- The team member may perceive that she is not worth
special attention and grows to distrust not only your
motives, but eventually her value and ability. Mentoring
isn’t giving advice and then being done.
Mentoring is hard work and it takes time. In the ’60s and ’70s,
it was difficult for women to find mentors. Other women who had
achieved places of stature in their organizations either didn’t feel
they had the time to support other women (especially when there
was no one for them) or they were suspicious. “If I help her, she’ll
take my job.” This attitude changed as more women managers
entered higher levels and as the mentoring role became honored
within organizations. Many corporations — GE, Motorola — and
the federal government have established formal programs for
mentoring. As an approach for leadership and a successful role in
the manager’s repertoire, it works.
Patient LeadershipPatience is extremely important in the mentoring process.
Once you’ve established the commitment and trust, you maintain
it through patience. As the relationship progresses, the trust and
comfort level build. By using some of the principles of coaching,
setting goals, and being clear on expectations, the process will
evolve strongly. But, as with any exercise in human development,
there are short-term and long-term gains. Coaching will produce
short to medium results; mentoring is a long-haul, results-getting
process. Patience adds value in the following three basic areas:- Employee attentiveness
The things you think are important about certain
concepts and procedures may not seem all that important
to your associate.
Example
Coach:
The key to this phase of the job, Rhonda, is watching this
set of figures here. They will tell you instantly if this
product is safe to send on ahead. Do you understand that?
Coaching, Mentoring and Managing4
“Why can’t we
have patience and
expect good things
to take time?”
— John Wooden