Mentorship

Prospective Mentees

Why Should I Seek a Mentor?

Advantages of Having a Mentor(Derived from DA PAM 690-46, Mentoring for Civilian Members of the Force):

Studies suggest that mentoring has a positive effect on mentees/protégés. Mentees rated themselves as having more influence, power and access to important individuals than employees without mentors. They also report having more influence within the organization regardless of their gender, race, age or organizational position. Mentors can assist the mentee in mastering additional skills, knowledge or abilities in specific areas which enhance their prospects for success.

What Should I look for in a Mentor?

Characteristics of a Good Mentor - top

An effective mentor possesses certain characteristics. Although not all prospective mentors will possess every characteristic listed, nor possess them to the same degree, these are highly desirable traits for all mentors.

  • Global vision. The effective mentor has a view of the Army’s broad goals and objectives that transcend day-to-day routine operations. He or she looks beyond the imperatives of the moment to consider where the Army as a whole is now, where it is headed and more importantly, where it should be going. An ideal mentor understands that all Army programs are means to an end, not merely processes to be followed, and that frequently there is a requirement for vision that transcends a demanding involvement with the task at hand. A person with this kind of vision looks ahead to the needs of the Department of the Army over the next ten years, and considers those needs when setting professional goals.
  • External awareness. A good mentor is aware of the world outside his or her own environment. As good scientists are aware of developments outside their own particular specialty which may impact in their field of inquiry, a good mentor maintains an awareness of developments in other career programs or career fields, of long term occupational need projections, of technological advances, and of the Army and organizational plans which may impact on the career of an associate.
  • Experience in networking. Networking entails the ability to make, maintain, and benefit from wide contacts with the Army, DOD, and other leaders, both military and civilian, in a variety of career areas, organizations, and levels of management, over an extended period of time. Networks can help provide informational, insightful, problem-solving, and career-enhancing contacts. An effective mentor not only participates in networking, but understands how networking can benefit the mentee. A mentor ensures that the mentee learns the importance of such networks, so that he or she can begin to establish his or her own networks.
  • Positive and enthusiastic attitude. A successful leader may not always be a successful mentor. The mentor is competent and effective, and possesses a positive attitude about the goals and objectives of mentoring. He or she believes that the mentee can substantially benefit from participation, and enthusiastically shares these beliefs with the mentee.
  • Standing in the functional community. Mentors are recognized within their own function and career areas as competent, resourceful, perceptive, and dedicated. Mentors without the qualifications and qualities that such recognition validates risk failing to accomplish their intent. They may actually hinder the career of a mentee in making recommendations or taking actions on their behalf.
  • Professional characteristics. Such characteristics as loyalty, duty, respect, self-less service, honor, integrity, personal courage, compassion, competence, commitment and candor are of heightened importance to a mentor. The mentor, in addition to applying these qualities on the job, guides associates by setting a positive example, through encouragement through open communication.
  • General characteristics. The discussion may have seemed to suggest that only a very few managers have the qualifications to be an effective mentor. Far from it, senior specialists, supervisors, managers, and executives have already demonstrated by their success that they possess many, if not all, of those qualities and characteristics that ensure an effective mentoring relationship with a mentee.
Role of a Good Mentee - top

As a partner in a mentor-mentee relationship, the mentee’s role is primarily to learn from the experiences and professional attributes of the mentor. However, the mentee’s role is not a passive one; the mentee has a responsibility to actively pursue self development, be willing to seek out and accept broader responsibilities and, when necessary, to be mobile: functionally, organizationally, or geographically. The mentee is not a “sponge” whose main task is to soak up the wisdom of the mentor, but rather one who has set professional goals and seeks the guidance of one more experienced in achieving these goals.

Specifically, the mentee: - top
  • Objectively evaluates his or her own motivation and sets realistic professional goals.
  • Seeks out compatible mentors (It may be that as the mentee advances to different levels and assumes higher level duties within a career program or field, he or she will have a series of mentors).
  • Makes a firm commitment to benefit from the relationship with the mentor.
  • Considers carefully the advice and guidance from the mentor, and takes action for self-improvement.
  • Accepts assignments requiring functional, organizational, or geographic mobility as appropriate to acquire the needed depth and breadth of experience.