Mentoring

Mentoring involves establishing long-term support for a trainee during their skill development process. The mentor (i.e., the supervisor) shares their knowledge and experience with the mentee, acting as a personal advisor and offering assistance at every stage of the trainee's development. Thus, a mentor is a specialist in a given field, a person with broad competencies.

Mentoring is often discussed in a professional context, where a long-serving employee, leader, or trainer takes a newly hired person, or someone looking to expand their responsibilities, under their wing. However, a mentor's role often includes providing advice related to both professional and personal development. Therefore, they oversee both the hard and soft skills of their mentee.

An interesting definition of mentoring also lies in the origin of the term itself. This refers to Greek mythology, specifically the Odyssey. Before setting off for the Trojan War, Odysseus entrusted the care of his loved ones and his possessions to a close friend – Mentor, who had given him good advice for many years. Mentor oversaw, among others, Odysseus's son, Telemachus, ensuring his education and becoming his private advisor. Thus, the modern mentor originates from this character: a person who offers moral support to their less experienced mentee and shares their knowledge and skills.

Coaching vs. mentoring – what's the difference?

Both coaching and mentoring are developmental processes involving two individuals forming a relationship (coach and coachee, mentor and mentee). However, these tools differ in their approach and methods. Coaching aims to teach the coachee to solve problems independently; a coach strives for their development by asking questions that provoke reflection. In contrast, a mentor acts as a teacher – explaining how to perform a specific task, teaching how to operate particular systems, or demonstrating ways to handle certain situations.

Thus, a mentor must possess extensive knowledge in a given field, be an expert in it, and guide the mentee every step of the way in acquiring specific competencies. A coach, on the other hand, is usually not even connected to a particular industry. Their approach is more psychological than pedagogical. Therefore, working with a mentor is recommended for individuals who need to acquire specific skills or knowledge. Meanwhile, people seeking to find their path to independent personal development turn to a coach.

There is another significant difference between coaching and mentoring – the duration of the relationship. Mentoring is a long-term process, typically lasting from one to three years, sometimes even more. Coaching, on the other hand, usually involves several to a dozen sessions – for example, 10 meetings of 60 minutes each.

What are the types of mentoring?

The mentoring process can relate to many spheres of life, from professional to educational to social. Due to its broad application, several types of mentoring are distinguished. The basic division concerns the areas in which a mentor's help is used:

Industry mentoring

Intended for job candidates and individuals who are just starting their professional journey. In this case, a mentor is appointed by government agencies or professional organisations and aims to help their mentee acquire the necessary qualifications. They might be an experienced employee of a company that has hired a new person; they then support the new hire in the training and onboarding process. Industry mentors also provide their services within government courses designed to acquire new skills or enter the job market with specific competencies.

Business (corporate) mentoring

In this case, the mentor acts as a personal advisor and teacher for individuals wishing to advance their careers. They can therefore accompany them from the very beginning of a new career path, from the moment they start work, until they achieve their desired promotion or even retirement age.

Social mentoring

Responsible for supporting people in difficult moments of their lives or those struggling with, for example, adaptation problems. It is a process in which the mentor becomes not only a life advisor to the mentee but even a friend. They accompany them through all stressful moments, help them cope with problems, and seek good solutions. Often, they also teach them basic social and life skills, motivate them to continue striving, and share their own experiences.

What are the goals of mentoring?

Each type of mentoring aims for the mentee to acquire the desired skills. This main goal, established individually in the mentoring relationship, is achieved through the realisation of the following specific objectives:

• identifying the mentee's strengths and weaknesses,
• analysing the mentee's strengths and weaknesses, resulting in the identification of their potential,
• providing continuous support from the mentor, both in completing specific tasks and emotionally,
• motivating the mentee to achieve further successes, as well as to take the “first steps towards” something,
• regular, ongoing provision of feedback to the mentee,
• analysing the mentee's level of self-awareness,
• supporting the mentee in finding career paths best suited to their potential and needs,
• imparting theoretical knowledge to the mentee,
• imparting practical skills to the mentee, both hard and soft,
• developing the mentee's competencies.