Generational Mentorship: How to Be a Mentor.

MY EXPERIENCE AS A MENTEEA member of Generation X, I would describe my mentee experience as listening and observing. Early in my career, when I was in my mid twenties, the expectation was not to initiate interaction but rather to wait for someone to provide guidance. I would never have thought it appropriate to ask someone to be my mentor. Instead, I did my best to attract my boss's attention and hoped that I would be selected for additional interaction.My mentoring experience consisted primarily of talks with my boss. Over time, he shared how he had attained his position in the company; his outlook on employee/boss interaction; his thoughts on education; how to ensure that essential work functions were completed; and other insights.I learned by watching and listening rather than by being an active participant in the mentoring relationship. My mentor had me attend meetings where managers decided how to redistribute employee labor based on employees' expertise so the day's production would be completed. This was a great lesson that employees can unite to accomplish goals-and it is a lesson I still use today.As I have gotten older, I have come to realize that I will not always have the answer and that it is okay to ask for guidance-even from people from different generations. My boss is a millennial who has been in higher education longer than I have and has held numerous positions. Her knowledge and insights have proven invaluable. When a problem arises, I examine the situation, arrive at a solution, and then ask myself, would she respond? Depending on the situation, I sometimes ask for her advice. When she is running a meeting or addressing an issue, I observe how she interacts with others and take note of how she resolves issues.MY EXPERIENCE AS A MENTORMy early experience as a mentor occurred when a millennial walked into my office and asked if I had time for questions not related to work. When I answered in the affirmative, she proceeded to tell me about her goal of returning to school and of her uncertainty as to what program to pursue. She asked how I had decided what I wanted to study. How did I come to be in higher education? How did I know I wanted to be a manager? How did I balance work, school, and family? I asked questions to better understand her situation and then proceeded to share my own experience and thought process. At the end of the meeting , she walked away with some things to think about, and I was glad to have been of assistance. If you are open to mentoring , those around you will feel comfortable asking you to do so.To date, the mentorship relationships I have initiated have been informal. The mentoring arises when I notice that a direct report is having difficulty with a specific task. This typically leads to a one-on-one conversation during which we discuss the issue and identify action items. After a specified amount of time has passed, I check on progress; if progress is satisfactory, the mentoring session is closed.POINTERS FOR MENTORSSince my first mentoring session, a few others have asked for advice. My direct reports range from millennials to baby boomers, so I wondered how I could effectively mentor them. Each generation looks for something different from a mentoring relationship, but some factors apply to each relationship-including building the relationship, listening, setting goals, providing guidance, sharing stories, giving feedback, and closing the mentoring relationship.The literature shows that building a relationship with a mentee can lead to openness, trust, and social support, all of which can facilitate mentoring (Dalton, Harp and Viator ^01^; Poulsen ^01^). I have found this to be generally true: that a person who feels that she has a positive relationship is more open to asking questions and accepting feedback. But the relationship does not happen magically ; it requires work. This means getting to know the mentee, including what her passions and aspirations are. …