Mentorship can play a critical role in women’s lives by helping them reach leadership positions and perform their work successfully. Even though their presence within administrative jobs has significantly increased throughout recent years, men are evidently still in the majority. Block and Tietjen-Smith (2016) analyzed their own experiences and many studies on females in the workplace in order to determine the influence of mentoring practices. The authors focused on women’s status in higher education, the importance of progressing in their careers, and the necessity of gender-based guidance.
Block and Tietjen-Smith (2016) concluded that mentorship is essential for females, who often encounter a number of challenges while advancing in their professions due to male domination and social norms. They are convinced that women need to be supported and guided by same-gender role models who have already resolved different problems on their way to upper-level administrative positions. It is noted, “it is important for women … to become aware of the barriers that exist in their institutions and process those barriers with women who have navigated them successfully” (Block & Tietjen-Smith, 2016, p. 308). Unfortunately, there are fewer female leaders than male ones ready to mentor their subordinates. However, it is vital to pay more attention to the issue now to see positive changes in the future. Additionally, both Block and Tietjen-Smith appear to be objective and competent in the subject; thus, their view is worth consideration. Even though they do not offer practical approaches to address the issue, they clearly emphasize the faculty’s role.
In conclusion, the article discusses the significance of mentoring practices for women’s career advancement within higher-educational institutions. It proves that they can help females effectively handle various barriers produced by social norms and male-dominated upper administration. This article is highly relevant to the lack of mentorship of African American women, as it demonstrates females’ status within the workplace and offers potential benefits of same-gender mentoring practices.
Reference
Block, B. A., & Tietjen-Smith, T. (2016). The case for women mentoring women. The Future of Kinesiology in Higher Education, 68(3), 306-315. Web.