Which are the elements of successful mentoring;
The challenges an employee faces in his everyday work life are many, especially when the employee happens to be also an entrepreneur, the challenges and difficulties rise sharply.
How can the worker to cope with a working reality, which is constantly changing and reveals marked signs of economic and political instability?
An answer we definitely could give, is the constant updating and further training. Sure, it is very important someone to know in depth his working subject, and relatively easy to manage, since the accessibility to information and knowledge is easier than it was in the past. Easy now, they can be found available, many training programs and e-learning courses, which offer knowledge, removing obstacles such as the lack of time and distance.
Educational programs definitely offer necessary knowledge, but a question arises:
How an employee can gain the required experience for a successful professional career?
An experienced professional will share this necessary knowledge with him: The Mentor. The role of the mentor in business life and entrepreneurship, over the last years, is gaining more and more ground, sometimes though, there is a confusion about what mentoring is and by extension what the role of mentor is.
Mentoring is the cooperative relationship between two people, mentor and mentee, which allows the exchange of experiences, views, information and practical advices on employment area or the specific business activities of the stakeholder.
The answer is definitely yes. The help of the mentor, can give new networking opportunities and turn in new directions and prospects, to encourage and make the mentee more flexible and efficient. But how easy is someone to find out, the mentor that fits him the best? Finding the appropriate mentor is not that easy, especially in the Greek working reality that the role of the mentor is often confused with the role of the trainer or someone who tells you what to do.
Which are the elements that should distinguish a mentor?
- Relevance. Mentor must have a professional relevance with the working industry the employee or the (potential) entrepreneur operates.
- Experience. The experience and spirit for dissemination are some of the factors that make the difference. Mentor must have experience and a thorough knowledge of how the system and the real market work.
- Commitment to action. Another element that is critical, is the prompt for action and mobilization. The role of mentor is to provide both theoretical knowledge but also to urge the mentee to act.
- Gradual improvement. Improvement is required for any educational program and of course for mentoring. The role of mentoring, is the mentee gradually acquire his own experience and knowledge, which requires a corresponding commitment and perseverance on his part.
- Reliance. Trust is very important in professional life, since if there is no confidence on both sides (mentor and mentee) the process can not move forward.
Mentoring is not mentioned by accident as extremely important for business life and entrepreneurship, since, if it is done properly, the resulting benefits are major in both directions and the overall economy. The labor market is in need of knowledgeable employees and successful entrepreneurs.
P.G.A. & E.L.