It has been said that confession is good for the soul. So here goes: I entered the automotive aftermarket before "mentors" existed (at least formally or by definition). Of course, I would be less than honest if I did not state that I was fortunate enough to have senior executives who took an interest in me and nurtured my career, as well as guided me personally.

Of course in 2011, this is not our grandfather’s (or grandmother’s) automotive aftermarket, which is perhaps, a good thing.

The past four or five years have been quite tough for our industry. During challenging times, it is easy to not pay much attention to the “human side” of the enterprise. However, it would benefit all companies to implement a mentoring program.

The Role of the Mentor

• A mentor is a teacher and a motivator. They are someone who the employee admires and respects. In many cases, the employee seeks to model themselves and career after that of their mentor.

• A true mentor functions as a GPS system (Great Professional Skills). According to a Harvard Business Review Article by Done Clark (March 2011), “Employees need to change their image by: Defining their destination. Where do they want to spend their energy?

• Mentors help employees to reinvent themselves.

• Leverage their points of difference. What is their personal value proposition? What is different about them?

• Prove their worth by showing them new skills.
*The mentor plays a key role in providing direction in all of these areas – GPS.

• A mentor is a prober. They ask insightful questions: What do you stand for? What are your values? What do you believe in? What are your career goals? What are you willing to do to achieve them? What brings you joy? What do you desire from life? Who are your heroes?

Not easy questions. However, the mentor requires that the employee look in the mirror and discover who they are and who they are not! And, to address candidly and professionally what the employee wants to do about it.

Why Mentoring is Good for the Company

• Mentoring programs are the glue that holds the organization together. They can increase employee retention. They clearly display that the company has interest in their employees.

• Mentoring programs can assist the company in developing career paths that match both the needs of the employee and the needs of the company.

• Mentoring programs should be an integral part of the company’s succession planning process.

• Mentoring programs are an investment in the company’s human capital.

• Mentoring helps overcome learning curves.

• Mentoring promotes high-potential employees.

• Mentoring develops under-performers.

• Mentoring bridges competency gaps.

• Mentoring encourages personal individual growth.

Mentoring is based on mutual trust, respect, objective goal-setting and candid, supportive feedback.

Selecting a Mentor

Recruit a mentor with vision. They see things and opportunities that others do not see. A good mentor is a person of conviction, character and courage. Professional and personal growth requires courage. Both the mentor and the mentee must have mental and emotional fortitude. The key is to be open and authentic with each other.

Why Seek a Mentor?

• A mentor will guide you toward your career goals and hold you accountable. The relationship is in fact built on accountability.
• A mentor will ask you questions and share observations that you have never thought of!
• A mentor will cause you to reflect. (Difficult for all of us, especially in today’s hectic business world.)
• A mentor will assist you in navigating the political sand traps in your organization. (Let’s face it, every company has some degree of politics.)
• A mentor will help you escape a short-term perspective. Career planning involves taking long-term views of your aspirations.
• A mentor will be a “good detective” and will probe to discover the “real business” issue you are dealing with, rather than focus on the symptoms.
• A mentor will encourage you to have an insatiable curious approach to life and foster an unrelenting quest for continuous learning.

Emotional fortitude gives the employee the courage to accept points of view that are opposite of theirs and to deal with personal conflict and to listen with confidence and objectivity to their mentor. In other words, they can handle the truth.

A mentor is a Yoda to the employees (Luke Skywalker); a Glinda the Good Witch to Dorothy Gale!

Life is a journey and mentors act as air traffic controllers in guiding employees to a safe landing.