Mentoring for Mutual Gains Henry Langdon (TU 2001-06), founder of the online career-guidance programme Udamon, talks about how having a mentor enables career starters, changers and movers to shape their direction in life.
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e all face a disrupted and fast-changing world of work, a trend accelerated by the impact of Covid 19 and propelled by ever-advancing technology. And whether we look at the data on falling employee engagement, rising employee turnover, or the 10 career changes most millennials are expected to undergo before they reach 42, it stands to reason that access to dynamic careers guidance is a critical need for individuals and industry. As the following case studies illustrate, regardless of job, industry or stage, mentoring relationships are a crucial catalyst for the self-confidence, knowhow and vision needed to keep on the front-foot in the 21st century workplace. Indeed, whilst mentor-mentee bonds are behind almost every story of success from Aristotle to Zuckerberg, the past year has seen ever more individuals start to seek out mentors. At the same time, more organisations are providing mentoring in the workplace as a learning and development initiative. The benefits of mentoring are substantial, for both parties. Beyond career advancement, countless studies demonstrate the deeper effects it can have on a mentee’s self-confidence, resilience and adaptability. While the gratification that comes with mentoring others to achieve their potential is well-known, the benefits for mentors’ career progression are noteworthy, too. The ability to coach and mentor colleagues now tops the list of the most sought-after skills by UK employers. Yet, while the benefits of the mentoring relationship are widely understood, only three out of 10 of us are engaged in one. The reasons are often practical ones of time and access, but issues such as fear of rejection and vulnerability for would-be mentees and, for mentors, hesitations over expectations and the commitment required, are obstacles too. Developing a shared understanding on how to measure progress and success, what to structure the conversations around, and when to conclude them can work to dissolve these obstacles. Yet there is a fine balance to be struck here. While growing workplace mentoring 32
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