By Shannon Alter
Mentorship programs aren’t new, but the way we approach them in today’s hybrid world is. Organisations have invested in their employees through mentorship and coaching programs for decades. While many firms offer in-house and external training and professional development, many don’t offer full mentorship opportunities. Companies are beginning to discover that being intentional about mentorship, vs. discussing it occasionally, pays off in many ways.
“Soft” skills used to be a nice-to-have for professionals at every level. Now, they are a must-have. Mindful mentoring focuses on softer skills, such as Emotional Intelligence, and self-awareness. Employees want professional development and a career path and mindful mentorship provides a more holistic approach to personal and professional growth – for both mentees and mentors.
Mindful mentorship benefits leaders at all levels, from the CEO and those in the C-Suite through to team leaders and managers. As a mentee, you may not be in a leadership role yet but a mentoring relationship helps to guide you throughout your current role and your entire career.
From an organisation’s perspective, mindful mentoring helps leaders and managers develop greater self-awareness, practice active listening, become more empathetic and sharpen their communication skills. Not surprisingly, this proves helpful for both mentees and mentors who can learn from each other across both departments and generations.
Keeping your best employees
We’re often so excited to bring our new team members on board that we want to immerse them in their role and their work, which is great, but it also has its downfalls. As adult learners, we want to apply what we’re learning (think “on-the-job learning”) but it’s also key to have a clear plan and pathway ahead.
No matter what type of organisation you’re in or where you lead, when you are purposeful and mindful with your mentorship programs, it goes a long way toward retaining your best talent.
Employees today want to feel seen and heard. When this happens consistently, they’re more likely to remain loyal to you. There’s no better way to enhance your organisation’s reputation when employees become your word-of-mouth marketing machine. These are your flag-wavers!
Think about who your next best leaders and rising stars are. When potential leaders and new hires understand that you’re committed to their continued training and development, it can make all the difference to the performance and revenue of the business.
Making the move to mindful mentorship
The first move is to just start. With any form of training and development program, the mistake that organisations make is trying to do it themselves with the limited resources available in-house. They often assume that employees will just figure it out for themselves, which they don’t.
In most instances, new programs take too long to create and then fall flat when it comes to implementing and delivering anything of value that’s truly benefiting those on the program. In my experience, buy-in is key. When I work with clients, we may try a test group or a short pilot program, as this allows stakeholders to try out the concept, get their feet wet and offer meaningful feedback.
I often hear from leaders that they’re hesitant to start something new so they just say “no”. Instead, think about saying “yes”. If you’re not implementing a regular and consistent mentorship program, you’re missing the opportunity to cultivate future leaders.
Here’s how mindful mentorship comes into play
Remember that your next best leaders want to feel comfortable that they work for an organisation with a purpose and that there is a leadership development plan for them within that arena. If they don’t find it with you, they won’t hesitate to move on.
Business today is accelerative and transaction-oriented. It moves so quickly that you rarely stop to consider when and how to implement a leadership succession plan. Too often you assume your best employees will learn everything they need to know by themselves or on the fly and remain loyal to you forever. This is a thing of the past.
While this could be an ideal situation, it doesn’t always happen. And guess what? Those employee stars, the ones you thought you cultivated, will start looking for a job that offers better training programs and the opportunity to progress, both personally and professionally.
I work with my clients to create their future leaders. I begin by breaking out the whiteboard to identify what they need to implement now for a successful 2025 leadership team.
To do that, ask yourself these three questions:
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Does your company culture truly support leadership development?
If not, the risk is huge. I hear too many leaders say they “don’t have time” for leadership development. One leader mentioned that her company plans on zero leadership development next year. When this happens, employees are left feeling less than motivated and we lose the opportunity to gain buy-in and loyalty.
On the other hand, when top management invests in its leaders right up front, it makes a difference. Your employees will see it and feel it. If you want your best performers and rising stars to stay, invest in their professional development now.
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Who needs development?
Consider the leaders and managers you need now and who can help with strategic changes. Remember to always think two positions down the line.
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What leadership competencies are critical?
Ask yourself what your best leaders look like. Then assess what you have in place or what external support you need to bring in, to be able to deliver a mindful mentorship program.
Training and development programs can be hugely beneficial to your business, not just in terms of nurturing and retaining talent, but in creating a company culture that people thrive in and offering an environment that contributes to the overall health, wellness and performance of the workforce.
If you haven’t mapped out a mindful mentoring program for 2025, you risk losing the talent that plays a pivotal role in the growth and success of your business.
About the author
Shannon Alter, CPM ® works with organisations that want to communicate with clarity so they can gain influence in their market, build better relationships and grow their business. She has over 30 years of experience in commercial and retail real estate management and hospitality. Her programs have been used throughout the United States and internationally by organisations of all sizes.
Shannon is a National Instructor for the Institute of Real Estate Management (IREM®), and the American Management Association (AMA) and has trained professionals in 10 countries. She has held the volunteer position of RVP for IREM and is a Past President of IREM Orange County.
Her 3rd book, “Be Influential: Surefire Ways to Improve Your Presentation Skills” was published in Summer 2023. She is the author of two earlier books, leadership white papers and numerous industry articles, including a long-time industry column.
She is a graduate of the University of Southern California.
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