Styles of Mentoring

The following outline of mentoring styles is a great way to show the variances in the services offered by MentoredActionPlan.com. The individuals or organizations seeking mentoring may find it helpful to explore this outline to help become familiar with the options (that translate into mentoring options) but also to better think through what they want in terms of service.

Because MentoredActionPlan.com seeks to serve clients in any manner that best helps the mentee, we are open to suggestions for mentoring relationships that we’ve not offered within our products section. In other words, if you or someone else or organization seeks a particul

Basic attributes of the “traditional” style:

• an expert passing on knowledge to an individual
• provided inside an organization
• used to enhanced performance;career accomplishments;career satisfaction;career advancement; personal development and progress
• long-term in nature

Basic attributes of the “network” style:

• a small group of people to whom you turn for mentoring
• incorporation of individuals outside your own organization
• based on a high degree of mutual learning and trust

Basic attributes of the “group” style:

• one or two mentors provide mentoring to a group of employees
• enables an organization to provide mentoring to more mentees than one-on-one matching programs
• typically work with a group of mentees that have something in common, e.g., new middle managers, or wish to pursue a common need, e.g., those interested in advancing a career in management

Basic attributes of the “minute mentoring” style:

• based on the concept of speed-dating
• saves time
• many people meet one-on-one at an event for a few minutes at a time
• meet many different people in a short amount of time
• convey knowledge and “pearls” of wisdom

Basic attributes of the “mentoring circle” style:

• peer mentoring support network for friends and/or colleagues
• relationships are reciprocal in nature
• members of the circle support each others’ professional and personal growth

Basic attributes of the “invisible” style:

• invisible mentors are leaders from who you can learn by observing from a distance
• learning is through extensive research into the mentor’s life, including what has been  written about him/her, speeches/presentations, etc.

Basic attributes of the “reverse” style:

• senior staff are paired with new employees, most often from a different generation
• senior staff gains new perspective about the future generation
• junior staff gains career advice and opportunity to interact with senior staff

Source: Educause