Mentor Reflection

This reflection will discuss my key learning’s in the workshop from module 4 – ‘Developing leadership in self and others’, and integrating it with the article by Kelly (2008), ‘Management mentoring in social service organisation’.

Within the group discussion, we talked about what a mentor is and the function of a good mentor in the social work field. Ragins and Scandura (1994, pp. 962) in Kelly defines a mentor as “an individual influential in the work environment who has advanced experience, knowledge and is committed to providing upward mobility and support to careers”. The group identified the function of a mentor depends on what the mentee (protégé) wants to learn from the mentor, the situation, learning facilitation and a mentor who is supportive and guiding, which exhibit the function of a mentor. We talked about the mentoring relationship and how it reveals the mentor as a role model, someone who helps with future decision, and someone with experience/ who has experienced it before, which are important factors for a mentoring relationship.

A study undertaken by Kelly (2008) found that mentoring has been an influential part for an individual’s career and personal development. Even though this was established in the study one key concern was raised. The concern raised is the presence of many mentoring relationships between direct supervisors and their supervisees. This is because of a lack of other career advancement methods, it is possible that current managers will choose and develop others much like themselves. The critical analysis of this concern is that it could deprive organisations from new ideas and new outlooks leading to a lack of compliance to the challenges now facing state human services