There is no question that women are
under-represented in senior positions in New Zealand.
In recent analysis we conducted at Professionelle.co.nz, we were
able to demonstrate that the pay gap and the rate of women's
participation in senior positions in the private sector have both
worsened in the new millennium. But why?
Many perspectives have been put forward as to why women, three
decades on from the feminist revolution, are still not making it to
the top in greater numbers. International research and our recent
online survey into "what's stopping women rising to the top?"
demonstrate that one of the consistent explanations put forward is
the lack of mentoring of women in organisations.
Why mentoring is a powerful tool
Mentoring is an incredibly powerful tool. A good mentor can act
as a guide, a sounding board, a powerful advocate and a thought
partner. A good mentor should challenge your thinking and stretch
your expectations of yourself and what you think you can possibly
achieve. A great mentor will grow with you and will stay with you
throughout your career, introducing you to her/his network and will
take a keen ongoing interest in your development.
Whose responsibility is it to ensure that talented and promising
women and men have access to good mentors? I believe organisations
definitely have a role to play in encouraging the development of
successful mentoring relationships.
For example, organisations that are serious about developing
their talented men and women can formally facilitate mentoring
relationships. They can engineer cross-functional interactions and
put in place incentives for senior managers/professionals to become
mentors.
The importance of mentoring is widely acknowledged in the US.
Most Fortune 500 companies see mentoring as an important employee
development tool, with 71% of them having mentoring programs
(according to T. A. Scandura, a management professor and dean of
the graduate school at the University of Miami).
Various academic studies since the 1980s have demonstrated the
many benefits of mentoring. According to Scandura, employees who
have mentors earn more money, are better socialized into the
organization and are more productive. Research also demonstrates
that mentees experience less stress and get promoted more
rapidly.
Mentoring for Women
Organisations that believe they need to specially target their
talented women, whether it's because they are leaving, or that
there aren't many of them at the top or simply because it's the
'right' thing to do, can shoulder tap rising female stars and
ensure they have great mentors in place. Of all the strategies put
forward to help combat the ongoing state of affairs where women
don't make it to the top, mentoring is probably the lowest hanging
fruit.
In fact, a recent article from Wharton University's online knowledge system
points to research that shows how much easier it is for young men
to get mentored by senior men than it is for young women to do the
same. Since men continue to hold most of the senior positions in
organisations, the implications for women are obvious.
The role of the mentee in the mentoring process
But here's the thing, the research and literature indicate that
mentoring cannot be overly prescriptive as this will detract from
the trust and the 'flow' of the relationship, thus making it less
effective.
Indeed, according to Wharton management professor Katherine Klein,
Informal mentoring relationships are often more typical and more
beneficial to both mentor and mentees. According to Klein, it is
particularly important for mentees to be proactive in trying to
establish a relationship with a senior person and to be energetic
in keeping the relationship going. She uses the phrase
"irresistible protégé" to describe these employees.
"Research shows that protégés influence the amount of mentoring
they receive," according to Klein. "You're more likely to get
mentored if you're talented, have an outgoing personality and are
career- and goal-oriented. Once a mentor sees that you're eager,
the more likely it is the mentor will want to spend the time and
social capital on you, introduce you to the right people, and so
on."
It has certainly been my observation over many years that a good
mentoring relationship is a two way process. Mentees who put
themselves out there as they seek good mentors tend to find them.
Mentees who take an active role in engaging and maintaining the
ongoing relationship with their mentors throughout their careers
are more likely to be introduced to their mentors' extensive
networks and gain access to more opportunities. Mentors benefit not
only from watching their protégés' growth but also from access to
their mentees' growing networks and influence.
Perhaps one of the reasons both international research and women
themselves cite lack of mentoring as one of the key barriers to
'getting to the top' is because women are reluctant to take such an
active role in the mentoring relationship. Members of our online
community tell us that they can feel excluded from the informal
networks where the 'organic' mentoring relationships have
historically developed. Women may also find it too 'in your face'
or 'self promoting' to be so openly proactive. They may, in
addition, shy away from taking other people's time and feel that
they are imposing. And perhaps, with a lack of role models who've
had great mentors to learn from, they may simply not see it as a
viable or valuable approach.
Two Way Street
Mentoring is a two-way relationship; as in any relationship,
both partners need to take an active approach. Women and men who
wish to have a great mentor should seek that person out, initiate
the relationship and continually work to maintain it. Organisations
can help by removing obstacles, enabling cross-functional
interactions and actively promoting the concept in their
organisations.
Ultimately, however, it is up to us.
© Professionelle Ltd 2009