Growing up in the townships of Mamelodi and Eersterust, I’d wondered why there was a shortage of women mentors. There were always men who one could tap into for guidance and direction.
When I asked to be mentored by a woman, I was told by the women themselves that they didn’t have time because they were too busy and had other responsibilities outside of work. Having “been in the trenches themselves”, female mentors may have a better understanding of the issues faced by other women in a male-dominated workplace.
So, is it because men are further along in their careers because of circumstance and are better equipped to mentor others as opposed to women? Or is it because women feel threatened by other women, or are we too emotional? How do we, as older women, enable mentoring for younger women? This could be done by simply putting out a call for people looking for mentorship opportunities in areas they want to grow into in their careers in the organisations they work for. This should align with the learning and development goals for the team or organisation. This is a method of actively promoting the development of every employee.
How do we as women start bringing along other women on this journey? By being kind. To encourage self-confidence and a positive attitude that will encourage women in the workplace to grow in their jobs and continue moving forward.
This is a needle in a haystack. There is no clear framework for Mentorships. So it's a waste of time.