Benefits of a Mentorship Program
The major function of the Mentoring Program is to promote the mentees development in specific areas and to facilitate successful completion of their objectives. In addition, it serves as a key succession-planning objective aimed at ensuring the mentee’s organization and ATS has a well-rounded IP specialist to provide mentorship for future less experienced IP professionals. Specific goals, guidance, roles, responsibilities, and criteria will be identified for implementing the program across all ATS member organizations and will be in accordance with the ATS goals and mission statement.
Overarching benefits to Mentorship Program participation
Mentoring is a special partnership between two people based on commitment to the mentoring process, common goals and expectations, focus, mutual trust and respect. Mentoring can also encompass activities that allow for transfer of knowledge and skills from one person to another.
Both the mentor and the mentee give and grow in the mentoring process. The mentee can learn valuable knowledge from the mentor’s expertise and past mistakes and competencies can be strengthened in specific areas. Mentees will have the opportunity to establish valuable connections with experienced professionals in their field.
The success of mentoring will depend on clearly defined roles and expectations in addition to the participant’s awareness of the benefits of participating in the mentoring program.
Benefits of Mentoring for the Mentor:
- Renews enthusiasm for the role of expert
- Obtains a greater understanding of the barriers experienced at various levels of an organization
- Enhances skills in coaching, counseling, listening, and modeling
- Develops and practices a more personal style of leadership
- Demonstrates expertise and shares knowledge
- Increases generational and/or learning style awareness
Benefits of Mentoring for the Mentee:
- Gains sharper focus on what is needed to grow professionally
- Gains capacity to translate values and strategies into productive actions
- Complements ongoing formal study and/or training and development activities
- Gains career development opportunities
- Gets assistance with ideas and honest feedback
- Increases career networks and receives greater agency exposure for ATS and their organization
- Improves ability to express expectations, goals, and concerns
As participants reflect on being mentored, time should be devoted to determine what you would like to gain from the partnership and in identifying the time you can commit to the program.