The 5 Pillars of Effective Mentorship

Travel and wanderlust are the core of my being, because every time I immerse myself in a new culture, and spend time with people from other parts of the planet, I learn something profound. My Global Wisdom series examines some of the ideas and wisdom I’ve discovered along the way. 

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Mentorship is tricky, both for the mentor and mentee. Often as a mentor, we really want to be helpful, but we may not know where to start, or how best to be of service to a younger person. Or as a mentee, particularly if our mentor is very accomplished, intimidation can get in the way of real learning.

Over the course of observing mentorship both in the world at large and in our IMPERIA™ incubator, we defined 5 pillars or best practices that best serve the mentor/mentee relationship:

1. 1. Ask questions. It can be difficult to know where to start, so sometimes it’s easiest to start with questions. What specifically is your mentee looking for assistance with? Refining the idea? Public speaking and presentation tips? Industry knowledge? If you know what her goals are, it becomes much easier for you to deliver on them in a concrete, meaningful way.
   2. Set expectations. It’s equally important for your mentee to know what you are prepared to deliver from your side of the relationship. You may want to convey your strengths (a vast network, industry knowledge, coaching, etc.) so they know how best to make requests of you. In addition, you’ll want to ensure you remove the intimidation factor by addressing it. Find out where she might be challenged in asking questions or making requests of you so she has explicit permission from you. (This helps conquer “good girl” syndrome, where we don’t want to be a bother, or too much trouble.)
   3. Set a schedule. It’s easy for everyone to get excited at the beginning of a mentor relationship — and then life gets in the way and time can fly by. We suggest creating a set call at a time when you’re both at your best.
   4. Create measurable results. In order to know if progress is being made, measurable results can provide a road map. It may be helpful to set milestones from call to call to ensure your mentee is moving forward with his/her goals. Try to set SMART goals whenever possible (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-Bound).
   5. Keep your promises. In order to really make a difference, your mentee needs to know he/she can count on you. Keep your appointments and deliver on your commitments (why we suggest setting expectations and measurable results).

With these guardrails in place, there is then lots of room to create and bond, with a clear path toward the goal of the relationship. The ambiguities that typically cloud (and even sour) relationships have been addressed ahead of time, setting you up to have a bigger impact on the world of mentorship.

Photo: Newcastle Herald

And while we’re on the subject, I’d like to shine a spotlight on one of our IMPERIA pilot cohort members, Tricia Martin, the founder of She Can in Australia.

Tricia created the organization to prepare young women with real-world skills before they leave high school. As part of that initiative, and in the midst of COVID-19, Tricia created Virtual Intern, the first online platform in her region of Australia that provides students with the opportunity to develop their skills and build work mindsets through interactive digital internships. Working alongside local businesses and schooling communities, Tricia and the Virtual Intern team ensure students can build their understanding, awareness and skills in various work environments through completing and receiving feedback on project-based tasks that mirror the real world.

In addition to her work with She Can, Tricia works in the Community Impact team at Ernst & Young, where she designs, develops, and delivers behavior-change programs for students in Australia and 40 other countries. Over 2 years, Tricia has worked with over 35,000 students through Australia in financial literacy and career readiness. Listen to an interview with Tricia.

The world of women needs lots more mentorship, so let us go forth and create a powerful generation with the tools to forge what looks to be a very challenging future. The planet — and humanity — need them.

With love from NYC,

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Top photo: Johannes Plenio

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