P2P

71 I L T A N E T . O R G the same or different organizations, each providing valuable benefits. And, while mentoring is typically offered by more senior professionals, junior professionals can mentor others in specific areas of knowledge, known as reverse mentoring. For example, tech-savvy professionals can help senior business leaders improve their skills in areas such as using the latest technology tools. "A mentor is someone who allows you to see the hope inside yourself." — Oprah Winfrey The key ingredients of a successful mentoring relationship are generosity and openness. The mentor must generously impart knowledge and information to the mentee and the mentee must bring an openness to growth and new ways of thinking and performing. Mentors who take the relationship and responsibility seriously can have a deep and lasting impact on the professional development of their mentees, while concurrently improving their own skills as leaders. Mentorship is a time commitment to be sure, but the positive outcomes of a mentoring relationship grow exponentially, as career satisfaction, learning, and professional development begin to soar. Why Now? No time in our lives has been better than now to lean on a mentor or seek a mentee. The world is changing rapidly and is extremely uncertain. We are coming out of a three year global pandemic, during which many of us were living and working in isolation, and now rapidly transitioning to various stages of in-office or at-home work. We are seeing changes to the climate, social upheaval, and economic uncertainties. It's been a lot for all of us! "In a post-COVID world, we need mentorship more than ever before. The pandemic has disrupted our lives in so many ways, and we need guidance and support to navigate these changes and find our way forward." — Richard Branson There is also a level of disconnectedness that is evidenced by the Great Resignation, Quiet Quitting and the Great Break-Up. Day-to-day, leaders, managers, and employees are experiencing constant changes in staffing. New employees need to be onboarded rapidly and entire organizations look different from one day to the next. Further, multiple generations are all navigating this new experience together, each with their own viewpoints and contributions. Digital transformation continues to automate work, creating increasing pressure on all workers to stay relevant. Additionally, all of these changes have left leaders ill-equipped to address gaps in soft skills among people who are new to the workforce. Did we mention that these challenges are facing the global workforce? It's tough out there! More than ever, people are craving interpersonal relationships, reliability and stability. People want to reconnect and re-engage. This is where mentoring comes in… and while mentoring will clearly not solve all of these challenges, it can create a sense of support and engagement that has been sorely lacking for the last few years. Challenges and Opportunities Our new work environments make mentorship challenging, but present tremendous opportunities for growth. "The delicate balance of mentoring someone is not creating them in your own image, but giving them the opportunity to create themselves" — Steven Spielberg Before we dive into those opportunities, what are the primary challenges? • Virtual Relationships: The post-COVID environment has nudged us further into virtual connections (e.g., Zoom, WebEx) and, consequently, virtual relationships. Some argue this has resulted in less fulsome relationships since we are forced to fill in the gaps of body language that we can not see on Zoom. Further, we are constantly distracted by other apps on our phones that divert our attention. This is a direct assault on mentoring as in-person meetings enable deep and effective communication.

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