68 Business Spotlight 3/2020 CAREERS & MANAGEMENT
Illustration: Minho Jungexample, the development of diversity across the or-
ganization.
Mentoring has also spread out far beyond the
workplace and into the community, where young
people, the unemployed and many other groups are
supported in this way (see the section on community
mentoring on page 72).What exactly is mentoring?
Mentoring is an umbrella term and covers such a
wide variety of practices that providing a clear defi-
nition is difficult. The Nestlé Prepared Foods Company
Mentoring Manual defines mentoring as “a process by
which an individual (the mentee) strives to achieve
development goals under the guidance of another
individual with special expertise, experience or per-
spective (the mentor)”. This is simple and clear, but it
does suggest a rather one-way relationship between
mentor and mentee.
Going deeper, Julie Starr in The Mentoring Manual
says: “Mentoring is a distinct relationship where one
person (the mentor) supports the learning, develop-
ment and progress of another person (the mentee).
A mentor provides support by offering information,
advice and assistance in a way that empowers the
mentee.”
In their book Mentoring in Action: A Practical Guide for
Managers, David Megginson and David Clutterbuck
widen the context: “Off-line help by one person to an-
other in making significant transitions in knowledge,
work or thinking,” where “off-line” contrasts with
the “online” role of the line manager. Leaving school,
starting full-time work, becoming a manager, having
a baby, leaving prison, starting a business and retir-
ing are just a few examples of the “significant tran-
sitions” that people can be mentored through today.
Modern mentoring relationships are usually char-
acterized as follows:
⋅ Mutual learning lies at the heart of the
relationship.
⋅ The relationship and the communication are
two-way. It’s a partnership.
⋅ Both mentor and mentee derive important^
benefits from the relationship, including
learning.
⋅ The nature of the mentoring is determined above
all by the objectives and the situation of the
mentee.One learning relationship among many
Throughout history, we have had heroes and follow-
ers, gurus and disciples, elders and novices, masters
and apprentices, tutors and pupils, and other kinds
of role model and sponsor. A mentoring relationship
will inevitably contain elements of some of these and
other types of relationship.
The most common overlap in the world of work
is with coaching (see Business Spotlight 2/2019).apprentice [E(prentIs]
, Lehrling, Auszubildende(r)
aspiration
[)ÄspE(reIS&n]
, Ambition, Bestrebung
derive benefits from sth.
[di)raIv (benIfIts frQm]
, aus etw. Nutzen ziehen
disciple [dI(saIp&l]
, Anhänger(in)
distinct [dI(stINkt]
, klar, spezifisch
elder [(eldE] , Älteste(r)
empower sb. [Im(paUE]
, jmdn. stärken
expertise
[)eksp§:(ti:z]
, Sachkompetenzflattering
[(flÄtErIN]
, schmeichelhaft
inevitably
[In(evItEbli]
, zwangsläufig
leisurely [(leZEli]
, geruhsam; hier: entspannt
line manager
[(laIn )mÄnIdZE] UK
, direkte(r) Vorgesetzte(r)
manual [(mÄnjuEl]
, Leitfaden
mutual [(mju:tSuEl]
, gegenseitig
novice [(nQvIs]
, Novize/Novizin; hier: junger
Mensch, Anfänger(in)objective
[Eb(dZektIv]
, Ziel(setzung)
off-line [)Qf (laIn]
, hier: außerhalb der offiziellen
Kommunikationswege
overlap [(EUvElÄp]
, Überschneidung
resolution [)rezE(lu:S&n]
, Lösung
strive to do sth.
[)straIv tE (du:]
, bestrebt sein, etw. zu tun
suggest sth. [sE(dZest]
, hier: auf etw. schließen lassen
umbrella term
[Vm(brelE t§:m]
, OberbegriffMentoring and coaching have a number of aspects in common, although
they are also distinct enough for organizations to run separate programmes.
In the box above are some of the distinguishing characteristics of each.Choosing a mentor
In the workplace, your mentor should not normally be your line manager,
unless you have a particularly strong and positive relationship. Your line
manager has authority over you and it may be difficult to step back from
your normal roles and reflect in a more leisurely and general way on your
longer-term direction and aspirations.
If your organization has a mentoring programme, this will help you find
a mentor. If not, then you are free to choose. Think of someone in the organ-
ization, or someone with experience in the same field, who you look up to
and ask them. Be ambitious. If they are unfamiliar with mentoring, then you
will need to explain what you mean. The worst thing that can happen is that
the person says no. But busy managers will often say yes — it’s interesting,
challenging and flattering to be asked to mentor someone.COACHING AND MENTORING: WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE?Coaches and coaching⋅ Coaches are often paid
⋅ Coaches can be full-time
⋅ Coaches have coaching knowledge and experience⋅ Qualifications are expected and desirable
⋅ Coaching supports the resolutionof more short-term, more specific^
issues: is more action-oriented
⋅ Coaching is focused on tasks and immediate goals⋅ Coaches are less ready to give advice and are more intent on
encouraging the coachee to find
solutions
⋅ Meetings are likely to be more frequent — once a week or monthMentors and mentoring⋅ Mentors are seldom paid
⋅ Mentors are usually part-time
⋅ Mentors are people with experience in the area in which the mentee
wishes to develop
⋅ Qualifications are not usually expected⋅ Mentoring supports the examination of longer-term, more general issues:
is more reflective
⋅ Mentoring is more focused on potential, and on professional and
personal development
⋅ Mentors are intent on encouraging the mentee to find solutions but
more ready to give advice based on
their own experience
⋅ Meetings are likely to be less frequent — every month or two