Mentoring: A Complete Guide to Effective Mentoring
The research on mentoring is clear. Those who are mentored, out-earn and outperform those who are not. They make higher salaries, get promoted more often, have greater job and career satisfaction and lower rates of burnout. For organisations that invest in mentoring their employees, they benefit from higher productivity and greater loyalty. Mentoring works as a great retention tool. But despite all this, only 76% of people understand the undisputed benefits of having a mentor, and only 37% of people actually have one.
But how do you do mentoring well, both as a mentor and in building a mentoring programme in your organisation? The Financial Times Guide to Mentoring gives you the tools you need to understand what mentoring is and its benefits, learn how to mentor effectively and be mentored. By breaking down each stage of the process, this book will enable senior and aspiring executives to both give the support they need to act as a mentor to future talent in their organisation and seek mentoring for themselves to fast track career progress.
Endorsements
“I can attest to how critical mentoring can be. To have a mentor who will give you frank advice and guidance is invaluable. This book makes a compelling and inspiring case for mentoring in the workplace.”
Gillian Sorensen, United Nations Assistant Secretary-General (ret.)
"In my experience, mentoring plays a key role in leadership development and business success. Ensuring that valuable expertise and experience is captured and shared makes a significant positive difference to individual performance and team skill development. Defining a successful approach to mentoring requires a clear strategy and careful implementation. Through this book Andy Lopata and Ruth Gotian provide a comprehensive and well-researched guide to mentoring. This book provides an excellent approach to how an organisation can encourage more people to engage in the activity and to equip people to be better mentors and to get more value as mentees."
Kevin Gaskell, Former CEO Porsche, Lamborghini and BMW, author and World-Record holding adventurer
“A masterclass in mentoring. With expert guidance, readers can expect to enhance their mentoring relationships and create opportunities to learn their way through almost anything while growing both personally and professionally.”
Pamay Bassey, Chief Learning and Diversity Officer, The Kraft Heinz Company
"Dr. Ruth Gotian and Andy Lopata's book beautifully unravels the transformative power of mentorship. I've not only witnessed the magic that mentorship can bring to one's journey, but I credit much of my success on Broadway and in Hollywood to my own mentors that have radically changed my life for the better."
Telly Leung, Disney's ALADDIN on Broadway, RENT, GODSPELL, GLEE
"The Financial Times Guide to Mentoring is a comprehensive dive into the art and science of mentorship that's as accessible as it is profound. Ruth and Andy bridge the gap between academic research and practical application, offering a dynamic learning experience that's rich with resources, from worksheets to real-world case studies. Their approach speaks to mentors and mentees alike, providing a valuable assessment tool to gauge and grow your mentoring relationships. Whether you're starting out or looking to deepen your mentoring skills, this book is a treasure trove of insights. I wholeheartedly endorse it for anyone serious about making a meaningful impact in their career and the lives of others."
Dr. Marshall Goldsmith, Thinkers50 #1 Executive Coach and New York Times bestselling author of The Earned Life, Triggers, and What Got You Here Won’t Get You There.
"Mentoring is often seen as a critical component of effective career development, but is rarely fully understood or supported effectively within organisations. Whether you are a Mentor, a Mentee or a HR Professional seeking to design mentoring for organisational impact, Ruth and Andy have put together a remarkable guide to mentoring, bringing together all of the advice you will need."
Brian Murphy, Senior Director, Employee Skilling. Microsoft
"This book is an indispensable roadmap for crafting a meaningful career. Read it to unlock the full potential of mentorship in the modern business world."
Dorie Clark, Wall Street Journal bestselling author of The Long Game and executive education faculty, Columbia Business School
"This book is a fantastic resource for mentors and mentees alike. It provides practical insights and strategies to foster both professional and personal growth. As someone who has benefited from mentoring, I can attest to the value of this guide."
Tendai Wileman, Chief of Staff & Director of Organisational Change at Guys and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust
Meet the authors
Dr. Ruth Gotian is the Chief Learning Officer and Associate Professor of Education in Anesthesiology and former founding Assistant Dean of Mentoring and Executive Director of the Mentoring Academy at Weill Cornell Medicine. She has been hailed by the journals Nature and the Wall Street Journal, as well as Columbia University, as an expert in mentorship and leadership development and was recently recognized as one of the top 20 mentors in the world by the International Federation of Learning and Development.
In 2021, Thinkers50, dubbed the Oscars of management thinking, ranked her the #1 emerging management thinker in the world, describing her as a “prolific mentor and educator, leading important research into the secrets of success.” In 2023, LinkedIn named her a top voice in mentoring. She was also a semi-finalist for the Forbes 50 Over 50 list. In addition to publishing in top academic journals, she is a contributor to Harvard Business Review, Forbes, and Psychology Today.
As a social-scientist, her research is about the mindset and skill set of peak performers, including Nobel Prize winners, astronauts, and Olympic champions, which she writes about in her other best-selling book, The Success Factor. To learn more about her work, visit www.ruthgotian.com.
A specialist in professional relationships and networking for 25 years, Andy Lopata was called ‘one of Europe’s leading business networking strategists’ by the Financial Times and ‘a true master of networking’ by the Independent and Forbes.com.
A very experienced international speaker and podcast host, this is Andy’s sixth book. In addition, he has been quoted in a number of other business books and regularly quoted in the international press.
Andy is a former President of the Fellows Community and a two-time Board Member of the Professional Speaking Association UK & Ireland (PSA) and a Fellow of the Learning and Performance Institute as well as a Member of the Meetings Industry Association and Association of Business Mentors. He is also one of just 32 recipients of the PSA’s top honour, the ‘Award of Excellence’. To learn more about his work, visit www.andylopata.com.
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