LANXESS-Mentoring-Program
win-win for mentee and mentor
Editors: Laureen Wolfrum, Kerstin Stenger
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"I made it! In six months, I'm going to Asia for about five years." Proud and happy, my mentee smiles at me. His eyes are glowing. "I'm so happy, I finally brought up the subject with my boss. I still can't believe it." Full of energy, he tells me about his initial plans and preparations.
That is the reason I like being a mentor. How happy the mentees are when they have managed difficult challenges or can realize their dream.
I get a lot back from them. Gratitude, positive feedback, witnessing how they develop, but also the happiness of being able to see some things from a fresh perspective. Sometimes we are a bit set in our ways of thinking. That is why the LANXESS Mentoring Program is a special initiative for me.
Empathy and trust are the key
When employees join the LANXESS Mentoring Program, they expect individual support. That is why I try to put myself in my mentees' shoes. To do so, I need to find out:
- What drives my mentees?
- What kind of support does she/he need from me?
- What feels right for them?
- How are they feeling right now?
I think empathy is very important for a mentor. First, I would like to get to know my mentees well. Usually over coffee. The atmosphere is more informal then. After that, both parties know whether the chemistry is right or not. For me, the professional orientation plays a secondary role. Trust and openness are much more important to me personally. Trust is the basis for a functioning mentoring relationship.
Learning from mistakes
When a mentee chooses me as a mentor, I am very happy. I enjoy the LANXESS Mentoring Program a lot. The mentees are great! If they trust me, I am willing to discuss any topic. The choice of topics is entirely up to my mentees. So far, the topics have been very diverse. From current problems in projects, to planning the next career steps or a stay abroad, to tips for feedback in meetings.
My tips are based on my own positive experiences. But I also talk about mistakes I have made. Mistakes are part of everybody's life. You are allowed to make them. And you should learn from your mistakes - in the case of mentees, even from my mistakes. That is something I would also like to pass on. That is exactly why trust is important. Of course, I do not want such "intimate" things to be passed on.
“There is a German saying, 'I have not eaten wisdom with spoons.' This describes someone who is full of himself and thinks he knows everything there is to know – to avoid this, I tell my own experiences and also mistakes. I report about my solutions so that the mentees can derive their own solution path for themselves.”
We are ONE LANXESS
In addition to employees who have been with the company for a long time, I also mentor new, young professionals. I am happy to give them individual start-up help for their personal and professional development. And I myself keep my finger on the pulse. That is important to me.
When I look at the LANXESS Mentoring Program this way, it is a great win-win situation for everyone. The mentees learn from me. I learn from the mentees and we strengthen the WE feeling. Because only together we are strong!
