Strengthening Work Relationships Through Mentoring: Learning with JPMorgan Chase & Co. and MENTOR
December 20, 2022
December 20, 2022
On Wednesday, November 30, MENTOR was thrilled to host “Strengthening Work Relationships Through Mentoring,” a virtual learning session produced in conjunction with JPMorgan Chase. The event consisted of a conversation between Nathan Houston, Director of Youth Development at MENTOR California, and Modou Sissoho, a sophomore economics major at Bates College and participant in The Fellowship Initiative (TFI), a JPMorgan Chase mentorship program that provides hands-on intensive support for promising young men of color in New York, Chicago, Dallas, and Los Angeles.
Over the past decade, TFI has matched more than 350 high school Fellows with JPMorgan Chase employees who serve as mentors. The students receive coaching, academic support, and leadership development that prepare them for college and career success. The model has proven effective thus far – 100% of TFI participants have graduated high school and been accepted to college.
Jeronima Nix, MENTOR’s Director of Workplace Mentoring, kicked off the event by outlining the benefits of workplace mentoring for both mentors and mentees. Nix noted that in her role, a new one at MENTOR, she spends a substantial amount of time thinking about how to cultivate healthy youth-adult mentoring relationships in the workplace. These relationships can reap significant dividends: when employers support youth mentoring, 73% of employees report strong career satisfaction.
Following Nix’s introduction, Houston and Sissoho shared their own insights about the benefits of workplace mentorship. Sissoho – who began as a student in TFI and now serves as an ambassador and mentor for the program – spoke to the growth he has experienced as a result of his participation in the program, citing resume and interview preparation and public speaking practice as crucial supports. He recalled, “I moved to the United States in eighth grade and was a shy kid with an accent, and I used to struggle with public speaking. TFI had us do monthly presentations, and throughout my years at TFI I was able to improve my public speaking massively. At the end of high school, I had to give a speech in front of a room of a hundred people. Because of TFI, I knew what to do, I knew how to deliver my speech, and I knew how to talk to a roomful of people.”
When asked what advice he’d give potential TFI mentors, Sissoho responded, “Don’t go in there feeling like you have to save someone. Go in thinking, ‘I’m here to learn as well. I can learn something from this young man of color.’ As much as they’ll learn from you, you’re also going to learn from them.”
As a more seasoned professional, Houston also shared the impact workplace mentorship had on him, saying, “Before I worked at MENTOR California, I was at the same organization for 18 years. It was connections like Modou is describing – older adults who were spending time to cultivate relationships with me – that were the reason I stayed.”
The impact of mentorship and relationships became most clear when Sissoho recalled that he had considered dropping out of the TFI program due to a scheduling conflict with a soccer league in which he played. Rather than telling him what to do, Sissoho’s mentor encouraged him to think about what was most important to him and how each option tied into those priorities. Sissoho realized, “I have a brotherhood here [at TFI]. I have a family here that supports me daily. And as much as I love soccer, I don’t need to play in a league to do that. I know that I couldn’t find a family like TFI ever again.”
The event concluded with a presentation about MENTOR’s Becoming a Better Mentor resource and how it can be used in workplace mentoring. Designed for anyone who wants to learn how to support young people more effectively, Becoming a Better Mentor provides actionable tips on topics ranging from effective online communication to integrating fun and play into relationships. The resource is available in English and Spanish and will soon be launched as an audiobook.
We would like to thank Modou Sissoho and Nathan Houston for their participation and JPMorgan Chase for their continued partnership as a champion for workforce mentoring!