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To attract and retain great people, several things need to coalesce, and effective mentoring is a key element, says Harvard Business Review.

"Companies with abundant mentoring opportunities are more likely to retain their people. To achieve this, offer a range of mentors for people at different career stages."

Here are three types of mentoring you should consider:

1. Buddy or peer mentors. In the early stages of a person's career, a "buddy" can help speed up the learning curve. This relationship helps the protégé understand how things work at the organization.

2. Career mentors. After the initial period at a workplace, employees need to have a senior manager serve as a career adviser and advocate.

3. Life mentors. A life mentor serves as a periodic sounding board when one is faced with a career challenge. Organizations can't necessarily offer a life mentor but they can encourage seeing one.

This management tip was adapted from " Keeping Great People with Three Kinds of Mentors," by Anthony Tjan.

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