The value of mentors in the development of young people cannot be overstated, especially in a highly competitive world. In the context of driving inclusion and a transformed society, mentorship relationships are not only fruitful, but crucial in promoting excellence and diversity in the workplace, as well as growing careers.
There isn’t a leader who, if they are honest, would claim they achieved their level of growth, self-awareness, and success — however it is measured — without the influence of formal or informal mentors. My life has been blessed with mentors in the shape of my grandparents and parents, advertising and marketing pioneers, and one of the greatest statesmen of the 20th century, Nelson Mandela.
Perhaps the best place to start with understanding mentorship is to wipe the slate clean and replace “the one” with “many”. Mentors are all around us all the time, and rather than seeking out a single personality, it is key to understand that mentorship is multilayered and ongoing, not a singular event or moment. Indeed, seek out difference. If two people share the same thoughts, views and opinions, from a business perspective there really is only a need for one of them.
INTERNATIONAL YOUTH DAY
Diversity in mentorship is key to career growth
Mentorship is about a process, involving several different personalities, that shapes and moulds young talent into rounded and capable people
Image: 123RF/ MANGOSTAR
The value of mentors in the development of young people cannot be overstated, especially in a highly competitive world. In the context of driving inclusion and a transformed society, mentorship relationships are not only fruitful, but crucial in promoting excellence and diversity in the workplace, as well as growing careers.
There isn’t a leader who, if they are honest, would claim they achieved their level of growth, self-awareness, and success — however it is measured — without the influence of formal or informal mentors. My life has been blessed with mentors in the shape of my grandparents and parents, advertising and marketing pioneers, and one of the greatest statesmen of the 20th century, Nelson Mandela.
Perhaps the best place to start with understanding mentorship is to wipe the slate clean and replace “the one” with “many”. Mentors are all around us all the time, and rather than seeking out a single personality, it is key to understand that mentorship is multilayered and ongoing, not a singular event or moment. Indeed, seek out difference. If two people share the same thoughts, views and opinions, from a business perspective there really is only a need for one of them.
Turning youth into entrepreneurs
James Keller wrote that “a candle loses nothing by lighting another”. People should seek out those who light others’ candles in a generous manner. Candles can be lit in many different ways, but the result is still light. That said, candles can be extinguished in different ways too, particularly where ego is a driving force. For anyone entering a mentorship relationship, approach the exercise to learn, not to inveigle or ingratiate oneself. Honesty and authenticity are the engines that will propel someone to a successful career.
Being honest and vulnerable will bear fruit. The relationship is about listening, absorbing, challenging, pushing, and stretching. With the right intentions, a mentee should avoid becoming angry at a mentor for pushing and stretching them. Challenge is the only opportunity to grow, and that’s the point of mentorship. It’s all well and good to agree that mentorship is vital in the development of young, talented people, it is equally important for them, and the leaders they wish to learn from, to appreciate the core tenets of a good mentorship relationship.
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The way to understand those tenets and how they apply to your current mentorship mix is through my mentorship matrix. From this you can begin to understand where your gaps are and where you need help:
Mentorship is not a simple transactional relationship that results in predefined steps up a career ladder. It is about a process, involving several different personalities, that shapes and moulds young talent into rounded and capable people. A mentor will never be able to answer every question a mentee asks, but together, if they work through a beautiful process underpinned by trust, they will decipher key aspects of the learning that enriches them both.
Leaders across industries can have a profound impact on shaping the minds and careers of young people, and that’s a gift for both parties.
• Abel is CEO partner at M&C Saatchi Abel, and the M&C Saatchi Group in Africa.
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