Leading Through Mentorship

By Erik Burns, Ed.D.

For the first time in history, five identified generations—Traditionalists, Baby Boomers, and Generations X, Y, and Z—are working in the same labor force, and each has brought to it a different idea of what leadership means. What they all have in common is the drive to be successful. (Although they each continue to debate what that means, too!)  

They also share their valuing of leadership, despite their differing definitions. A piece of the puzzle is mentoring—the key in developing individual desire and ability, leading to achievement for both the organization and the individual. 

Leadership development is a high priority for many organizations. A 2012 study suggests that U.S.-based companies spend nearly $14 billion annually on leadership training.¹ This training includes courses, conferences, and consultants. 

While some may debate the efficacy of these tactics, organizations do well to seek a simple and elegant way to build their leaders looking to internal resources. Use those five generations by finding ways for those groups to share the knowledge and unique perspectives each holds, through mentoring. 

Research suggests that mentoring helps establish many positive outcomes for both the organization and the individual. It fosters the development of deeper relationships within organizations by instilling a sense of culture through shared experiences.^2,3 This one-to-one approach has a larger impact on an individual than a lecture or webinar, however well delivered. 

Strong mentors can help in a variety of ways. For example, if you or your organization is seeking to:

• prepare future leaders,
• retain high performers,
• increase diversity,
• improve performance,
• manage against “brain drain,”
• reduce training costs, and
• enhance collaboration and opportunities for innovation,

you should consider developing a mentoring program.  

Not every organization has a formal mentoring program. Today’s professionals are in charge of their careers, and are expected to develop their own mentoring network as they hop from job to job, and often, from profession to profession. Employers take less and less responsibility for developing employees’ careers and expect candidates to arrive with more and more experience.

Mentoring is part of a life-long pursuit of learning. Whenever professionals need to develop a new skillset, or change fields (or just offices!), identifying mentors should be part of their growth process.

While working with a mentor may not feel like it, you are actually building the skills needed to be a leader. Strong leaders seek to better understand themselves. They ask for outside advice and are on a path of continual self-improvement. Seeking and establishing a mentoring relationship does all of this and then some. In addition to building your skills, you are networking with key leaders in the field.

For professionals in the field of pharmaceutical science, asking for a mentor is a strategic step to furthering your career. You are able to learn from experts around you to gain more knowledge in a strategic and safe way. For the organization, this builds a cost-effective network of leaders and deepens opportunities for collaboration. As stated above, this is the first time in history that we have identified this many generations in the same workforce; let’s take advantage of this opportunity and leverage the knowledge in a way that benefits not just the organization but also the individual and the most important—the patient!

As one of the few Traditionalists still active in AAPS, I’d like to strongly second the statement “Mentors love to help others.”  During the past few years, I have had the honor of being approached for career advice/informal mentoring by AAPS student members, members in the early years of their careers, and even members making mid-career decisions.  These individuals have become friends, and I look forward to meeting with them at AAPS meetings and also to learning about their career progress through LinkedIn and personal emails.  While some might refer to this mentoring as “paying it forward,” the benefit is not at all one-sided. I have personally gained much from these very special relationships.

--Alice Till, Past AAPS President

REFERENCES

1. O’Leonard K, Loew L. Leadership Development Factbook 2012: Benchmarks and Trends in U.S. Leadership Development. Oakland, CA: Bersin by Deloitte; 2012.
2. Kim S. Learning goal orientation, formal mentoring, and leadership competence in HRD: A conceptual model, J Eur Ind Train. 2007;31(3):181–194. doi: 10.1108/03090590710739269
3. Mavrinac MA. Transformational Leadership: Peer Mentoring as a Values-Based Learning Process. portal: Libraries and the Academy. 2005;5(3):391–404.

Erik Burns, Ed.D., is Assistant Dean of Professional Development, Division of Pharmacy Professional Development, University of Wisconsin School of Pharmacy.