Getting the most out of Mentoring—MEJ’s senior women lawyers reveal the ins and outs
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Mentoring in the workplace is now understood to be a valuable way to learn and develop in any given field.
But in the fast-paced and high-pressured legal world, a good mentoring relationship needs work and clear intention. We speak to Maliganis Edwards Johnson partners Kate Waterford, Kirsten Leitch and Senior Associate Svetlana Todoroski about their own mentoring experiences (both as mentor and mentee) and their tips and tricks to getting the most out of the experience.
Kate Waterford: Partner and medical negligence expert and a mentor for Mentor Walks.
What makes a good mentor?
Experience and expertise – often within the field the mentee is working in, but not necessarily. A good mentor might come from a different field and still be able to offer relevant guidance. Good communication skills, patience, respect, and empathy are important, as is a positive attitude, desire to encourage, motivate and nurture the mentee. The relationship needs time and commitment and confidentiality – the ability to create a “safe space” for honest conversations.
Kate Waterford, MEJ Partner
What should a mentee consider when they enter into a mentoring relationship?
The mentee should be prepared to commit their time to the mentoring relationship. It can be very frustrating for a mentor, often a senior person within their field, to set aside time for a mentee and then have the mentee not see things through.
They should also be ready to set clear objectives of the exercise or program with the mentor. The objectives might depend on considerations such as the duration, setting, formality and structure of the mentoring programs. For example, the objectives of a one-off informal mentoring discussion would be very different from those for a proposed extended relationship – some mentoring programs are six months or a year long.
Kirsten Leitch: Partner and workplace injury expert and a mentor
What should a mentee prioritise in a mentoring relationship?
They should be upfront about what they want from the relationship, and what sorts of things that they want advice and guidance about. This will help the mentor work out what they can help with, and what other resources they might recommend. It is helpful if they have thought about what they want to achieve at work and outside work.
Kirsten Leitch, MEJ Partner
What can commonly go wrong with mentoring programs?
Some people participate in programs (on both sides) just to say that they did it and participated. But that generally does not lead to anyone learning anything.
Do you have a mentor?
I do have mentor, and I get a lot out of our relationship. My mentor is a great sounding board for the things I am juggling in life in general. She has nothing to do with the law, so can bring an objective perspective to the things I deal with at work, but will also provide guidance on other parts of my life, and how to balance things so that I am able to be my best at work, at home, and as a friend.
Svetlana Todoroski: Senior Associate, with an interest in advocacy for women and young people.
What are the benefits of having a mentor?
The benefit is that you have the capacity to develop a relationship with someone that you look up to and admire and someone you can turn to for guidance, perspective, confidence building and direction.
Svetlana Todoroski, Senior Associate
What sort of qualities does a good mentor possess?
A humble and approachable manner and being interested in helping people identify and work towards their goals. A good mentor possesses patience, resilience and objectivity and is open to learning from the mentee – a win-win situation.
What are red flags in a mentoring relationship?
A poor connection, lack of clarity and vague expectations.
In the law, why is it so important to have a mentor?
A career in the law can be fulfilling, but challenges come along with it. One can find oneself working long hours and sometimes feeling isolated. A pragmatic mentor can suggest useful strategies and assist with decoding any layers of self-doubt and negativity before it sets it. There is always a solution to every situation and having the right mentor can assist you with looking at things though a different lens.
