Five golden rules for effective mentoring | Develop - TrainingZone

Mentoring schemes are increasing in popularity, with that in mind Julia Wilkinson, Principal Consultant at OnTrack International highlights, the need for a more structured process to match the right people together.

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The idea of using a wooden horse to break the siege of Troy reputedly came from Odysseus, king of the Greeks and hero of Homer’s epic poem the Odyssey.

Before leaving for the Trojan War, Odysseus asked a loyal friend to guide, teach and look after his son. That friend was Mentor - and his name has since become synonymous with a wise and trusted advisor who helps a less experienced protégé to learn, develop and grow.

The growth of mentoring schemes 
Mentoring schemes have subsequently been introduced in many organisations to support formal graduate development and talent management programmes and to informally develop first-line managers and high flyers.

Subject matter experts who lack emotional intelligence can also be mentored to help them communicate, influence and empathise with others...

The advantages of mentoring
The great advantage of mentoring is that it offers something very different from traditional learning. It can result in new thinking, broader awareness, enhanced self confidence, skills development, focused improvement and access to a wider network. 
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Source: TrainingZone