Mentorship at Silah
Mentorship is about enabling mentees to take ownership of their growth. It is practical, focused, and built on trust. Mentoring Is:- Sharing knowledge and experience in a structured way.
- Asking questions that help mentees reflect and decide.
- Providing honest feedback that builds confidence and skills.
- Offering a safe space to test ideas, make mistakes, and learn.
- Training, managing, or supervising.
- Solving problems or handing out ready-made answers.
- Guaranteeing promotions or career outcomes.
- Therapy or personal counselling.
- Turning mentees into a copy of the mentor.
| Aspect | Mentoring | Coaching |
|---|---|---|
| Focus | Long-term development, career direction, personal growth | Short-term, specific skills or performance improvement |
| Benefit | Mutual benefit; mentee-led growth | Primarily benefits the coachee |
| Relationship | Flexible, evolving, trust-based | More formal, structured, time-bound |
| Approach | Dialogue, reflection, exploring options | Targeted practice, feedback, solutions |
**What Makes Mentoring Effective **
- Listen fully → don’t jump in with solutions before hearing the whole story.
- Ask before advising → “What options do you see?” before giving your view.
- Keep it private → treat conversations as confidential unless agreed otherwise.
- Be clear about time → agree on session frequency and response times.
- Give usable feedback → specific, timely, focused on improvement.
- Let mentees set direction → they own the agenda; you help shape it.
What’s in it for You, the Mentor?
Mentoring in Silah is not one-sided. While mentees gain guidance and perspective, mentors also benefit significantly. Across international mentoring programs (Cambridge, UN, JPOSC), mentors consistently highlight the following outcomes: 1. Professional Growth- Strengthen leadership, listening, and feedback skills.
- Practice structured dialogue that can transfer to management and teamwork.
- Gain broader perspectives on emerging talent and trends.
- Contribute to the growth of the next generation, creating impact beyond your own career.
- Experience renewed motivation and energy from engaging with mentees’ ambitions.
- Build empathy and cultural awareness through cross-generational and cross-cultural exchange.
- Expand your professional network.
- Enhance your reputation as a trusted advisor and role model.
- Demonstrate added responsibilities and people-development skills on your CV
**“One day with a good mentor is worth a thousand days of diligent study” **Japanese proverb