CPA_Practice_Advisor_April_2020 - 21

THE LEADERSHIP ADVISOR

MEANINGFUL
AMY VETTER, CPA.CITP, CGMA

Mindful Technologist &
Keynote Speaker
@AmyVetterCPA

STRATEGIES
AT THIS POINT, "mentorship" has become a business buzzword akin to "disruption" or "deliverable." People love to discuss the importance of mentorship, but
they're less keen on doing the nitty-gritty work it takes to develop a successful
mentorship program in their own workplace. Mentorship shouldn't be haphazard;
it should be systematized, and it should be valuable for team members and
firms alike. In order to achieve those goals, both mentors and mentees need
to approach the relationship with good faith and earnest effort to make a
meaningful professional connection.
process of creating a program for
your firm, remember to keep these
characteristics in mind.

There are all sorts of reasons (www.cpapracticeadvisor.
com/12176118) why you should
consider adding a mentorship
program to your workplace, but
this article is more interested in
the how, specifically how mentors
and mentee should view the nature
of their role. If you are part of an
informal, outside-of-work mentorship relationship, these tips will
still be immensely helpful to you.
If you're building a structured
mentorship program inside your
organization, they could be the
difference between success and
failure. Whatever the nature of
the program you create, it won't
work unless people understand
the parameters of being a mentor
or mentee.
Whether you're already participating in mentorship or in the

FOR MENTORS:
Being a mentor in an official
capacity is not a role to be taken
lightly. The first requirement of
a good mentorship program is to
find mentors who are willing and
eager to be involved and engaged.
If you or another leader at the firm
doesn't want to be a part of it, they
shouldn't, because being a halfhearted mentor is often worse than
not being one at all. As a mentor,
you have to take an active role in
providing professional development
to your mentees. You have to be
there to answer questions, share
your story, and provide guidance
in times of need.
You also have to be willing
to listen. One of the aspects that
separates mentorship from simple
training or management is that it

actively invests in its recipients. You
can't successfully mentor somebody
if you don't take their needs into
account. If you don't solicit feedback
from your mentees, you don't know
if you're providing them any value.
While a mentor-mentee relationship
is obviously a hierarchical one, it
should include plenty of open and
honest exchange between parties.

FOR MENTEES:
On the surface, being a mentee is
a pretty simple gig. You show up,
you get some wisdom, and you
advance in your career. What could
be simpler than that? Showing up
may be all that it takes to be a
mentee, but it won't make you a
good one. If you aren't dedicated to
receiving mentorship, you won't get
much from the relationship except
something to bring up during your
yearly review.
The people who get the most out
of mentorship programs are those
who participate as actively as pos-

APRIL 2020 ■

sible. Don't be afraid to discuss any
number of issues with your mentor,
from questions directly related to
your job to broader big-picture concerns. You should also be open and
vulnerable, even when it's difficult.
Your mentor is somebody who's
there to provide an experienced
set of eyes and a steady hand, so
you shouldn't ever be afraid to
engage them. Talking about your
fears, hopes, and aspirations is what
having a mentor is for.

FOR EVERYONE:
Whether you're a mentor or mentee,
you'll benefit from approaching
the relationship with a positive
perspective and the desire to build a
meaningful bond. When done right,
mentorship programs can provide
a kind of value that may not show
up on the balance sheet, but will
make a huge difference in the lives
of both parties. ■

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