What Makes Situational Mentoring Effective in the Workplace?

In today’s rapidly evolving workplace, traditional mentoring models must adapt to meet new demands. One emerging approach that has gained traction is situational mentoring. But what exactly is it, and why is it increasingly recommended for modern workplaces? Let’s explore.

What is Situational Mentoring?  

Situational mentoring was based on Paul Hersey and Ken Blanchard’s Situational Leadership Theory formed in 1969. There are two key principles followed by this theory. The first is that successful leaders and mentors adapt their style, based on the situation. The other principle follows the notion that there is no single “best” style of leadership or mentorship. 

Anyone can learn situational mentorship. It is a mentorship framework that can help to get the most from the mentee, empowering them to learn, think critically, develop, lean into feedback and boost their confidence. Situational mentorship can be applied in all types of mentoring relationships since it adapts to the mentee’s needs in that given situation. 

RELATED: Formal VS Informal Mentoring: Which is Best at Work?

4 Different Mentoring Styles for Different Situations:

Directive (Telling)

Uses expertise, experience and storytelling to offer suggestions, advice and tips. 

When to use: 

• Low competence
• Time-critical and/or high-stakes
• Attempted coaching but no progress

Benefits: 

• Clear direction
• Improved performance in a short amount of time

Coach (Questioning): 

Asks the right questions that help your mentee to arrive at their own answers to their problems, without telling them what to do.

When to use: 

• No time pressure
• Preference to develop the mentee’s skills

Benefits: 

• Increased confidence
• Increased ability to problem-solve
• Increased autonomy

Support (Encouraging)

Provides encouragement, emotional support and recognition.

When to use: 

• The mentee is trying something new

Benefits: 

• Increased confidence
• Increased emotional support
• Decreased stress

Challenge (Feedback)

Challenges their perspective, providing constructive feedback and pushing them outside their comfort zone.

When to use: 

• The mentee has high confidence
• The mentee is open to feedback or needs feedback to improve

Benefits: 

• Increased self-awareness
• Increased perspective

Why Situational Mentorship Works in the Workplace

Here are some reasons why situational mentoring is an effective approach for organizations:

1. Provides Timely and Relevant Results

Situational mentoring offers advice directly applicable to the challenges at hand, increasing the likelihood that mentees will implement the guidance and see tangible results. A 2023 Gartner study found that employees receiving timely, situation-specific mentoring were 45% more likely to report job satisfaction compared to those receiving more generalized mentoring.

2. Improves Employee Engagement and Retention

Mentoring can improve employee engagement and retention, and situational mentoring specifically addresses the unique needs of mentees. When employees feel supported in their professional development, they are more likely to be engaged and committed to their workplace. According to Gallup’s 2022 State of the Global Workplace report, low engagement costs the global economy $8.9 trillion. By enhancing employee engagement through mentoring, organizations can reduce these costs and foster a more connected workforce.

3. Allows Rapid Skill Development

Situational mentoring enables mentees to quickly adapt to new challenges and acquire new skills, making it a game-changer in fast-paced industries. A 2022 study found that 63% of employees in sectors like technology and healthcare accelerated their learning curves through situational mentoring.

4. Encourages Continuous Learning

Situational mentoring supports ongoing employee development by promoting continuous learning. Notably, 94% of employees say they would stay at a company longer if it invested in their career development, highlighting the importance of accessible, relevant mentorship opportunities.

5. Promotes Diversity of Thought

Situational mentoring encourages mentees to seek out various mentors for different situations, providing them with a broader perspective and diverse experiential knowledge. A recent report found that companies with diverse leadership teams are 36% more likely to outperform those with less diverse teams, underscoring the importance of integrating diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives into the workplace.

How to Implement Situational Mentoring in Your Organisation

Given the benefits of situational mentoring, here’s how you can implement it in your organization:

1. Promote Peer Mentoring: Encourage employees across all roles to share their expertise and offer mentorship on specific issues. This expands the pool of available mentors and fosters a collaborative, supportive work environment.
2. Recognize and Reward Mentorship: Acknowledge the efforts of those who contribute to situational mentoring. Whether through formal awards or simple recognition, this reinforces the value of mentoring in your organization.
3. Create a Culture of Openness: Encourage mentors to adapt their mentoring style based on the mentee's needs and the context or situation they are currently facing. 
4. Leverage Technology: Mentorship programs can be resource-intensive, but new technologies can streamline the process.

For example, Brancher’s mentoring software allows you to easily launch, monitor, and track the effectiveness of mentoring relationships within your organization. Additionally, Brancher provides training on how to be a mentor, reinforcing the idea that anyone can be a mentor, regardless of experience.

Conclusion

Situational mentoring offers a flexible, effective approach to mentoring in today’s fast-paced work environment that is relevant to the individual needs of a mentee instead of a ready-made, one-size-fits-all approach to mentoring. Providing timely, relevant guidance, improving engagement, and promoting continuous learning, it can significantly benefit both individuals and organizations. Contact us today to book a demo and discover how our software can support your organization’s mentorship program.

Sources:

1. Baker, Mary; Weinberger, Gerri; (2024, March 20). Gartner. Gartner Survey Finds Just 46% of Employees Are Satisfied with Their Career Development. https://www.gartner.com/en/newsroom/press-releases/2024-03-20-gartner-finds-46-percent-employees-are-satisified-with-career-development
2. Gallup. (2024). State of the Global Workplace. https://www.gallup.com/workplace/349484/state-of-the-global-workplace.aspx
3. Deloitte. The Deloitte Global Millennial Survey 2022. https://www2.deloitte.com/ph/en/pages/about-deloitte/articles/millennialsurvey.html
4. LinkedIn Learning. 2018 Workplace Learning Trends. https://learning.linkedin.com/resources/workplace-learning-report-2018?src=li-scin&veh=7010d000001BicLAASv2&cid=7010d000001BicLAAS&bf=1
5. Hunt, Dame Vivian. (2023, December 5). McKinsey & Company. Diversity matters even more: The case for holistic impact. https://www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/diversity-and-inclusion/diversity-matters-even-more-the-case-for-holistic-impact