The Value of Female Mentorship: Finding your Perfect She-Mentor

The relationship between a mentor and a mentee can be life-changing. It is no secret that prominent business leaders such as Steve Jobs, Mark Zuckerberg and Bill Gates attribute part of their success to the help of a mentor.  

According to Robert Walters, 94% of women say mentoring would help their careers. We can not help but agree, as mentors provide a fountain of knowledge and expertise that without mentorship can be left untapped. 

Mentors support mentees through actions and words, sharing knowledge and expertise to help them develop and grow. 

Women represent almost half of South Africa’s workforce, but men still dominate senior roles. This tells us that there is a significant wealth of untapped knowledge that female professionals and mentors have to offer to start bridging this gender gap.

81% of women find mentorship valuable when taking on additional responsibilities or moving into management, which is why we feel to reach our full potential women need to start empowering other women.

As we already know, the culture of gender inequality doesn’t favour women, and male colleagues or mentors may not have the experience to fully grasp the solutions required to help women navigate the business landscape from a uniquely female perspective. Women inherently have a better understanding of tackling gender issues in the workplace and are better suited to guide others on this journey.

She-mentors can offer unique experiences around career development that may help women succeed where others have failed. When women mentor the growth of fellow female entrepreneurs, they can build sustainable female leadership networks and business roles that can begin to challenge male-dominated industry norms.

The value of mentorship lies within the unique perspective of the mentor and their ability to help guide your professional development. Furthermore, 94% of women said mentoring or coaching was an important career development strategy.

A female perspective can also help add value to other women in the following ways:

As a woman, navigating a solo business career can be intimidating in a male-dominated business environment. However, having a mentor who can guide you through similar experiences will help to increase your confidence when making decisions that will help you grow in your career.

A mentor can help you define your path and help you put in place SMART goals that will aid in your development and growth, be it for your career or business. And for women, a female mentor may be the best individual to guide them on the correct processes and possible actions to take to achieve these goals. 

Mentors are there to share knowledge. Making daily business and career decisions can be daunting however, speaking to a mentor who has been through the same or similar experiences can help guide you in making the right decisions for your growth. So, when it comes to bridging the gender gap surround yourself with people who have successfully navigated those waters such as empowered businesswomen.

78% of women prefer being mentored by someone outside of the business.

Finding the right mentor outside of your current business or job can be a challenge but the first step is the easiest with Startwise!

Reach out to your perfect mentor by signing up as a mentee with Startwise or become the perfect mentor by joining the SME Advice platform as an industry professional.

It’s your job to let potential mentors know that you need help growing your business.