According to The Center for Talent Innovation, a nonprofit advising companies on diversity, most managers choose mentees who are similar to them— both in terms of physical characteristics and management style. The center polled over 3,200 men and women in white collar jobs and found that actually about 71 percent of mentors say their gender and race is the same as that of their proteges. And it goes beyond that; 77 percent of mentees have the same management style or skills as their mentor.
The study's findings are a bit disappointing, as we know that there are so many advantages to having diverse mentorship. Seeking a mentor that's not a mirror image of yourself opens you up to new perspectives, helping you make more well-rounded, informed decisions in the workplace. And finding the right mentor is incredibly important, according to the CTI, seeing as employees with mentors are generally happier with their job and pace of promotion.
