In today’s complex working cycles, its important for organisational leaders to implement their hard-hitting learnings into their working modules.
And who better than Human resource heads or Chief Human resource Officers (CHROs) who majorly are responsible for shaping the culture, driving employee engagement, and ensuring that talent strategies align with business goals.
According to Harvard Business Review, “75% of executives credit their success to mentors and recent research shows that 90% of employees with a career mentor are happy at work.
In life we get to see so many milestones, the triumphs, the tribulations, the moments of sheer brilliance, and the lessons learned from failures. They all get elevated with a north star by your side – a well-wishing mentor.
ALinkedIn report titled; You’re a mentee in HR. How can mentorship help you advance your career, “Mentorship can offer many benefits for mentees in HR, such as learning from the experience and expertise of your mentor. One can gain skills and knowledge in various areas of HR, such as recruitment, performance management, employee relations, and diversity and inclusion.”
Lessons From The Learned
Reports and studies state that mentorship often goes beyond teaching technical skills; it moulds leadership philosophies. It’s a common site to see when CHROs follow the footsteps of their mentors during trivial times usually. For instance, a mentor who exhibited calmness under pressure may have inspired a CHRO to adopt a similar approach, ensuring that they lead with composure in the face of crises.
“As Ralph Waldo said, mentoring is a brain to pick, an ear to listen and a push in the right direction. I have had the good fortune of having some wise and great mentors,” states Chandralekha Chaudhuri, CHRO, Ujjivan SFB.
“One of my early bosses in life, who also turned into a great mentor, helped me to realize that empathy, and understanding other’s point of view is a super-skill one needs to develop not only for professional but personal reasons as well,” reminisces Chaudhuri. In a place like our country, where performance, growth, and productivity take a front seat in our work places, she emphasizes the fact that it’s a necessary skill to invest and develop in oneself for success.
Not just CHROs but leaders across levels believe that the role of a mentor in personal and professional growth cannot be overstated. A mentor serves as a guiding light, illuminating the path to self-discovery, skill development, and wisdom.
“Apart from empathy as a skill to imbibe, resilience is also one of the learnings CHROs should be adept at, since it helps shift focus from obstacles to solutions,” believes Arppna Mehra, VP-HR, Honeywell India.
She further states, “its one of the most valuable lesson I have learnt from my mentor, and to be applied when faced with daunting challenges.”
A great mentor nurtures growth, providing not just guidance but also encouragement when we doubt ourselves. For example, if a mentor shares a particular approach to problem-solving, we can test and refine this approach in our own work, tailoring it to suit the specific circumstances.
The value of mentorship lies in its ability to provide us with tools and perspectives that we might not have considered, which we can then use to navigate our professional and personal challenges more effectively.
“In my experience, I have been fortunate to have managers who epitomize this nurturing spirit. They invested time and effort to help me understand the intricacies of my role, enabling me to contribute meaningfully to the organization. More importantly, they believed in my potential, offering the support and push I needed when I questioned my abilities. This kind of mentorship is invaluable, as it helps individuals navigate their paths with confidence and clarity,” asserts Anjai Raghuvanshi, Chief People Officer and Senior Director, Business Innovation, Randstad India.
Road Ahead
The impact of a mentor extends beyond formal instruction; it is about how we choose to engage with the wisdom they offer. Reports suggest that mentors also play the crucial role of being a soundboard, thus guiding us in the right direction. Therefore, over time, these learnings become ingrained in our decision-making process, helping us to think critically, make informed choices, and build resilience; further helping leaders become guiding lights for their teammates and subordinates.
