Why mentoring is the ideal solution for developing managerial skills and boosting careers
In an increasingly complex world of work that evolves at high speed, the figure of the manager is central. A professional whose value, alongside technical competencies — the so-called hard skills — will increasingly be determined by relational, communication and management abilities, commonly known as soft skills.
The challenge for organizations is clear: to train attentive and empathetic managers, capable of building quality relationships, communicating clearly, and inspiring and empowering people.
In this context, it is essential to choose the training path best suited to developing leadership capable of facing the complexities of the future.
The market offers many managerial training courses: how do you identify the right one? Why is mentoring the ideal solution for developing managerial skills compared to other options?
Mentoring and managerial training courses: what are the differences?
When companies address managerial training, they often turn to traditional training courses such as MBAs (Master in Business Administration) or coaching paths. MBAs are programs characterized by an academic and theoretical approach, highly structured and standardized around business economics and management topics.
Coaching is a methodology focused on a short-term goal or a specific area, through the relationship between coach and coachee, generally professional and neutral.
Mentoring, on the other hand, is based on a personalized, long-term approach, adaptable to the needs of the organization and the individuals, who are supported throughout the entire program in developing managerial skills, building an effective network that can last over time, and consolidating their professional path.
Business growth strategies: the benefits of mentoring
The benefits of mentoring do not concern individuals alone, but extend to the entire organization.
A recent study by a well-known strategic consulting firm states that companies with well-structured mentoring programs have 25% higher employee retention compared to companies that do not adopt this type of initiative.
Research conducted by one of the world’s best-known consulting and auditing firms shows that companies with effective mentoring programs are 46% more likely, compared to others, to grow leaders who are prepared and capable of facing future challenges.
A Harvard Business Review study also finds that mentoring programs can increase minority representation in leadership positions by 38%.
The benefits of mentoring are therefore clear, not only at the individual level, but for the growth of the entire organization. Mentoring, in fact:
- improves employee retention
- helps develop skills
- facilitates personal and professional growth
- enhances talent
- promotes diversity
Launching mentoring programs is a genuine business strategy that can also deliver competitive advantages at the business level. It is no coincidence that some of the world’s leading companies have long since launched mentoring programs.
Managerial training and mentoring: the importance of matching
Mentoring activity is built around the relationship between two figures: the mentor, usually the more experienced person, and the mentee, the professional whose goal is to improve their own professional skills.
Unlike standardized corporate training courses, mentoring is based on carefully aligning the people involved: throughout the program, mentor and mentee meet and engage with each other continuously. For this reason, without the right “chemistry” between the two figures, and without an affinity of values, interests, and personal and professional characteristics, a mentoring program cannot be effective.
Effective matching between mentor and mentee takes into account:
- motivations
- goals
- personal aspirations
- needs
- experience
- personality
- strengths
This match can maximize the value of the training path, accelerating the growth of the mentee and of the entire organization.
Shape: Methodos’s solution for managers who want to grow and help their company grow
To address these challenges, we at Methodos have developed Shape, a structured mentoring program. Shape is an international, cross-company program that promotes exchange and transparency through an approach that includes, within a single program:
- the involvement of multiple companies, with mentors and mentees from different organizations, to foster relationship-building, the sharing of experiences and the gathering of new perspectives
- the involvement of a third-party professional, a coach, who can guide and support each mentor-mentee pair at key moments, offering suggestions and resolving issues
This is the approach that has always characterized Methodos: building a structured path that can support people and organizations through change via listening, the involvement of managers and staff, and the monitoring and measurement of results.