Note that this was originally written in 2020
At the start of everyone’s career most if not all go to university to learn their craft. In today’s era everyone wants the latest and greatest at the tip of their fingertips. Unfortunately this has led to quick and easy training platforms which either focus on ‘soft skills’, ignoring their purpose, or practical training which ignores the humanity of the people they are training.
Most businesses say they want approachable, collaborative ‘people focused’ teams but never actually invest into the people – only their short term benefit before they are discarded. This is something that works in the short term but leaves employees feeling like they don’t have a say and that their peers and managers don’t care.
The good news is there is a better way to handle career progression – Mentoring.
Mentoring takes investment and leaves a foundation of trust for career spanning relationships, and that makes everyone’s world just a little more real.
Most people are trained, some people are tutored but very few ever find a real mentor.
So what actually is mentoring? Is it an apprenticeship, is it long term training or is it leadership rebranded?
My definition of a mentorship is this: An agreement between two people where the mentor guides, directs and teaches the mentee about any aspect of their life without the expectation of recompense .
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