28 Jun 4 Performance-Boosting Benefits of Mentoring
Let’s take a moment to consider the most common traits for successful leaders. Most certainly, many of these traits such as relationship building, empathy and effective communication can be taught. But few of these traits can truly be learned without the aid of mentoring.
Mentoring, whether formal or informal, is a core element to some of the most successful companies. At Menttium, we know firsthand the transformational benefits of mentoring.
We want today’s business leaders to know more about how a strong mentoring program can be their leadership team’s most powerful tool. So we wanted to break it down a little, and examine some of the high-level benefits mentoring can have for leaders as individuals and collectively for your organization.
Learn New Skills
How do you learn and adapt to new skills? Most people would agree, they learn new skills by active learning. Now imagine the power of active learning, accelerated by the guidance and knowledge of a seasoned mentor? The possibilities are endless!
In a mentoring partnership, there can be greater, deeper conversations and collaboration about accelerating leadership capabilities. But more importantly, both participants can be exposed to more practical connections between what is being learned and the experiences of learners as they’ve applied the skill to real-world situations.
When we encourage active learning through mentoring, we’re not just teaching new skills, we’re focused on leadership development, demonstrating potential day-to-day applications, and building deeper professional connections in the process.
Build More Than Just a Network
Proactively building your network is a key leadership skill. Mentoring programs enable meaningful connections and opportunities to build a network authentically.
Truly successful mentoring programs are all about getting to a place of openness, vulnerability, and nurturing an eagerness to guide and learn.
Over the course of our programs, we get to watch people break down their barriers and truly engage with one another in meaningful ways because of the emotional safety created through the mentoring experience. At the end of the day, our mentoring partnerships are focused on people and the power of human connection. It is incredible to be a part of the life and leadership journeys of our mentees and mentors as the Menttium network grows relationship by relationship.
Recently, we had the unique opportunity to roll out a groundbreaking pilot program: Women Mentoring Men. Right away we noticed we were on to something unique in this program. Many of our participants described the personal growth they experienced as a mentor or mentee in terms like “profound,” “revolutionary,” and “life-changing.”
From two participants in our first Women Mentoring Men program, we heard how their partnership was critical in finding new ways to challenge norms, break down barriers in the workplace and how we can affect true change in our relationships.
“The act of building people up,” said Rob Grubka, President of Employee Benefits at Voya Financial, Inc. “and making these conversations okay—especially in a world where it feels like everybody wants to tear everybody down—is so important. It’s amazing just how big of a difference that can have on people and their outlook and their growth. It’s just so important.”
Increased Engagement and Retention
For those who are looking for more tangible benefits of a mentoring program, our programs have been shown to yield a 95% positive impact on retention, and a 93% impact on engagement. Additionally, 94% of our participants have also identified a positive impact on their confidence.
It is not a coincidence that mentees consistently demonstrate strengthened leadership capabilities, increased readiness for career progression, and stronger job performance after completing their mentoring partnership.
Successful mentoring programs can change individuals in ways that will aid their growth and help them overcome potential workplace obstacles. As leaders, equipping your key talent employees with the powerful experience of mentoring can:
- Encourage them to excel to their highest capabilities
- Inspire increased engagement in your workplace
- Help you retain valuable employees
Get the Performance-Boosting Benefits of Mentoring for Your Company
Mentoring can help build relationships, EQ, and even creativity and innovation in individuals. Mentoring programs can be a powerful enabler of your human capital strategies and diversity, equity, and inclusion goals.
If you’d like to know more about our mentoring programs, contact us today.