The times may have changed, yes. Yesterday’s business lunch is today’s LinkedIn connection. But the foundation of a quality mentor/mentee relationship remains much the same.

“One of the foundations of mentorship is really understanding what your goal is in looking for or establishing a mentee/mentorship relationship,” Samantha Cunningham Zawilinski, vice president of account services at Potratz Advertising, told Auto Remarketing Canada earlier this year.

By first establishing the goal of a business relationship before embarking on the “journey,” one can also minimize the risk of entering a business connection that is not mutually beneficial. 

Mentorship is about having those “go-to” people in your business environment with whom you can strategize, talk to post-problem, find solutions, and “just simply just bounce things off of,” said Cunningham Zawilinski, a keynote speaker at the 2019 Women & Automotive Canadian Leadership Forum. 

Debbie Butt, area parts and service manager at Toyota Canada and a 2019 Women & Automotive Profile in Leadership honoree, said that as she established her own career, she experienced an abundance of support from many co-workers and managers.  Butt sees this support as having provided her with the “insights to mentor the next generation to succeed.”

“If someone supports you and welcomes you with open arms, it motivates you to do better,” she said.

Alternative mentorship methods

Mentorship, “like other power dynamics—has evolved substantially,” said Carrie Oliva,  a 2018 Profile in Leadership honoree and director of product for Strathcom Media. Not only has the traditional mentor and mentee relationship changed completely, but the business environment in 2020 is different, as well, she said.

“Whether through social media or other online channels, I’ve been able to both give and receive advice to people I’ve never even met. People who don’t know my real name, or even people that don’t know the specifics of my career. It breaks up the hierarchy of the role, making it more democratic. And that democracy can take on different shapes,” Oliva said.

For example, Oliva has taken part in collaborative mentorships, through which a group of professionals brought their collective experiences and expertise together in order to guide a single mentee.

“Being open to building relationships — regardless of format — has helped both shape my career and worldview, and being able to connect to anyone with a similar problem yet a vastly different experience has helped me grow exponentially,” Oliva said. 

She said, however, that this collaborative opportunity and others would likely not have been possible without the internet or social media. Again, mentorship has evolved, yet the goals remain largely the same.

That said, in today’s productivity-driven, gig-like economy, it can often seem hard to find a mentor, and/or make time for a mentee. Competition is heavy, and time is in short supply.

But Oliva says that an increasingly competitive environment and high expectations necessitate new ways of thinking — and new ways of getting the job done.

“As the path to reaching our goals changes, success will be found in utilizing new ways to share that knowledge and those experiences … That’s why we’re seeing a lot of non-linear paths to reaching professional and personal goals, but that just makes strong mentorship all the more important,” Oliva said.

 Cunningham Zawilinski also thinks the path to mentorship may be changing, and contends that the industry needs to start thinking outside the box and expanding the search pool when looking for mentors or mentees. 

For example, many professionals, in the auto industry and beyond, are on the lookout for younger mentors.

Technology has helped spur this shift, as many Baby Boomers look to learn new technologies to remain relevant and up-to-speed in the workplace. Millennials and Gen Zs entering the workforce grew up with many of these programs and technologies. For example, advanced Excel skills, SQL databases, basic HTML, Trello, Slack and chat tools and much more.

Cunningham Zawilinski said, “In many ways, at times a younger generation may have either developed the technology, better utilized it, or found ways in which the ever-changing ecosystem can bring a different perspective to the conversation.”

She said she has received mentorship from younger team members at her agency in approaching different utilizations of technology or software.

“Really, anybody can be a mentor to you based on what you’re looking to do, or how you are looking to learn or grow,” Cunningham Zawilinski said. 

And in this digital age, the search for the right mentor could be a bit easier than it may have been in the past.

“There’s so much content and resources out there, that no matter what your goal is for establishing a mentor/mentee relationship, for the most part, I think you’ll find what you’re looking for,” Cunningham Zawilinski said.

At Zanchin Automotive Group, Andrea and Laura Zanchin, both executive vice presidents and principals at the dealer group, and 2019 Profile in Leadership honorees, said they take a varied approach, as well, when it comes to promoting mentorship relationships at their stores.

They facilitate mentorship relationships in their dealerships after closely studying their employees needs and strengths. They also hold regular focus meetings to help employees learn and grow particular skills, or see how another area of the dealership is run and managed.

These meetings often go like this: Store leadership may have noticed a salesperson struggling during a particular area of a sale, or perhaps could benefit from learning more about a specific brand the store offers. In this case, a meeting may be facilitated with another staff member that’s a “star” in that particular area to encourage growth and advancement, and just share knowledge.

“They always get something out of it, if they have the desire to learn and are open to different concepts,” Andrea Zanchin said.

“And when that happens, it’s magic,” Laura Zanchin added.

And although mentorship relationships today may look a bit different than 20 or so years ago, the benefit of solid advice from those with experience “will never go out of style,” Strathcom Media’s Oliva said.

The role of the manager to facilitate mentorship

Laura and Andrea Zanchin take a hands-on approach to mentorship, as leaders in their dealer groups’ stores.

Often, mentorship relationships can simply start by talking to your employees — “a lot,” they both said.

“When you’re truly talking with and engaging these individuals, you find out certain things; you find out they’ve just gotten thrown into this job; you find out whether they have a passion for it, whether they are looking for another role in the dealership. And you can guide them on that path, if they are driven and motivated,” Laura Zanchin said.

But first, you have to communicate, and fully understand where your employees are in their career path, and in terms of their goals.

“Communication never fails you. At every store, you have a bunch of different types of people, and some are strong in certain areas, while others need guidance or direction,” Laura Zanchin said. “And I think as a leader you understand who’s got the potential,” and who could benefit from a mentor or mentee relationship.

And then you help facilitate. But Andrea and Laura Zanchin both agree the process can take time.

Andrea Zanchin said, “I think mentorship is so difficult because you know, everybody craves a mentor in this day and age, somebody to look up to and somebody to aspire to be. But it’s so hard to identify those people. As leaders, it’s up to us to identify the people that actually want to learn, and then pair them with somebody at the store that is a good teacher and willing to share.”

“You’re preparing them for the future, and potentially grooming your next manager or leader in the store,” she added.

Oliva says she thinks there is a lot of truth to the saying, “Employees don’t quit their jobs; they quit their boss.”

“Leadership and mentorship are closely intertwined … leaders who focus on facilitating great working environments and putting people first, well, they tend to empower those people to succeed. It also tends to increase the time an employee spends at that organization,” she added.

Importance of business connections in 2020

Business connections to the younger generations may become even more important in years to come as networks continue to expand, and truly meaningful professional relationships become harder to come by.

Natasha Korkor, sales manager,  Ontario East, iA Dealer Services – SAL Division, offered her take on the importance of business relationships in automotive.

 “In my opinion, the true value lies in building meaningful business relationships where both parties can benefit from the connection through collaboration,” she said.

And Butt, of Toyota Canada, goes so far as to call business connections the “value chain to be successful.”

“The importance of business connections allows us to work together to create a more holistic work environment,” she added.

 Potratz’ Cunningham Zawilinski said that establishing that “inner circle” of individuals you can work collectively within and outside of your organization is the “big thing” to her, when considering business connections in today’s market.

“Having connections outside of your existing workplace allows you to learn from others. It allows you to identify perhaps what your challenges are, and potentially solutions,” she said. “And most of the time, you find these are not uniquely your challenges, especially in auto.”

And business connections have taken on a whole new meaning in recent decades with the onset and proliferation of social media, resulting in boundless more opportunities for networking. The world is increasingly connected, with the rise of the Internet of Things, the explosion in connectivity and big data, social media and more.

“It just takes being proactive, and making the move, and more often than not, individuals are very receptive to it,” Cunningham Zawilinski said. “If you feel as if there is someone you want to start a conversation with in regards to mentorship and/or networking, reach out to them, and be really clear about your intent. And you know, sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t, but you do build authority with that individual.”

And often, that small, and simple step of reaching out online might lead to much more.

For Oliva, it did.

 “I most certainly wouldn’t be where I am today if it weren’t for the mentors I’ve had, and the relationships I’ve built,” she said. “I’ve been very lucky in my career, finding trusted mentors that have provided me guidance while allowing me to grow into my own, and I do my absolute best to pay it forward.”