Buddying up through a mentor-mentee partnership at the office is an excellent way for nurturing younger employees and for expanding leadership skills for the managers.
But, did you realise that the relationship can have more advantages that go beyond skills development? Let’s look at how this partnership can have mutual benefits lasting in the long run.
Get to know each other
For the mentor, determine what areas the mentee is keen on exploring and the type of experiences or limitations he is willing to undertake.
For the mentee, it is good to understand what level of commitment the mentor is looking to give and adjust your expectations.
By having a common ground, the pair can see if they are a right fit for each other before crafting a desired plan that is timely and specific, and work towards a shared vision of the outcome.
Shadow at meetings
One of the common ways to learn is to watch, and mentors can invite mentees to meetings or work events.
It allows mentees to get first-hand observations of roundtable meetings or insights of business events.
With this exposure, mentors can follow-up with questions and discussions to determine how step-down level employees relate to these findings and perspectives.
Tune in to each other’s personalities
For a successful relationship, another essential tip is to understand each other’s personality by finding out what motivates them and uncover their strengths and weaknesses.
When trust is established, it creates a safe environment to have genuine conversations where both parties can be comfortable to be direct and constructively relay opinions.
Thus, laying the foundation for a lasting and healthy relationship.
