In my training, we discuss roles of mentors and mentees. Below are some of the things that mentors do when working with their partner:
- Guide a mentee in the specific topic/task/issue at hand. This guiding can take several aspects. A mentor can provide a roadmap if the issue is unfamiliar to the mentee. Or perhaps the mentor can simply provide a listening ear if the mentee has experience in the area and is only in need of validating what he/she is proposing to do.
- Assess a mentee’s strengths and areas for development. This can be done by working with the mentee but, with permission from the mentee, and without violating program guidelines. The mentor may also speak with a mentee’s colleagues to gain their perspective as well.
- Link the mentee to important resources. This can involve books and professional associations. This may also include opening the mentor’s networking connections and sharing those with the mentee, as appropriate.
- Facilitate a mentee’s increased self-confidence. This is done by providing feedback on the areas of growth the mentee is gaining through the mentoring relationship. In some respects this is probably the most significant impact that a mentor can have. Growth is not only limited to gaining expertise, but also growing as an individual and becoming whoever the mentee seeks to be.