The new age of mentoring takes advantage of learning from the many vs. learning from the few. It gives individuals a vast and diverse network in which they can gain more knowledge, advice and skills than they would obtain in a traditional mentoring relationship. We must reframe our thinking to include new forms of mentoring that build the careers of individuals while contributing to the overall success of the company. The traditional concept of having one mentor for years is no longer the current reality.

Mentoring is a fundamental element of a great learning organization. It has shifted away from traditional one on one counseling where a senior leader agrees to mentor a junior leader to the emerging leader having several advisors to turn to. It’s becoming rare for people to go through their entire careers with only one mentor. A network of mentors and advisors is becoming the standard in corporations as each person serves a different and distinct purpose. We can think of it as the 360 degree model of mentoring (Collins). The network can be as large or small as one desires, and it can include colleagues who span different levels. A recommended network includes 5-6 people. Each mentor may add value in a very specific area. The risk of having a single mentor is two fold: 1) The mentor could be too attached to the status quo and therefore has the potential to hinder an employee’s development and 2) The mentor may have the best intentions to provide support but lacks the time to follow through on the commitment. A great mentor offers career advice, shares their life experiences/stories and is willing to disclose both successes and failures in an attempt to help others learn.  They offer input, but allow the person being mentored to make their own decisions. They create independent thinkers (Harvard Business Essentials 4).

Coaching is still crucial to one’s success. People of all ages and levels can gain valuable knowledge, advice and skills from developmental networking. Reverse mentoring includes any junior employee advising and mentoring a higher level executive. It can be used when a junior employee coaches a senior employee on skills such as a new technology or best practice. This is particularly helpful when people are changing careers and companies more often, thus a long-term advising relationship with only one person may be unrealistic and unnecessary. Mentoring can be as short as a one hour session or advice you seek only when you need it. Mentoring can be used at any point in one’s career, but is extremely important in any transition phase. Advice from people who have been through the experience before can greatly aid in one’s decisions regarding a new role, making a career change or even leaving a job. Just because someone is successful or experienced doesn’t mean that they shouldn’t seek out a mentor’s advice. One has to constantly be developed to keep up with their industry or they will be passed by. When one becomes comfortable and they think they have it all figured out, that’s when they need a mentor to show them the next steps.

Another type of mentoring that has proven to be very helpful is peer mentoring. In Linda Hill’s study of newly minted managers, most said that access to a network of peers was key in their successful mentoring experience. They judged relationships with peers, as opposed to superiors, as being their most important developmental experience. Because your peers have shared experiences, they can empathize with you and provide mutual support (Harvard Business School Press 3-4). Another advantage of peer mentoring is that there are many more peer mentors available than senior mentors in a large company. However, choosing peer mentors wisely is important. They lack the power of high-level executives and thus may not provide the sponsorship, protection, and challenge that many people needs. Peers may also be competitors and that may undermine trust in a mentoring relationship. Peer mentoring works best overall when peers agree that each can offer advice to each other, when confidentiality is maintained and when each peer is willing to give back to each other. Some companies will match peers together, and in most cases, Human Resources supports the match-making processes. 

A newer approach to peer mentoring is to create a pool of skilled peers who can mentor a group of people. The HR department determines which capability each person can contribute to the pool. One company decided to pursue the "Seven Habits of Highly Effective People" described in Stephen R. Covey’s best-selling book. The HR department identified individuals who had the greatest mastery of each of the seven habits, and then the individuals were asked to coach a group of peers on those mastered habits (Harvard Business School Press 3). Each participant contributes to the pool and each gains valuable knowledge and advice from it. Pool mentoring ensures that a large group of employees gains new skills that can contribute to the overall success of the company. Individuals can also gain longer term peer mentors from the pool of mentors.

A Reciprocal Relationship