female lawyer who has a mentor. compared to her female colleagues who have no mentor

by Seth Hayes 6 min read

Why find a female mentor?

A mentor who understands the challenges associated with balancing the responsibilities of a burgeoning professional and family woman is invaluable, and finding the female mentor who is an experienced business leader by day and mother by night isn’t impossible.

Why is Priscilla having a difficult time finding a female mentor?

Priscilla is having a difficult time finding a female who will mentor her on her new middle management position. This is most likely occurring because a. most women want to mentor male employees. b. research has found that women do not benefit from mentoring.

Is a poor mentor worse than no mentor at all?

A poor mentor is worse than having no mentor at all. Robert and Julia are employed in the same occupation. If pay for the two follows the pattern for the average American female and male, for every $100 earned by Robert, Julia could expect to earn:

Can mentoring programs increase minority representation in the workplace?

Cornell University’s School of Industrial and Labor Relations found that mentoring programs boosted minority representation at the management level by 9 to 24 percent (when compared to a -2 percent to 18 percent boost with other types of diversity initiatives).

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Does a mentor have to be the same gender?

It can be a colleague , your spouse , your boss or even a friend. This person can be of any gender , can be older than you or younger so far the expertise is there and the solutions proffered to you is working. In my opinion, a mentor is a role model.

Do mentors make a difference?

A mentor will encourage reflection; they will encourage you to think about why you are making the decisions you are making and how it will impact your small business. This self-awareness will translate directly into your workplace and will have a positive effect on you're the people around you.

Why is it important to have a female mentor?

They can accelerate their development and provide what some describe as shortcuts to success. They can also offer advice on navigating their careers and finding a work-life balance. Women who have been mentored describe the experience and the skills they acquired as essential toolkits for their professional lives.

Can a female be called a mentor?

Female mentorship is the mentoring of women by women to further their career and development prospects. A female mentor is sometimes called a femtor.

Are mentors important?

Why Mentoring is Important for Mentees. Gain support and knowledge: impactful mentoring provides mentees with advice, wisdom, and encouragement, as well as new skills and institutional knowledge. Become more productive employees: Feedback and guidance from mentors can improve workplace performance.

How a mentor can change your life?

Mentors help us avoid mistakes that can be costly and time-consuming to our personal and professional progressions. They help in making sure that we don't reach a point where we have to say, “If I had only known back then, what I know now.” It is important to take seriously what your mentors have to say.

How do I find a women's mentor?

Advice From Top Women Leaders About Finding a MentorBe coachable and be passionate. ... Establish trust early on. ... Have many mentoring moments during critical periods in your career. ... Surround yourself with good people. ... Make a list of who you want to be when you grow up. ... Pay it forward. ... Reach out to people you admire.More items...•

How can I be a good mentor to a woman?

Here are 7 ways to be a great mentor for women:Empower her to lead the conversation. ... Become a sponsor and help her connect with other sponsors. ... Encourage her to take on challenging assignments. ... Acknowledge gender issues exist. ... Coach on executive presence. ... Help her identify role models.More items...•

What is a female mentorship program?

Women in leadership positions in your company can offer guidance to young females who are early in their career. Some people naturally find mentors in the workplace but not everyone is so fortunate. Creating a women's mentorship program provides every female employee the opportunity to offer or accept guidance.

What are good qualities of a mentor?

Characteristics of Excellent MentorsGood listener/sounding board.Flexible.Value diversity of perspectives.Knowledgeable.Nonjudgmental.Able to give constructive feedback.Honest and candid.Able to network and find resources.More items...

Can a woman mentor a man?

But women leaders can and do also have significant impact on men's careers. When women mentor men, it not only helps men advance in their careers, it helps them learn inclusive leadership behaviors, better understand subtle acts of exclusion and become effective allies and advocates for gender equity in the workplace.

What is the difference between a mentor and a mentee?

A mentee is someone who has identified a specific personal or professional goal and who believes that the guidance and help of a mentor – and being held accountable to the mentor – can help them achieve their goal.

What was Angela's job?

Working to please a potential spouse. Angela was a teacher who spent lots of time preparing lessons and grading papers , but she hadn't been expecting teaching to take so much of her time and energy. Her education had not prepared her for what teaching would really be like.

Is work based childcare better than nonwork based childcare?

more hours; vacation days. Research indicates that work-based child care is: no better than nonwork-based childcare in terms of mothers' transition back to work. Since being promoted to an executive position a few years ago, Alison continued to find ways to work her way up the corporate ladder.

What is a female mentor?

For millennial women a female mentor can provide guidance on many situations based on their experience within the work environment. They understand “how things really get done” within the company and can jumpstart networking relationships.

What percentage of women are mentored?

Sixty-five percent of women who have been mentored will become mentors themselves but just nine percent of women offer sponsorship to protégés. According to the Forbes leadership Forum, mentors and sponsors serve different purposes but have a similar desire: support their protégé in achieving their goals.

Why are women's careers declining?

The dynamic amongst professional women (treating one another as competition) is also declining, as companies increase opportunities for female advancement, since they bring different skill sets than their male counterparts and increase an organization’s skill diversity.

Is a mentor an advocate?

A mentor provides guidance and advice, though not necessarily an advocate. A sponsor is an advocate, someone within the organization who accentuates the strengths of their protégé to leadership and other executives, thus providing the protégé with opportunities to spearhead high-profile projects.

What is the best mentor?

The best mentors are good listeners, good questioners, and good strategic thinkers. Poor mentors think they know all the answers and respond to any issue with specific advice as to how their mentee should behave.

How often are mentors promoted?

And, it turns out that mentees and mentors are both promoted far more often (5 times and 6 times, respective ly) than those employees without mentors. Companies with formal mentorship programs also benefit, which explains why 71 percent of Fortune 500 companies offer such programs.

What is the best way to help women?

Women need help, especially those just starting their careers or changing careers. One valuable source of help is strong, effective mentors. Mentors can provide a great deal of help in guiding women through the new and unprecedented challenges they confront. Recognizing the value of mentoring, many companies have established robust formal programs ...

Can you have multiple mentors?

People don’t need to be limited to one mentor. It is entirely possible to have multiple mentors with different skill sets and life experiences. In fact, I have found that the very best mentorship relationships develop organically.

Is it a mentor's job to directly promote a mentee's career?

While it is not a mentor’s job to directly promote a mentee’s career, mentors with deep career experience and keen people skills can make a world of difference in how mentees see their careers, the obstacles they face, and effective ways to deal with other people.

Do you need to go out to mentor someone?

You don’t need to go out and ask people directly to serve as your mentor but you can watch the relationship grow with proper care and feeding. Even if your company offers a formal mentorship program, it can be beneficial to have a mentor outside of your company and, frequently, outside of your industry.

Should mentors be cheerleaders?

Mentors should be cheerleaders for their mentees —providing encouragement, reassurance, and positive suggestions. One way or another, all women should get involved in a mentoring relationship—as mentors, mentees, or both. Follow me on Twitter or LinkedIn . Check out my website .

Why are mentors important?

These mentors can be invaluable in helping you see the big-picture overview of your career, precisely because they do not meet with you as frequently.

How does mentoring help you?

Good mentoring can do two things for you. First, mentoring can help you get an overview of your career. It is difficult to get a bird’s eye view when you are down in the salt mines. A mentor can show you the big picture – where your career is spluttering, as well as where your career needs to be headed. Susan Black, Vice President of Catalyst in Canada says that: "Having a mentor is key." D. Graham, Marketing for Women Lawyers. Black explains that: "A mentor can be the person who helps you figure out how to get what you want, whether that's a strategy to go after the right assignments that will lead to a promotion or negotiating a flexible schedule." Second, mentoring can save you time. Sure, you could build a law practice from scratch. But it would take more time than you care to invest, or need to invest.

How much time do you need to be a mentor?

Even busy people will typically give you five minutes of their time. If you lower your requirements, you can get tremendous help from a “5-Minute Mentor” who will give you some quick advice when you need it.

Can you have a mentor?

You can have the great mentors you need if you will redefine the word “mentor.” A mentor is just someone who gives you good advice. When you change your way of thinking about mentors, you fortunately will come across many great mentors in your career.

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