The power of mentorship at the workplace

The research is clear: People with mentors perform better, advance in their careers faster, and even experience more work-life satisfaction.

To be honest, I couldn’t imagine my first year at Blip without a mentor. I’m 100% sure that I wouldn’t be in the position where I am today if I didn’t have the opportunity to have a mentor. Now, that I look back to my previous work experiences, I can see how they could have been different if I had had a mentor, and when I talk about previous work experiences, I talk about jobs on restaurants, call centres, surf camps or summer internships. I don’t believe we need to be in a big company to have mentorship programmes. All organizations can be benefited by creating this learning culture and see their turnover reduced and employees more engaged.

Why mentorship programmes are so powerful in the workplace?

1. Mentors are like those teachers we’ll never forget. They do the best they can do to share their knowledge that probably took months or years to be acquired and trust me, most of those learnings we’ve got from mentors will be useful throughout our (personal and professional) life.
2. We can be totally comfortable to ask our mentor the questions we sometimes are afraid to ask when we arrive at a new job. Mentors will never judge us no matter how stupid the questions may be.
3. Mentors are just there when we most need them. They can have their calendar chaotic, but they’ll do everything to get a few minutes to talk to us.
4. Mentors are those who believe in us when we don’t.
5. They coach us in developing strengths and overcoming weaknesses. We can see an increase in self-confidence over time, as our abilities improve.

Tips To Having A Successful Mentoring Relationship (on a Mentee perspective)

1. Always be honest with your mentors.
2. Be thankful and show your gratitude. The relationship mentor-mentee is not a one-way street.
3. Respect your mentor’s time.
4. Use the tools and guidance from your mentor intelligently.
5. Don’t be afraid of asking questions and actively participating in the conversations by giving your point of view.
6. Don’t be afraid to try new things and make mistakes. We are always learning.
7. Provide feedback to your mentor.