Historically, the term mentor can be traced back to Homer’s Odyssey. Mentor was the trusted adviser and the word mentis is derived from the Latin meaning mind, intellect or understanding.

Today, the term mentorship involves a more experienced person offering guidance, support, advice and, sometimes, training to a less experienced person or mentee.

Mentorship occurs in many different platforms, from a one-on-one concentrated relationship to a more ad hoc advisory role. The nuances of mentorship differ depending on the intention, delivery, format, participants and/ or intensity of the programme. However, the core of mentorship is consistent: bestowing wisdom, experience and knowledge to a willing recipient.

Throughout centuries, films (as societal expressions) have depicted the fortunate relationship of mentor and mentee, examples include Yoda and Luke Skywalker, Mr Miyagi and the Karate Kid, John Keating in the Dead Poets Society and Professor Dumbledor in Harry Potter.

The ‘specialness’ of such profound wisdom-infused relationships left audiences inspired and yearning for their own mentors. For those who have been fortunate enough to be a mentee, true mentorship is experienced as a feeling, rather than a simple exchange of information because mentorship is more than training.

While examples of traditional mentorship are less common in mainstream expression, perhaps it is evolving. For example, does reading a self-help or leadership book written by a trusted adviser meet the threshold of mentorship? Perhaps this also explains the proliferation of the TEDtalk culture; answering a yearning for wisdom and guidance.

While the core of mentorship is consistent, its complexity abounds. It may be easier to state what mentorship is not, rather than what it is.

Mentorship is not a synonym for coaching. While a mentor can also be a coach (with training), a coach does not necessarily impart experience.

Mentorship is not necessarily a reflection of an organisation’s hierarchy. For example, with constant technological innovations “reverse mentorship” practices are on the rise. A mentor of one skill can be the mentee for another skill.

Mentorship is not an affinity group. While a mentor should be someone to look up to, they should represent new backgrounds, identities, and ways of doing things, as well as encourage departure from the mentee’s comfort zone.

Mentorship could be a cross-generational tool. Meaningful mentorship programmes could help to impactfully bridge generational gaps through reciprocal relationships. They can harness experience and wisdom rather than losing the rich capture of knowledge to outdated retirement policies.

Mentorship could be a networking opportunity. Globalisation and remote work have weakened organisational identities. Therefore, the ideal mentor for your employee or manager may be outside of the organisation.

Mentorship should be a choice rather than a requirement. Similar to becoming a leader, just because you are technically good at your job does not mean that you are ready to lead people; mentorship, like leadership, requires both training and psychological readiness.

So why should a mentorship programme be part of the culture of learning? Research suggests that effective mentorship boosts engagement, job satisfaction and retention; accelerates employee development, improves communication skills, relationships, and multigenerational connections; as well as facilitates diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging and succession planning.

The research suggests it:

1, Boosts engagement

2, Increases job satisfaction

3, Accelerates development

4, Improves retention

5, Creates a culture of learning and community

6, Develops communication skills (both mentee and mentor)

7, Strengthens pipeline (succession planning)

8, Supports the connection with multigenerational workplaces

9, Improves relationships / connectedness / wellbeing

10, Has a positive impact on DEI&B

While the benefits of mentorship abound, in today’s fast-paced world, the forces working against mentorship include time constraints, resource scarcity, gig economies, matrixed teams, hot-desked offices, as well as remote or dispersed work.

With globally decreasing and largely concerning employee and manager engagement scores, higher turnover rates and lost production in quiet-quitting, mentorship could be on the verge of a rebirth; like a phoenix rising out of the alienated ashes to support new forms of lasting connections, as well as higher levels of psychological safety. After all, people who feel more committed to a group, have a sense of belonging, and tend to stay longer at organisations.

If your organisation does not currently leverage the power of mentorship, a good starting place is to identify potential leaders who will take the art of mentorship in your organisation into a promising future.

• Jennifer Card, PsyD is an organisational psychologist, leadership consultant, executive coach, conflict mediator and team dynamics specialist at Coral Leadership (Bermuda); Ravit Heskiau-Ludwig is associate teaching professor of the Management and Organisational Development Group at the D’Amore-McKim School of Business, Northeastern University; and, Lyla Korhani, MBA, EdD is the director, Career Services at the Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto