One of the highs of my job is getting to work with and learn from some of the most amazing people on the planet: men and women who coordinate mentoring programs or initiatives in their organizations. They love what they do and probably have more highs at work than many other professionals do.

What I love is that they’re also honest about what’s difficult and what disappoints them. Maybe because they’re so dedicated and passionate about their work, their “lows” hit hard. Here are some of the examples I’ve collected.

The Highs

1. Being a part of an upbeat, uplifting organizational endeavor.

All of the coordinators I’ve met talk about how enjoyable it is to be part of something proactive and positive. Mentoring isn’t about discipline, low performance, dissatisfied employees, layoffs, and other real but rugged organizational issues and problems.

Ginger LaBine, Director of Organizational Development for MDU Resources Group, Inc., experiences this high “When I send an invitation for a mentoring event and I receive responses within one hour of sending the message.” She feels even higher “During our annual celebration luncheon when our mentees and mentors share their experiences and two days later when I hear the current year mentees speak about what they heard and how motivated and inspired they were by the messages.”

It doesn’t get much better than using your talents to help others excel—and to help others help others excel.

2. Seeing the positive changes in mentees.

Coordinators report tremendous satisfaction as they watch mentees of all ages and backgrounds take responsibility for their lives and careers, make key relationships, take new steps, and acquire skills and knowledge they never thought possible. Jeff Icenhower, Manager of Organizational Effectiveness at BNSF Railway Company put it this way: “There are lots of highs. I think the best is when I meet someone who was a mentee two or three years before and they tell me, ‘That was still the best development experience I have ever had!’”

Mike Smith, Global Benefits Director and Mentoring Expert for the worldwide Entrepreneurs’ Organization (EO) shared an anecdote: "I think of a specific member who, within a month of starting his mentorship, faced a crisis in his business and his personal life. He credits his mentor with saving both his company and his marriage. I know that while I did not provide the experience he needed, I created the opportunity for him to find it, the mechanisms for him to experience it, and the network of peers for him to lean on through his crisis".

Others mention the pleasure of observing mentees promoted or reach career milestones; seeing a direct, significant positive impact in the lives and businesses of members; watching mentees step up to become mentors; seeing mentors and mentees from past program years still in contact and using each other as sounding boards.

3. Seeing the positive impact on mentors.

Coordinators expect mentees to enjoy their experiences and change for the better, but it’s always an extra bonus when mentors are thrilled with the process. According to Jeff Icenhouser, “A great high is talking with a mentor who obviously loves having the opportunity to help others in the organization.”

In our work with organizations worldwide, coordinators rave about observable changes in mentors: renewed enthusiasm for their careers, brand new knowledge and skills gained from the mentees and from being mentors; deep satisfaction at giving back and leaving a legacy.

4. Being able to connect the dots from their entire lives to date.

As I said in the beginning, mentoring coordinators are amazing individuals. Everyone I’ve met has worked in a variety of fields and jobs, has had numerous adventures some of which seem almost random, and hasn’t necessarily followed a typical career path. Many see being coordinators of mentoring (“mentors of mentors” as it were) as what they were headed for all along.

Their work allows them to “connect the dots” from all these life experiences, come alongside the mentors and mentees, and pull from their own pasts to relate to the mentors and mentees in empathetic and credible ways. As one anonymous coordinator told me, “My career finally makes sense.”

THE LOWS

1. Selling the still skeptical.

Many coordinators are still convincing their organizations that formalized mentoring is worth the effort. They often have to spend time convincing and re-convincing authorities to provide budgets and recognize that mentoring initiatives take considerable time and work.

At some point, most struggle with finding sufficient mentors to go around. As Mike Smith put it: “My biggest energy drainer is the difficulty in motivating first time mentors. Convincing them to contribute their time and experience to a mentee without any foreseeable direct benefit is a tough sell. Once they commit and get involved, they understand the value, but getting them to commit is tough.”

2. Helping disappointed mentees

Coordinators report how difficult it is to tell mentees that no mentors are available. Ginger LeBine feels low “When we have more mentees requesting a mentor than there are mentors to engage. I’m also disappointed when the work of the day doesn’t allow for mentees and mentors to have the quality time needed for a good experience.”

Even though coordinators usually help mentees set realistic expectations, the coordinators take it personally when someone is hurt and even temporarily left out of the game.

3. Handling frustrated mentors

Coordinators report how hard it is to appease frustrated mentors. When mentees seem enthusiastic in the beginning but don’t follow through, mentors become upset, rightfully complain to the coordinators, and sometimes want to withdraw from programs. Since the mentor numbers are limited in the first place, this puts added pressure on the coordinators.

Finally, tongue in cheek, Jeff Icenhower mentioned one more dip in his life: “One low I have experienced is not being called on to help once mentees and mentors get started. This is based on a (flawed) assumption that I will be able to add greatly to their experience once they are started. Nope, I rarely hear from them and they do just fine. I call this the “Maytag repairperson syndrome.’ The ‘loneliest man in town’...” Mentoring coordinators seem to have an advanced sense of humor.

In conclusion, mentoring coordinators experience countless highs, a few of which are listed here. They face some lows, too. And yet all I have met say they love their work and plan to keep these career-capping positions. We here at The Mentoring Group thank and congratulate them for the incredible work they do.

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