Three categories of mentoring -

Three categories of mentoring

Posted by on 09 Dec 2015

1. Buddy / Peer Mentoring a.k.a. Talents/Littles
2. Career Mentoring – Talent Mentors/Talents
3. Life Mentoring – Cathexis Staff, Workshops, Guidance Counseling and Advisory

1. Buddy / Peer Mentors

This is the starting point for mentoring, where it is less about apprenticeship and more about Fun. During the entry-level, early stages of a career, or when “on-boarding” to a new job or simply getting to know our Talent, what really benefits someone is a “buddy” or peer-based mentor who can help one get up the learning curve faster. This type of peer mentor is focused on helping with specific skills and basic organizational practices of “this is how it is done here” or inspiring passion and engagement. This can happen to some extent informally, through social and professional networks online, offline, and through our volunteer activities. But assigning a buddy day one on one for someone’s new job is a great “I care” practice. This is a high frequency mentor who interacts as needed in those first couple interactions, months or even years.

2. Career Mentors After the initial engagement with our Cathexis-family and joining our team, Talent need to have someone who is senior to them to serve as a adviser and internal advocate. A career/path mentor should help reinforce how the mentee’s job contributions fit into the bigger picture and purpose of Cathexis, as well as encourage them try different kinds of opportunities for a well-rounded experience. People don’t contextualize the purpose of one’s career enough. When people feel that they understand their current role, its impact and where it can take them next in a company, it leads to higher levels of satisfaction and motivation. Note that a career mentor is not necessarily the manager who may be doing the mentee’s performance evaluation reviews. In fact, it may be better if it is not. Think of your most respected managers and rising stars — your real people people — who enjoy and are willing to spend the extra time to provide counsel as go to career mentors. In a career mentor, a Talent should feel that they have an “I’ve got your back” advocate and advisor inside Cathexis. Career mentors should look to meet with their mentee weekly or bi-weekly.

3. Life Mentors These may be the most important mentors to have. They can be people inside the mentee’s company, but also outside. As people reach mid- and senior stages of their careers, they need to have someone in whom they can confide without feeling that there is any bias. This is someone who can be a periodic sounding board when one is faced with a difficult career challenge, or when is considering changing jobs. A company’s alumni network is often a good place for life mentors, but Talents should be encouraged to find these mentors outside of Cathexis as well. The senior folks should make it a part of their objectives to be a life mentor to rising stars, and to put younger Talents in situations where they can meet some of Cathexis institutional relationship network. Life mentors do not supplant career mentors or peer mentors (and in some cases may be one and the same), but they are there to impart career wisdom.

Beyond this mentoring taxonomy, there are many other aspects of mentoring, people development, and retention that could fill a book. Our goal is to start by making mentoring a priority in our company culture, and consider this simple three-part structure to help match the right mentorship to the right stage of professional development for every Talent/little.

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