups. "It's good to have a wide berth of relationships in your circle
so you have different points of view when you are trying to problem solve or
access information."
"As the work force grows
increasingly diverse, it's important to learn to work with people different from
you," says Ward Gaffney. "If you feel that someone's race, age or gender is
going to [keep] you … from being transparent and being able to have a candid,
authentic relationship, then perhaps you're not ready at that moment in your
career to seek beyond your comfort zone," says Ward Gaffney.
But, if possible, she advises being
open to people who are different from you: "It doesn't matter their physical
limitations, their race, age and gender. You can always learn from someone who
is willing to teach."
"Having a mentor is not so much
about having someone who looks like you. It's more about what you desire to be,
what you are looking for and finding the right person. The relationship has to
be built on trust. But it begins with what you are trying to accomplish," says
Brown.
DiversityInc Top 50 Tip:
All of the
DiversityInc Top 50 companies have mentor and mentee meetings more than once a
quarter. More than 60 percent meet more than once a month.
3. Set
Goals
Setting specific goals is necessary
to making your mentor-mentee relationship work. "You should have some forms or
contracts where you're outlining what your goal is going to be, how often and
how long you are going to meet, and how you will handle sensitive information
when it comes up," says Ward Gaffney. "You cannot have two different agendas in
a mentor-mentee relationship. You can, of course, have two different people with
two different thoughts, and that's wonderful, but really, it's how you synergize
those thoughts."
She also suggests taking time to
think about the areas in which you feel you need the most help and to speak
candidly about them with your mentor. "It is your responsibility to communicate
your expectation and be willing to reciprocate," she says.
Mentoring relationships are all
about reciprocity. It's important to show your appreciation by holding up your
end of the contract and "giving upward feedback or coaching that could possibly
help the mentor affirm some things they are doing in their career," says Ward
Gaffney.
Setting goals can also serve as the
point of reference if the relationship begins to sour. "You're breaking up with
them based on the contract being broken," says Ward Gaffney. "Then it's not as
emotional because this is what you've agreed to."
DiversityInc Top 50 Tip:
All of The
DiversityInc Top 50 have measurable goals for mentoring
pairs.
4. Do Your Homework
It's impossible to reap the benefits
of having a mentor if you don't take your mentor's advice or follow through on
assignments. "If you [and your mentor] have committed to a course of action,
it's important to be prepared," advises Ward Gaffney. "Never, ever should a
mentee go to a mentor and say, 'I really don't know.' I personally don't think
that is acceptable. I think it's acceptable to say, 'I don't know, but I have an
idea and I would like to be able to share that with you and get your insight.'"
DiversityInc Top 50 Tip:
Ninety-six percent
of the companies on the DiversityInc Top 50 have a formal follow-up aspect of
their mentoring program.
5. Be Respectful and Appreciative
A mentor takes time out of a busy
schedule for you and offers his or her expertise for your development. "Showing
up on time, being prepared, if you have committed to a course of action, [and]
coming in with different ideas are all ways you can show your appreciation and
be respectful of your mentor's time," says Ward Gaffney.
As with any good relationship,
nothing beats saying "Thank you." Let your mentor know how he or she has helped
you, and stay in touch, even after the formal mentorship ends. A good mentor
will become a key member of your network.
Mehta and Plummer shared the story
of their successful mentor-mentee relationship during DiversityInc's webinar on
mentoring. Click here to buy the full webinar and find out more about
mentoring best practices from The Top 50.
Click here for
information on DiversityInc's Feb. 24, 2009 webinar on mentoring.
Click here to visit
DiversityInc's Career Center.
Also, this month,
DiversityIncTop50BestPractices.com features "5 Mentoring Best Practices," and a
month-long series on mentoring. Click here
to reach DiversityIncTop50BestPractices.com.
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