- This is a journey that requires dedication and being honest with yourself.
This is how Yrjö Eskola, Director of Postal Services, answers when asked what Millenial mentoring is like. Trainee, who is new to the house in Millenial mentoring, belongs to the Posti’s Management Team. Yrjö's mentor is Anniina Puhilas, who works in Consumer Postal Services.
- Yeah, we have started here boldly and with an open mind, says Anniina.
Conversations Fly High
Yrjö and Anniina have met remotely several times already, and a conversational connection was found between the duo very quickly. At the very beginning, a common interest in working life and career was found, and the topics for discussion have been outlined in advance. Values have been an important topic in Yrjö and Anniina's chat sessions.
- At the beginning, there was an exciting observation that not all of our values are completely different. Similarities were found, such as flexible working and learning. Working life and career development have been the subject of discussions for us, Yrjö says.
- I myself have got a lot out of our conversation. Ykä has a long and varied experience, there are not many places where you could get such an effective one-on-one conversation, says Anniina.
Mentoring moments are not planned too carefully in advance, even if the topic is agreed upon. Speech can kneel far from where it was originally intended to go.
- We have had easy-going conversations and have not been paying much attention to details. There has been such an expansion of consciousness, we do not necessarily aim to register any action points, Yrjö says.
- We have always had good discussions and natural dialogue, says Anniina.
Mutual Sparring
The purpose of mentoring is not that mentor Anniina speaks and the mentee Yrjö listens. The point of the program is to benefit and teach both.
- It is important that mentoring is a two-way sparring situation. Building a conversational relationship, one that opens up worldviews, is useful and mutually fun, Yrjö describes.
Yrjö has received information from Anniina about influencing through organizations, for example, while Anniina admires Yrjö's experience.
- I can mirror what Ykä says about his career and choices in his own career and what I want to do in the future.
Conversation with a person with different starting points, age and worldviews is already valuable in itself for both.
- If you only talk to similar people, then the conversation is quite limited, Yrjö concludes.
In the Millenial Mentoring Program, participants of the Posti Trainee Program mentor the members of the Posti Management Team. Reverse mentoring has many benefits: members of the management team get to hear what values and insights millennials have, and they can get a lot of fresh ideas for doing their own work. Millennials can also provide guidance on issues such as technology, social media, and general trends. Mentoring mentors, on the other hand, can become more closely involved in their new work community by collaborating with the management team. At the same time, it will give good tips for building your own career.
The mentor pairs are: Razieh Zare – Kaj Kulp, Anna Juusonen – Kaarina Ståhlberg, Vesa Pulkkinen – Janne Ojanperä, Henri Torniainen – Tom Jansson, Emilia Rantala – Hanna Reijonen, Aleksanteri Fagerholm – Petteri Naulapää, Markus Hirvola – Sakari Kiiskinen, Anniina Puhilas – Yrjö Eskola, Katariina Honkanen – Maiju Fernelius ja Henri Törnwall – Turkka Kuusisto.