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MOVING ON UP
‘
The essential traits of a good mentor are
competence, integrity and benevolence’
organisaton. The relationship should also benefit the mentor, your network. People starting off in their career can gain
who will have the satisfaction of helping another person to confidence from their mentor as well as being challenged on
develop, as well as the opportunity to hone their coaching, how they look at a situation.”
interpersonal and communication skills. She suggests looking for a person independent of the work-
Mentors don’t need formal training, but should be willing to place, particularly if some of the issues to be discussed are
give their time, experience and, most importantly, their support likely to include handling situations with colleagues or man-
and encouragement in an objective manner. De says good men- agers. “It doesn’t have to be someone who is more senior, with
tors must believe in learning and personal development, be 20 years’ experience,” she says. “It can be someone who’s
open and encouraging and good at listening. more like a peer, a friend.”
Kate Quinlan, a psychologist who specialises in leadership And she says social media tools have revolutionised the way
and management and has a background in senior manage- mentoring can be carried out. “You don’t even have to have a
ment, agrees that good mentors must have very strong mentor in the same country. Now with tools like Skype and
interpersonal skills. She says they must also challenge the Oovoo, you can actually have a videoconference with a mentor.
mentee and focus on their strengths, but not be too direct- You can even find a mentor on Facebook. You don’t have to
ional. “They are there to generate possibilities and an environ- have one who sits in the next office.”
ment where somebody can talk about their challenges and Quinlan, on the other hand, advocates seeking a mentor
exchange experiences and information. It’s more like a sound- within the company. “Having an internal mentor helps, as they
ing board,” she says. will understand the workings of the company and sector and
the particular challenges in that area. They can share the ben-
Finding a mentor
efit of experience and let the person know it can be quite nor-
At the beginning of the selection process, De believes the
mal to come across these issues.”
prospective mentee should draw up a list of things they want
For those who decide to look outside the organisation, she
their mentor to do. Having a very clear agenda from the
recommends trying to find someone who has clearly succ-
outset will ensure both parties ultimately get the most from
eeded in their area. “Ideally it would be someone you respect
the time spent together. “A good mentee will be clear about
and admire,” she says.
what they are hoping to get out of it,” she says. “Let’s say
According to Loughran, a handy guide for choosing the right
you are in a high-tech sector and you know you need
mentor internally is to select somebody two levels up and one
broader experience for the future, you might look for a
level removed. He also points out that the right person should
mentor who is outside of your sector to give you some
be “sufficiently objective and trustworthy”. The essential traits
connections.”
of a good mentor, he believes, are competence, integrity and
De says the process of finding a mentor should be carefully
benevolence.
considered. “The first thing to do is sit back and think about
why you’re looking for a mentor. What do you want them to
Making the most of the process
do? You should seek out someone who has more business Once a mentor-mentee relationship is established, confidential-
experience and can help you navigate through the workplace ity should be agreed straight away as this will ultimately build
of today. That person should help you connect and expand trust and enrich the relationship, advises De.
76 Marketing Age May/June ‘08
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