New Age Mentoring is not focused exclusively on functional tasks or organizational needs.  New Age Mentoring is a unique exchange between individuals committed to sharing courses of discovery and growth.

A relationship involves New Age Mentoring when the experienced party regards the relationship as an opportunity to cultivate their own skills as facilitator, a nurturer, a developers, an explorer and a giver.  At the same time, the less experienced party values the relationship because it provides an opportunity to develop and refine valuable skills, knowledge and perspectives.

Both parties look to the relationship to yield professional and personal benefits.  This expectation allows both parties to bring a strategic perspective to the relationship.

When you bring a strategic focus to mentoring, you are less concerned with the traditional hierarchical relationship and more focused on realizing the potential of both parties to develop more fully.

New Age Mentoring is based on a more balanced relationship between mentor and mentee.   The mentor is not some “old, wise, sage” with all the answers to the mentee’s issues.  New Age Mentoring is a partnership where both parties make significant contributions to the relationship. 

The mentor understands that the insights, experiences, knowledge, and worldview of the mentee can be valuable no matter how naive or different they may appear initially. 

Many years ago, I attended a corporate dinner and had the opportunity to sit next to the Chairman’s spouse.  I was intrigued the attention she paid to the keynote speaker, who I found extremely boring.  After the speech, I asked her how she managed to stay so interested in the speaker and his boring topic.  She said: “You know, Guy, I have found that if you really listen to what someone is saying, you will always learn something important from their thoughts.” Her response has stayed with me ever since. 

The same concept holds true for mentoring, and for mentors.  Mentors should never discount the observations and insights of mentees. 

In the new age model, each partner is charged with working and investing in the relationship to help make it stronger.  The goal is for both the mentee and the mentor to benefit from being involved together.

Never under-estimate the life experiences of someone else.  There is always something to learn. Be an active listener.  Reflect on your experiences.  Communicate your ideas.  Be a full partner in the New Age Mentoring Relationship. 

New Age Mentoring is based on the fundamental notion that everyone wants the opportunity to reach their full potential – both career-wise and personally.  It is for everyone, not just the “chosen few.”

One of my most fulfilling mentoring relationships was with a mentee who seemed very different from the corporate ideal - whatever that was!  This person did not have all of the “right” relatives, didn’t go to all the “best” schools, didn’t grow up in the “trendiest” suburb, and didn’t demonstrate a desire to walk, talk, and act like the “model employees” in the company.  Despite all that the mentee didn’t have, this individual became a success.  This individual viewed mentoring as a way to learn how to apply skills and diversity toward the attainment of important life and business goals.

New Age Mentoring focuses on moving individuals to higher levels of performance, and does this by applying a holistic approach to developing the individual.  It embraces a mindset that recognizes so-called average performers as individuals with talents and capabilities that may be under-utilized or under-developed.  Often these individuals are solid performers who have either been mislabeled by others, or placed in situations that are not consistent with their core strengths, aptitudes or interests.  If lower skill levels exist, New Age Mentoring challenges the mentor to identify circumstances and experiences that will enable the mentee to achieve greater growth and improvement. 

Encourage potential mentors and mentees to participate in mentoring relationships – especially those who might not believe they “have what it takes.”

Mentees and mentors in the New Age Model often maximize individual goals while simultaneously pursuing various organizational goals.  Participants understand that not everyone has the desire or ability to become president of the corporation.  Some people do not want to be managers, while others want the benefits of management (salary, bonuses, vacation, etc.), but not the job responsibilities that may come with them.  Many people simply work to live, not live to work.  Their career goals may be very different from what we think they are, reminding us of the importance of knowing what mentees and mentors aspire to accomplish.   

Learn to focus on what is important to the individual mentee or mentor.  The key is to not make the organization’s priority the individual’s priority (although sometimes these priorities may be similar or complementary).  

Many years ago, one of my mentors worked very diligently with me to fine tune the goals I wanted to achieve by working in financial services.  We determined that I should aggressively use the annual performance review and career planning processes to document very specific short and long-term goals.  As a result, my managers were more prepared to discuss options, provide information, and give me the experience and training needed to meet these goals, with an understanding that the company had specific objectives too.   

The ultimate goal of New Age Mentoring as it is applied in organizational settings is to develop the mentor and mentee in ways that satisfy the organizational objectives while enriching the personal and professional state of both the mentor and the mentee.     

Focus on goals that are important to the mentor and the mentee, as well as the organization.  Do not focus solely on goals that are designed to benefit only the organization.  

New Age Mentoring fosters relationships that are less about process, and more about results! Having a mentoring agreement, meeting on a scheduled basis, being honest and open, and caring for the other individual is great.  However, none of these steps are significant if your mentoring relationship fails to meet goals that have been agreed upon. 

Many people like to say that they are in a mentoring program, or they really enjoy meeting with their mentee, or that they have a great mentor.  But the critical question that needs to be asked by both the mentor and the mentee is this, What has been achieved and accomplished as a result of the mentoring? 

When one of my mentors suggested that I end my 23-year banking career in order to achieve the results I really wanted from life, I was stunned!  This individual could see that it would take longer and be more difficult for me to achieve my goals and life mission as an employee. Their suggestion helped me to recognize that entrepreneurship offered the best opportunity for me to pursue my life’s mission!

In a New Age Mentoring relationship, both parties must be held accountable for obtaining results.  Pursue targeted outcomes together.

New Age Mentoring provides opportunities for individuals to pass on specific skills and expertise.  Like a ripple across a still lake, the transferring of knowledge can yield multiple benefits.

One of my mentees wanted to know how I deal with people that have strong personalities and abrasive styles.  This mentee had the opportunity to observe me in a couple of tough meetings.  They thought that my accommodating personality was the main reason I had been able to “weather the storm.” I reviewed some of the techniques I used in the meeting.  What seemed easy and seamless to my mentee was actually the result of considerable planning and practice. I explained that I employed a strategy that focused on the issue, not the person.  I then spent a considerable amount of time coaching the mentee on ways they could handle similar situations.  The process of sharing armed the mentee with the skills needed to overcome a specific set of challenges.

Don’t waste an opportunity to give your expertise to others.