COACHING
2021 : Engage A Mentor . Engage An Advisor !
By Thrity Engineer-Mbuthia
For anyone who has interacted with me , they would know that there are some areas very close to my heart . The first has always been marketing . The second is a combination of coaching and mentoring , both powerful interventions that help individuals and organizations with growth . I have been involved in various programs for both coaching and mentoring and whereas the 2 interventions are different , today I would like to focus on mentoring .
A mentor is usually thought to be an experienced trusted advisor . Someone who has walked on a path ahead of you and would be able to guide you appropriately . In order to connect with a mentor , one requires quite a bit of respect and admiration for an individual . After all , if you want to be like that person , you must have some reason to look up to them . One usually assumes that mentoring is an interaction that is more charitable and therefore usually does not incur a charge . One of the most common requests from students on campus is for them to ask someone to be their mentor . In their case , they often associate having a mentor with someone who will help them find a job . A mentor could help one do so , but that would not be the primary role of a mentor . What then is the mentoring relationship all about ? A mentoring relationship is an interaction between 2 people . The mentor is the one usually senior than the other , with more experience , knowledge and connections . The mentee is the one who is usually junior and is on the receiving end of this knowledge and information .
Mentoring relationships are built on trust . The kind of discussions that one would want to engage in , are sometimes deep and sensitive . Imagine if you are a young marketer recently promoted to being a brand manager and you are finding the interaction with your team
Mentoring has a lot of “ telling .” We all like listening to stories so this fits in well with how to find ways to focus on personal growth . The trouble with ‘ telling ” is that it generally doesn ’ t always sit very well , especially with adults . The contrast is “ asking ” which is the foundation of how coaching works . Both interventions have their place . There are times one asks and there are times one needs to tell . members challenging . You would like to figure out how to be a better manager and a strong leader . You would want to know how someone managed the exact same situation , what tools did they use to navigate that part of their career and still come out successful .
In the example above , a mentee would then look for a marketing professional who has worked in these or similar roles to understand what it takes to drive success . Therefore mentoring requires someone who is usually in the same field as you are , or at the very least , someone who may have gone through career progression experiences , so that they can tell you what to do and what not to do .
Mentoring has a lot of “ telling .” We all like listening to stories so this fits in well with how to find ways to focus on personal growth . The trouble with ‘ telling ” is that it generally doesn ’ t always sit very well , especially with adults . The contrast is “ asking ” which is the foundation of how coaching works . Both interventions have their place . There are times one asks and there are times one needs to tell .
How Do You Choose An Appropriate Mentor ?
• Look for someone you admire and respect . That way you are keen to listen to their story .
• Find someone preferably in your field or sector as this will make it easier for you to relate to the person and you can “ speak the same language .”
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