Self mentoring

'Self-mentoring' is a process which requires you to assemble a realistic, accurate assessment of yourself (strengths and weaknesses) with the goal of crafting your ‘ideal self’ to heighten job performance, career progression, or personal ambitions. This practice, suitable for any age, profession, gender, race, or ability, is a four-stage framework which includes: self-awareness, self-development, self-reflection, and self-monitoring.

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In self-mentoring, YOU initiate responsibility for self-development by allocating time and commitment navigating your surroundings and organizing an environment where you lead personal and professional growth. Self-mentors identify and develop individual skills that align with internal and external resources to meet expectations using social and professional networks when needed (Carr, 2015). Leadership is a process, not an innate or taught set of skills (Lambert, 2003). Lambert, a scholar in leadership development, reveals supervision to include problem solving, broad-based and skillful participation, co-worker collaboration, and on-task performance. Those who aspire leadership positions need a structured approach to reach their full leadership potential (Bond & Hargreaves, 2014).

Assimilating employees into an organization is a critical role for leaders (Lambert, 2003). Commitment from the employees as well as the supervisor is equally important. In 1999, Oakes, Quartz, Ryan, and Lipton stated, and it still holds true today, that unless there is commitment by those involved in change and growth, reigning behaviors will return. Self-mentors are devoted and passionate in sustaining their success. A sense of accomplishment is motivational enough for them to continue their endeavor and maintain personal empowerment and self-efficacy (Bond & Hargreaves, 2014). Beckford (2012) agrees with the influence of self-mentoring to one’s position of personal power and ownership. You take control of your life as you journey on a path that is right for you.

Self-mentoring strengthens the existing culture in an organization. Barth (1999) views leadership as everyone’s work. Leaders grow when engaged with others to make sense of the world, reach out to new hires, commit to shared results, and develop identities as owners of their system - the organization. Self-mentoring provides a framework to welcome new employees, while also offering leadership opportunities to seasoned workers ready to step into supervisory roles. These positions may include administrative roles, responsibilities serving new employees, or a change in career direction.

The benefits of using methods in self-mentoring when acclimating to new positions are abundant. This is especially true in the university setting. Academic professions are often self-directed within the domains of performance guidelines, review procedures, and promotion decisions employed by the university. Research suggests there is heightened self-esteem and self-efficacy with the application of self-mentoring practices. This, in turn, enhances connection and commitment to the institution (Bond & Hargreaves, 2014).

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