Many people have either served as a mentor at some point in their careers or have benefited from the knowledge and expertise of a mentor; mentoring has been proven again and again as an effective development opportunity, and today, it’s showing up in new ways.

While many of the aspects of the traditional mentoring model still apply, there has also been a shift in how mentoring is used. As many aspects of business have evolved, so have the common methods for developing the workforce.

While historically, mentoring has involved a long-term relationship focused on grooming the mentee for growth and advancement, today’s mentoring is more wide-ranging and includes anyone wanting to gain new insights and abilities in an accelerated manner. It’s seen as a way to very quickly impact employee development, and it’s also expanding into the world of virtual relationships.

Here are some key ways that mentoring has evolved in recent years:

• First, the basic terminology of mentoring is changing. Today, mentors are often called “advisers” and mentees are often referred to as “learners.” These terms have a wider reach and represent the broader dynamic of contemporary mentoring programs. By using the term “learner” to describe anyone who is seeking knowledge, we can help participants set appropriate expectations for what they will gain from mentoring.
  
• Peer-level mentoring is the fastest growing type of mentoring today. When people engage in peer mentoring, they may be in different functional areas within the organization, but they have the same level of authority and responsibility. As a result, peers can be a great source of social support and encouragement. They understand and experience the same organizational pressures and can provide breakthrough insight and advice.
  
• Group mentoring is also gaining in popularity. Group mentoring occurs when a number of people come together to discuss a particular topic. The group typically includes one or two advisers who share their knowledge of the topic with several learners in a set time frame. The advisers answer specific questions to help the learners gain the knowledge they need. This form of mentoring is a great alternative to classroom training and provides the option for people to learn without feeling exposed, as they might in a traditional one-on-one relationship.
  
• Another major shift for mentoring relationships today is the fact that engagements can take place online. People are employing mentoring in the same way that they work, which is often virtually. A variety of companies provide online mentoring software; one of them, Triple Creek, has released research that shows no significant difference in the quality of learning or overall satisfaction when people engage virtually versus in person. Obviously, online mentoring increases the opportunities to connect with more people across a wider geographic range, and one of the key benefits is that it allows participants to expand their network.

For more information about how FlashPoint can assist you with mentoring programs, contact us.