Recently I was tasked with mentoring junior staff in the business. In true overwhelmed fashion, I took to the books and started researching the problems with mentoring. I often find that by starting with the issues on a subject, I find clarity in crafting a solution that is not only fit for purpose but as insightful as possible.
What were the common issues you may ask? There were a ton, but in the interest of time I will take you through the most common:
- The mentor is too far removed from my position and I will never get there
- Mentoring is a waste of time and money
- Mentoring works for a while then it’s back to the same problems
Tell me how you really feel
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The disillusionment was clear and very specific to untrained mentors in the field. I almost signed up for a course and then remembered I am already studying. A qualification is not going to get me down. I will persevere. So I turned all the complaints into solutions, mantras if you will, that go a little something like this:
- Remember, you’ve been there too. Meet them on the same level and build rapport
- This is a choice, I won’t waste your time if you don’t waste mine
- Keep a structure and be flexible, but most importantly, give more than the required time
“Always do more than
is required of you.”
George S. Patton Jr.
I started the sessions with a sense of discovery, I learned more about my mentees and they learned more about me. We discussed our visions, our gripes with the world, and our greatest mistakes and found a sense of friendship in our sessions. We moved on to the self-discovery sessions where they laid out what they are hoping to achieve and what I could do to assist them. Presentations, cups of coffee, basement chats, and late-night phone calls were had and I found myself being inspired by these junior creatives on a daily basis. 2 hours a week each quickly turned into 6 and I found myself guiding them on briefs in the system and being invited to witness their passion projects. I am struck by the sentiment they have all shared, in different sessions where they feel unbelievably supported and heard. Something that I myself found none of in the early years of my career.
An overwhelming sense of accomplishment has taken over me, in the evidence of their personal and professional growth. I could not have hoped to lead this team well without going down this road with them. And now, the final goal becomes fostering consistent growth in the small team to ensure that they uplift the greater team, and at the same time, reshape my own.