What is a mentor?

A mentor is a person who assists another to grow, acquire new skills and insights, and develop his or her potential. The mentoring relationship builds confidence and helps the mentee to take responsibility for his or her own development.

What does a mentor do?

• Volunteers time to take a personal interest in others
• Listens actively
• Questions and finds out what is important to the mentee, exploring their skills and aspirations
• Creates an open and candid relationship, to encourage the growth of trust and confidence which assists the learning process
• Regards all the mentee says as confidential
• Avoids mentoring those in a direct reporting line
• Is fully aware of their own limitations and is able to overcome them as well as those of the mentee
• Has appropriate experience for the role
• Is aware of the professional qualifications that the Institute of Water offers, and is able to advise whether these are relevant to the mentee

Benefits of mentoring:

• Satisfaction from helping others and seeing them progress
• Deeper, broader knowledge of the industry
• Opportunity to practise and develop management skills
• Job enrichment and the chance to build wider networks
• Increased self confidence and higher visibility within the industry

The mentee

The success of the mentoring relationship depends on the attitude and commitment of the individual being mentored. He or she should:

• Understand that the role of the mentor is to challenge and encourage but not to provide answers
• Guard against becoming dependent on the mentor
• Approach each meeting fully prepared
• Be open to ideas, suggestions and different perspectives
• Be open and honest about what works and what does not

Benefits of having a mentor

Most of us benefit from having someone with whom we can discuss our hopes, plans and problems. A mentor can offer:

• A different perspective
• Challenges based on experience
• Encouragement
• Help getting motivated when the going is tough
• Help with setting goals and defining how to achieve them

Members who have used mentors in the past have found that the relationship has:

• Enhanced their training and career development
• Significantly influenced their attitudes and professional outlook
• Guided them round major procedural obstacles and pitfalls
• Improved their results by challenging their assumptions