Reflections on Mentoring

Caterina Polidoro, Principal Director, tp bennett

Over 20 years ago I was asked by my employer to look after a young woman doing her Part 1.  I was concerned that, having studied in the UK for only one year (toward the end of my University course), I might not be of sufficient help to her in navigating the system. I needn’t have worried - that was the beginning for me, the start of my mentoring ‘career’.  I realised how much I enjoy supporting people, that I do have something to offer and how we can all help facilitate opportunities for others.  Mentoring has become part of my life.

Mentoring becomes a friendship

I think generosity is key.  If you go into a mentoring relationship, you should expect that it could be for life, in that sometimes the role becomes a friendship – I am still in touch with my first mentee, whom I met in 2003, others are now clients!  There is of course a natural selection…some people will want to keep in touch, others won’t.

It is important to gauge the mentee’s personal position.  It isn’t our job to ask questions of their private life, but listening is critical and there might be some shared life experience.  Sometimes learning more about the personal, helps unlock the professional, providing it is handled with respect and sensitivity. 

Thinking twice

Mentoring applies at all levels – it isn’t just about development in the early or mid-career years.  Being in a senior position can be a very lonely place, as it’s not always easy to find others in senior positions whom you feel you can reach out to.  This is where cross-discipline mentoring can be particularly beneficial, finding someone from a related but separate sector, who will help take you out of your comfort zone, get you to think twice. 

Dismiss the myths

There is also a bit of a myth that mentoring is all about progressing to a senior level.  This isn’t the case – many people simply want to be better at what they do, they might want to be a good team leader for example, but not necessarily promoted to a new role.  Similarly, mentors don’t need to be at board level, it’s all about being qualified through learned experience and this of course will be largely dependent on years in the job.

Different perspectives

Ultimately, there is genuine value in mentoring, for both parties.  We both get such insight through the other’s experiences, a knowledge share across generations, bringing new and different perspectives to our work.  This all contributes to becoming better leaders and more able to make a meaningful impact on our industry.