Are Women Difficult to Mentor?

I have often wondered why some people find women particularly difficult to mentor. I conducted a survey involving 200 people who were from the managerial and supervisory levels. More than half of the people surveyed felt that it was not true that women today are difficult to mentor. Many felt that the ability to mentor women depends largely on their job functions and types of industry they are in. It also depends on the mentoring techniques used and the mentor themselves.

Generally, it was agreed that women of today make excellent managers owing to their access to higher education. However, some still felt that women, especially Asians, tend to be less broad minded. They are more risk averse and tend to stick to rules and procedures. As a result, their approach to problems differ from male counterparts... choosing the safe route rather than the challenging one.

Notwithstanding that, many mentors felt that women today are smart and intuitive. They are more inquisitive than males and have a questioning nature which make them good learners. If mentored properly, they will develop superior reasoning capabilities. However, women do not like to be bullied. They are willing to be challenged and do not give up easily.

It is interesting to note that most of the folks interviewed did not describe their women mentees as emotional and high-strung folks. Instead, they felt that this depends on the individual. In fact, many felt that women have better ability to deal with stress. They may feel frustrated from time to time, but they continue to persevere because of their strong family commitments. They bear up for their children's sake.

In addition, women tend to be conscious of their own disabilities. They fear to fail and face embarrassment in front of their bosses and peers. Thus, they tend to take instructions well and follow through as per directive.

Overall, mentoring women is no different from mentoring men. They all need to be guided and appreciated. No one likes to be scolded and shouted at. It is important that mentors remember this and be guided by the psychological differences of their mentees to effect change in mindsets that will lead to positive outcomes.