What should mentors and Protégé do? the Respective Roles of Mentors and Protege

Mentors should have the skills to;

·         Set high performance expectations

·         Offer challenging ideas

·         Help build self confidence

·         Encourage professional behaviour

·         Offer friendship

·         Confront negative behaviours and attitudes

·         Listen to personal problems

·         Share examples, information and resources

·         Provide growth experiences

·         Explain how the organization works

·         Help far beyond their duties or obligations

·         Stand by their protégés in critical situations

·         Offer wise counsel

·         Provide tailored, accurate and regular feedback

·         Encourage winning behaviour – role model behaviour

·         Trigger self awareness & encourage reflection (for protégé and themselves)

·         Be sensitive to the day to day needs

·         Inspire to excellence

·         Share critical knowledge

·         Offer encouragement

·         Stimulate creative thinking

·         Assist with careers

·         Recognize and reward positive change in behavior

·         Help to deal with grey areas

·         Self disclosure/share own experiences and career decisions made

Key roles & responsibilities of Protégé/Mentee

·         Meet with mentor when agreed to

·         Define and agree expectations for the relationship

·         Agree how best to manage the mentoring contract (mentee in control)

·         Commit to completing agreed development tasks i.e. creating a PDP

·         Access other sources of advice and information as appropriate

·         Share information about their strengths, development needs, ambitions etc openly with their mentor

·         Take responsibility for drawing up their own personal development plans

·         Take responsibility for appropriate contact with line managers about development issues

·         Initiate their own development and make the most of learning opportunities

·         Be open and honest

·         Ensure confidentiality, as agreed with mentor

·         Keep line manager informed, as appropriate

In summary, mentors should have;

·         A genuine care for the development of people

·         Commitment to the work and success of the organization

·         Knowledge of the organization, networks, processes/knowledge of how things happen

·         A strong respect for self and others and great patience

·         Readiness to spend time and thought on the mentoring activity

·         A desire to create and work in a relationship of trust and confidentiality on both sides