As you move into leadership positions throughout your career, you might find yourself mentoring or sponsoring junior employees. Here are three ways to ensure a positive developmental relationship.

* Establish a reciprocal and mutual dynamic. While you help the employee advance in their careers, you too should feel revitalized by learning new skills and gaining an understanding of a younger generation with ambitions, priorities, and challenges different from your own.

* Encourage openness and authenticity. To develop a stronger relationship, both you and your counterpart should share your thoughts, perspectives, and feelings candidly, while being open to those of the other person.

* Validate each other’s experiences. When you both feel heard, understood, and endorsed by each other, you’ll both experience a growing sense of competence, confidence, and self-worth. These new feelings should inspire you both to not only learn from your interactions, but also to act on the lessons you learn.
This tip is adapted from “How to Do Sponsorship Right,” by Herminia Ibarra
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