In every work place there needs to be both formal and informal mentoring. Without that mentoring, it is unlikely that people will reach the satisfaction and success possible.
That mentoring has to be thoughtful and comprehensive, and may include more than one mentor. A long time ago when I started teaching, there was no formal mentoring program. Later, a mentoring program was added to schools throughout our state. It seems to me that those programs were helpful to new teachers in some ways, yet sometimes the mentor selection was not always about truly helping an individual to develop in the best ways for themselves, but rather about forwarding system priorities instead. In cases where system priorities were not clear or positive, that mentoring resulted in less than satisfying results.
Over the years, I noticed that educators whose parents were educators, often had greater success in teaching. They essentially had that integral mentoring from their loving parents. These teachers were more ready for the challenges teaching presented--they knew how to navigate the many nuances present in schools. Looking back, there were a lot of aspects of working in a school that were not inuitive for me. My family members were not teachers, and they didn't work in similar organizations. I was a true newbie when it came to teaching, and while I was often helped by more experienced, wise educators, I didn't have a strong connection to a one or a few trusted mentors who had my best interests in mind.
I even was assigned to be a mentor once, but I don't think I did a great job. I simply never had a positive mentoring experience myself and I didn't have the time needed to mentor well.
The most successful mentors really care about you--they put your needs and potential first, and they work for you. Often the best mentors are people you choose. One example I can think of is a colleague whose parent was an educator. Right from the start, she chose a wise mentor for herself, and that mentor truly helped her to become the successful teacher she became. It was wise of that colleague to self-choose a good mentor and commit to that relationship.
As I think about success in the working world and anywhere else, I believe that we have to let people know that it is critical that they identify and nurture one or a few good mentoring relationships. While no one can be close to everyone that they live near or work with, you can choose to invest in a few people with your time and care in order to learn and do your best work too--these relationships matter greatly.
In choosing these relationships, it is important to understand deeply who the other person is and what their aim is. For example, early on I had a mentor whose aim was not worthy--that mentor led me down troubling paths rather than positive, professional paths. His will was more self-focused, than focused on my professional success or the success of the organization. I was too naive to notice that. On the other hand, I did have some good mentors in my midst, and in hindsight, I could have invested in those relationships more.
Going forward, I have some new mentors that are close to me. One close family member has excellent relationships--I've been watching how he nurtures those relationships and I've been learning a lot. A couple of other mentors are approaching the aging process with grace and strength--I'm learning a lot from them too. It's important to be on the lookout for mentors, and to invest in those people in order to be your best self and do your best work. Who will you choose to mentor you and to mentor yourself? How will you invest in those individuals? These are important questions to consider as you work for your own best self and the best for others too.