If you've been among the select few who've been assigned a mentor at some point in your career development, you've been, in effect, groomed for bigger and better things. You then may have been asked — or will be asked in the future — to mentor an employee below you in the organizational hierarchy. Mentoring at various levels in an organization is a forward-thinking approach to managing and increasingly commonplace in the corporate world.

The benefits of furnishing such tutors throughout an organization — from top to bottom — are demonstrably positive. Because of the knowledge transfer and perpetual sharing of ideas and observations, mentees are positioned to adapt more readily to the fast-paced changes in the organization and the overall business environment. It's a win-win situation for all involved.