Effective Mentoring Programs for Leadership Development
How to run a corporate mentoring program
How do you
retain and prepare your best talent to lead? Mentoring programs are one
of the most effective tools in achieving business results. The authors
of the book, War on Talent reported, “Of those who have had a
highly helpful mentoring experience, 95 percent indicated it motivated
them to do their very best, 88 percent said it made them less likely to
leave their company, and 97 percent said it contributed to their success
at the company.”
Many
organizations have discovered providing a mentor for high performing
employees not only helps them settle into their job and company
environment, but also contributes to a lower employee turnover rate and
greater job satisfaction.
A mentor,
basically, is someone who serves as a counselor or guide. Being asked
to serve as a mentor is an honor. It indicates the company has faith in
the person’s abilities and trusts him or her to have a positive impact
on the situation. The use of a mentor may be an informal, short-term
situation or a more formal, long-term assignment.
In an
informal mentoring program, the mentor usually helps the mentee for a
limited period of time. Advice from the mentor may include the most
basic of information about everyday routines including tips about “do’s
and don’ts” not found in the employee manual to helping the employee
learn job responsibilities and prepare them for future roles in the
organization. A mentor who is available to answer questions and provide
leadership development also saves time for the supervisor or manager.
In addition, mentees often feel more comfortable asking questions of
their mentor than their supervisor.
In a
program of this type, mentors often are volunteers. Forcing someone who
does not want to serve as a mentor to do so can quickly create
problems. Obviously, someone with a negative attitude, who might
encourage a new employee to gripe and complain, should not serve as a
mentor.
A more
formal version corporate mentoring program occurs when an organization appoints a
senior manager with extensive knowledge and experience to serve as a
mentor to a professional the company feels has excellent potential for
growth. The mentor’s role usually lasts for an extended period of time.
Effective
mentoring programs must have senior level support from the beginning,
otherwise it will fail to get the attention and support it needs to
become part of the organization’s culture. Experience shows the most
effective mentoring programs are run by senior level executives, not
just the human resources department.
Whether
informal or formal, both parties need to understand the parameters.
These may be more important in a long-term, formal mentoring situation,
but can also influence the success of short-term, informal mentoring.
·
Select the right mentor. Not everyone makes a good
mentor. A mentor is someone who is respected, successful and
understands the culture of the organization. They must be willing to
make a commitment of their time and knowledge.
·
Ensure proper pairing and create an emotional bond.
It is helpful to conduct a behavioral assessment on both the mentee and
mentor. This insures proper matching and helps both parties understand
each other’s communication styles, strengths and limitations.
·
Establish goals and a purpose. The mentor needs to
outline these areas at the beginning. The goals should be in alignment
with the strategic plan. Just as important, the protégé should outline
their objectives as well.
·
The mentor’s role is to coach and advise the mentee.
The mentor does not interfere with the supervisor or manager’s
decisions. The new employee, while expected to seek the mentor’s advice
particularly on critical issues, is not bound to accept that advice.
·
Confidentiality is important. Both parties need to
feel confident that discussions remain between them--not immediately
relayed to a supervisor or manager.
·
Decide in advance how you will communicate. Will
you have regularly scheduled meetings? Will discussion be face-to-face,
over the telephone or even via e-mail? Both parties need to make their
preferences known at the beginning and reach an acceptable compromise if
they are different.
·
Discuss time limits. If the mentoring period has a
time limit the mentor should state that at the beginning.
·
Discuss time commitments. Again, this may be more
critical for long-term, formal mentoring. The mentor must expect to
give the employee adequate time, but the newcomer should not expect
excessive amounts. Setting a schedule at the beginning (example: meet
once a week the first month, then once a month after that) avoids
irritating misunderstandings later.
·
Build openness and respect. Both the mentor and
the person being mentored need to be open and honest, yet respect the
other. A mentor who withholds important information or comments does
not contribute to the other person’s success. However, such feedback
should be delivered with tact and courtesy--and (even if somewhat
hurtful) received with an open mind.
·
Establish a professional relationship. The
relationship between the mentor and his or her protégé is a professional
one, not a personal one. This is particularly important for the mentee
to understand.
Other
mentoring resources:
