Many people will attest to the importance mentors have played in the development and growth of their careers. The term “mentor” comes from The Odyssey. Odysseus asked his friend Mentor to watch over his son while he was away in the Trojan War.

A mentor is one who provides advice or teaches and gives help to a less experienced person. Counseling and guiding is very important in the training and growing process of individuals, both personally and professionally.

The mentor should be a trusted counselor in both formal and informal mentoring relationships.

The basis of an effective mentor is the caring for other people and the desire to be a positive influence in another’s life.

Mentoring is an essential leadership skill in addition to managing and motivating people. Learning to become proficient in your job and a part of a successful team is often traced to a successful mentoring relationship. Coaches, teachers, managers are all mentors as a part of their position’s responsibilities.

A two way street is required in order for these relationships to succeed. The mentor and mentoree must be active participants. Positive leadership and guidance of the mentor coupled with cooperation and receptivity of the mentoree make for a productive mentorship. Connecting students, alumni and staff in education can be powerful and life-changing. Margaret Mead said, “Children must be taught how to think, not what to think.” Coaches and teachers are often credited by young people as a tremendous influence on their lives that lasts a lifetime.

When it comes to workplace mentoring many companies have formal mentoring programs. If you own or manage a business you may want to start by doing a needs assessment and then training mentors selected as role models for new employees or younger staff members. However, it is not necessary to have extensive formal programs to develop mentors in your business. Matching more experienced workers with newer staff members can be done formally but when it doesn’t happen many people will seek out their own mentors. It is helpful to have someone to talk with, bounce ideas off, ask questions to someone other than your manager. The successful mentorship is a true partnership.

Some very well known people support the mentoring process.

“We make a living by what we get, we make a life by what we give.” —Winston Churchill

“The delicate balance of mentoring someone is not creating them in your own image, but giving them the opportunity to create themselves.” — Steven Spielberg

“Show me a successful individual and I’ll show you someone who had real positive influences in his or her life. I don’t care what you do for a living – if you do it well I’m sure there was someone cheering you on or showing the way. A mentor.” — Denzel Washington

“Tell me and I forget, teach me and I may remember, involve me and I learn.” — Benjamin Franklin

“As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.” — Proverbs 27:17 in the Bible

The benefits of a mentoring program are numerous. There are positive results on the mentor including satisfaction and fulfillment with the opportunity to “give back”. The mentoree gains self-confidence by accepting feedback and taking more control of their career. The organization benefits from the spirit of cooperation and promotion of harmony within resulting in higher levels of productivity and overall success. Developing a mentoring program is a “Win, Win, Win.”

Becky Vaughn-Furlow retired from Trustmark Bank as executive vice president and human resources director. She can be contacted by emailing bvaughnfurlow@gmail.com.