1. Introduction
2. The meaning of business mentoring
3. Mentoring at all organization-levels.
4. Past experience and perspectives of mentoring
5. Conclusion
1. Introduction
To begin the analysis of what mentoring really is it is necessary to start with
the word “mentoring” itself. This word has the origin from a Greek
name. Mentor, was Odyssey’s friend who took care and defend the house
while Odyssey was away. In other interpretations the word sometimes means “a
satellite”, which also reveals the definition of the process of mentoring.
Ordinarily, “mentoring” is understood as a process of interaction
between a young and an older person, when the older person supports, guides
and assists the young one and acts as the primary critic. Mentoring, in the
meanwhile, includes help to the employee in the realization of his career through
the completion of the given tasks. Mentoring also provides psychological and
social oriented assistance. A person who carries out mentoring or simply “a
mentor” is always a leader, a teacher, and an unrelenting “proctor”.
The word a “mentor” has something supercilious, categorical and
instructive in its so-called "mentoring tone". The main principle
it realizes is “You have to do it this way”. A mentor is an authoritarian
type of a wise adviser that will not “tolerate any objections". His
advice is "obligatory for performing". To make a long story short
is a business manager in the full definition of this word. Mentoring is the
process of sharing the experience with the employees in order to make their
work better and deduce the quality of the work on a higher level. In order to
understand the essence of “mentoring”, it is necessary to see its
difference from other forms of management.
2. The meaning of business mentoring
The best way to analyze mentoring is to compare it to another business term.
Such business methods as “mentoring” and “coaching”
are very popular nowadays. Both of these terms are identical, but the principle
difference lies in the fact that “coaching” concentrates on revealing
the possibilities, it is leading the employee basing on support. So, coaching
is a partner or liberal type of interaction and mentoring is an authoritarian
type of interaction. Mentoring can be carried out both with individuals and
groups. If we mentoring as interactions in happening pairs it may be portrayed
as the next schemes: teacher - pupil, leader - subordinate, consultant –
client. Mentoring is support in the first place and coaching is revealing the
possibilities and the potential of the employees. Mentoring directs the employee
into the right direction for the organization.
Creativity
3. Mentoring at all organization-levels.
Mentoring should not be provided to the executives only. In our opinion it should
be carried out in all the levels of an organization. Of course the ordinary
scheme is providing mentoring to linear workers, specialists and providing coaching
for the upper management of organizations. This secures an exact execution of
the instructions from the “top management” and gives the executives
of an organization the possibility to be more creative and reveal new abilities.
In other words, the "young" and inexperienced workers require mainly
mentors, and coaching works with "champion leaders" - specialists
of high level and top leaders.
4. Past experience and perspectives of mentoring
Describe your own experiences with mentoring. Determine how implementing a
mentoring program at your organization (or a company you are familiar with)
might provide value
