In 2015, the Harvard Business Review surveyed 45 CEOs about the role mentoring played in their careers. Eighty-four percent of respondents said it helped them avoid costly mistakes and improve their expertise.
Scott Mautz, a former P&G executive, entrepreneur, and business author, has developed a classification of mentors. He identified several types based on the role they play in the organization:
The discoverer
A mentor is an expert in a field or a particular area. A newcomer will easily adapt to the profession with such a mentor. He conveys his professional vision and helps to navigate all processes.
In addition to transferring overseas chinese in canada data knowledge, a mentor can tell a newcomer what points to pay close attention to in order not to make mistakes. Share experience of what tasks and how to solve them faster.
Types of Mentors
Resonator
This role does not involve training. The mentor, based on his knowledge and skills, evaluates the ideas and projects of the employee he works with. Feedback from him is as honest, straightforward and reasoned as possible. Such a professional perspective helps to soberly assess the prospects of an idea or project. Often, new options are born in these situations. According to a study by scientists at the University of Berkeley, discussing innovation with an expert allows you to find 25% more solutions than independent brainstorming.
Magnet of success
The mentor is a successful person who has reached career heights. The best option is if he is from another industry. Then the mentee does not seek to repeat any specific actions of the mentor - he inspires and shares the energy of success.
Advocate
Such a mentor is engaged in the career of the mentee. Completely analyzes his activity, identifies weak areas and growth points, sets far-reaching plans together with the partner. This is excellent support and a fresh look from a professional.
As practice shows, working with a mentor, in addition to the main developmental function, helps the mentee to receive additional benefits: motivation, energy exchange with an expert, a fresh look and reasoned feedback on ideas and projects. All this together gives an excellent result.
Advocate
By becoming a mentor, a professional discovers new facets of his personality, learns to pass on his knowledge without imposing it. Such a specialist develops himself in the process of learning and expands his circle of social connections and status.
Mentoring in business is a modern trend that should be implemented by progressive leaders who strive for the long-term prosperity of the company.
Mirror
Such a mentor has already studied the mentee well. Knows his strengths and weaknesses in the profession. He can give the most accurate assessment of the mentee's activities. Such fair feedback helps the partner's personal and professional growth, work on mistakes and his advancement up the career ladder. The work is based on mutual trust.
Reverse Mentor
The author of the classification shares his experience of working with a mentor of this type at P&G. One of the top managers took an intern every summer. The newcomer shared his vision of all processes in the organization with him. The analysis of this information showed what the atmosphere in the company was, whether employees adhered to the corporate culture and value system, how they assessed the management policy. In addition, this is the assessment of the company by a representative of the younger generation, which is always more progressive and thinks in the spirit of the times.
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