The Benefits of Mentorship: Sharing Lessons with Future Generations

When it comes to professional growth, a good mantra can be: Share the wealth!

This simple motto applies to sharing, collaborating, and building on the knowledge, experience, and wisdom passed forward by trusted experts in your field. One of the most important and proven aspects of modern workplace satisfaction and development lies within the mentor/mentee relationship. In a 2019 Workplace Happiness Survey from CNBC/Survey Monkey, nine out of 10 employees who have a mentor said they were satisfied with their jobs. In the same report, 89% of workers with mentors claimed that their colleagues value their work. By passing down the best practices, thoughtful tips, lessons learned and other invaluable advice, both mentors and mentees can feel valued in their work and enriched by the experience.

What Defines Good Mentorship?

When done correctly—that is, with clear-eyed goals and ideas—mentorship can be a fruitful, enriching relationship with lasting effects for both the mentee and the mentor.  But like any relationship, the value is determined by the people involved. No one wants to waste their time, energy or resources on a one-sided relationship, nor does anyone want to feel used or unheard.

One of the best ways to check if you are ready to become a mentor is to give thoughtful consideration to the P.R.I.C.E. of Success Model, a foundational aspect of life at Herzing University. Using these five pillars—Professionalism, Respect, Integrity, Caring and Engagement—as a framework, a prospective mentor can ensure the best experience for both parties.

• Professionalism: Mentors should always be professional in their interactions with their mentees. This means keeping appointments, being punctual and reliable, providing critical and thoughtful feedback and discussion, and being respectful of your mentee’s viewpoint and plans. 
• Respect: A mentor will treat their mentee with respect at all times, recognizing their unique experiences, perspectives and backgrounds. A mentor is not dictating the course but supporting the mentee as they navigate their career path.
• Integrity: By setting the standard for how to treat others with honesty, accountability, and ethical behavior, you demonstrate to your mentee how to carry yourself with integrity, which matters both professionally and personally.
• Caring: Just as we learned early on in life, caring for others and showing kindness is one of the greatest gifts of our humanity. Showing that you care about the successes and challenges of your peers and your community will make you a better resource and leader. 
• Engagement: An engaged mentor is involved, actively participating and supporting the mentee in both accomplishments and challenges. 

Above all else, recognize that a mentorship is not a one-sided power dynamic, but rather a conversation among colleagues, where each side benefits from mutual respect, sharing knowledge, asking questions and problem-solving solutions together. 

The Mentor’s Perspective

As a mentor, you can discover a reenergized passion for your career, gain new insights and perspectives, develop new skills and improve current ones, such as communication and leadership. Above all, being a mentor can build and bolster a positive work environment, helping create an atmosphere of respect, growth and collaboration—who wouldn’t want to work in that? 

With the P.R.I.C.E. Model as your guiding principle, you should use the following actionable items to create a collaborative and supportive atmosphere for growth and leave a lasting positive impression on your mentee.

1. Know Yourself: Take some time to reflect on your own experiences and which individuals have helped shape who you are. Perhaps it was a coach or teacher, a neighbor or classmate—consider what qualities and behaviors stuck with you, and why. 
2. Actively Participate and Communicate: An effective mentor listens attentively to their mentee, asks questions and responds with thoughtful consideration so that they can fully understand the mentee's goals, concerns, and challenges and provide effective guidance and support.
3. Be the Support, not the Lead: The mentor/mentee relationship is about offering guidance to the mentee’s career—they are the lead in this scene, and you are the supportive cast. Be mindful of how you are giving direction, being prompted for advice and affecting the conversation with your agenda. 
4. Create a Space to Be Themselves: People are more likely to flourish if they feel comfortable sharing their goals, questions and concerns openly, which is why building an authentic relationship based on trust is so important. 
5. Be the Standard: Mentors should set the bar high and be a constant positive example. This means demonstrating strong leadership skills, a dedicated work ethic, empathy and fair judgment and a commitment to continual learning.

Mentorship: It’s Not an Age Thing

Because mentorship is about building your professional perspective, there is no age limit to the relationship—all experience can be valuable if you learn from it. For the first time in recent history, five full generations are represented in the workforce at the same time, which means there are so many distinct lessons and experiences to learn from. Having a diverse and engaged roster of supporters across different demographics and backgrounds is integral to broadening viewpoints and learning the lessons you never knew you needed to know.

If you’re ready to share the wealth of your career journey by becoming a mentor or want to find someone to help you on your career journey, Herzing University’s Career Development Services team can offer a wide range of resources for current and prospective students as well as recent and returning graduates and alumni, including networking, mentorship programs and career support.