Mentoring: Your Organization’s Golden Ticket

Impact people’s personal development

Positively support mental health

Improve job satisfaction and retention

If there was a golden ticket that provided all of that, wouldn’t you be screaming from the top of a mountain “YES, PLEASE!”?

Very early in my career, I formed a mentor/mentee relationship with a very knowledgeable, caring, and trusted professional. At the time, I did not realize what the relationship actually was though. I thought I was just lucky enough to find someone with whom I could safely bounce ideas off, talk through some frustrations, and share my dreams and aspirations. All without being judged, told I was wrong, or off-base. Just an outlet and someone that I could show up around as authentically me.

What I later figured out was that this individual, my mentor, was so important because she provided me with the opportunity to develop and become more competent in my role as well as prepare for growth opportunities in the future. I truly believe I would not be where I am today if it had not been for her.

Why Encourage Mentoring at Your Organization

Mentoring is defined in the Cambridge Dictionary as “the act or process of helping and giving advice to a younger or less experienced person, especially in a job or at school.” The purpose of mentoring is to grow by tapping into the knowledge and experience of someone further along than yourself. This type of relationship has so many amazing benefits, but how can it directly and positively impact an organization?

• Development – increase skills for the job, boost confidence, and improve work quality
  
• Retention – provide high-potential employees the long-term support they want and encourage them to stay at the organization
  
• Diversity and Inclusion – cultivate a diverse workforce by retaining staff and preparing them for future leadership roles
  
• Company Culture – positive outcomes like retention, productivity, and feeling appreciated strengthen organizational culture and makes it a great place to work
  
• Engagement – fulfillment in jobs, higher productivity
  
• Recruiting – opportunities for career growth and development can help attract high-quality candidates into the talent pipeline
  
• Knowledge Sharing – encourages more collaboration leading to increased productivity and innovation

With these “Whys”, I believe there is a strong business case for having a mentoring program or finding a mentor for yourself. Organizations and individuals strive to become more competitive and successful. One of the most powerful tools you can implement is mentoring. Now is the perfect time to find your golden ticket. Go ahead and climb up that mountain and shout “YES, PLEASE!”