Count mentoring as work

Integrity · Little Light original

An experienced colleague becomes the person everyone recommends to new hires. She listens, explains the unwritten context and helps others prepare for opportunities. The organisation praises her generosity, then measures her as though none of those conversations occupied time that could have gone to her own targets. Mentoring is valuable because it requires real attention. Treat it that way. Agree on a reasonable number of people, protect time in the workload and include the contribution when performance and promotion are discussed. Create more mentors instead of allowing one trusted person to become the unofficial support system for an entire team. The relationship should remain human, not become another quota. The work around it can still be designed fairly. Generosity should not quietly reduce the career options of the person offering it. When an organisation asks someone to help others grow, it should make room for her growth too. Appreciation matters most when it changes what she is expected to carry.

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