It is difficult to understate the impact that having a good mentor can have. From proactively helping someone reach personal and professional goals, to fostering creativity, to creating purposeful impact, having the right mentor can be hugely beneficial – both professionally and personally.
“Mentorship comes in many different forms, but the honest truth is that mentorship is a relationship,” said Deborah Visconi, president and CEO of Bergen New Bridge Medical Center.
During a breakout discussion at the 10th annual New Jersey Women Business Leaders Forum, Visconi and others shared their experience, insights, and tips on how to be both an effective mentor and mentee, and spoke on the importance of such a relationship.
“One of the things I did to select a mentor was observe the role they played in the organization,” said Maria Diaz, director of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging at New Jersey Resources. “Specifically, I watched the way that an executive or people leader interacted with their employees and communities. I wanted to see how invested they were in these areas, as these are all values that I wanted in a mentor.”
An effective mentorship should provide a person with a safe and supportive space to discuss and overcome challenges – such as barriers in the workplace – as well as promote professional growth and development.
“To me, mentorship is helping an individual unleash their best selves,” said Visconi.
“A good mentor that I had would see certain things that I didn’t value or see in myself and point them out to me,” added Zarida Brokenborough, major gifts officer, Covenant House New Jersey.
She cited an instance where her mentor noticed that she was a good speaker and good at encouraging others, and then actively looked for roles within the organization that would better capitalize on such skills.
“That is a good mentor relationship. To see something that you are doing that you may not realize could be a bigger asset to yourself and the organization,” Brokenborough said.
Additionally, since a mentor is not paid and is separate from a supervisor-employee relationship, they can have a different perspective on things and be more free with the advice they give.
“They can give you that truth that says: ‘You need to do more of this’ or ‘get involved in this’ while also being able to say, ‘You are doing all these things, but your organization isn’t valuing you properly. Maybe it is time for an exit strategy’. That is the beauty of the mentor being attached to you and not necessarily the organization,” explained Minister Pamela Major, founder, Melia Bloom.
While the benefits of having a good mentorship are clear, cultivating and maintaining that relationship also takes effort.
“Mentorship is hard work. It is also lifelong work,” said Visconi. “I still talk to people that I mentored early in my career, and they still call me from time to time for advice and guidance. It is a really incredible relationship, but both sides have to really invest in it and make that commitment.”
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