Dear subscribers,

Welcome to the most recent edition of Reach the Top Connects.

This month, we focus on mentoring, a process that centers on the power of human relationships to transfer corporate knowledge and expertise and build a greater sense of personal and career satisfaction for both the mentor and the protégé.

Because mentoring is about the one-on-one relationship between two individuals, it’s often difficult to quantify the results. However, companies that have implanted successful mentoring programs list the benefits of these business relationships in terms of improved productivity, higher retention (and therefore lower turnover costs) and the creation of a multicultural team made up of diverse individuals who bring their own unique problem-solving capabilities and creativity to the table.

If your organization doesn’t have a mentoring program in place, you may want to consider this important training tool that, over time, promotes employee growth and development at very little cost to your budget.

Donna Billings

P.S. In the April edition of Connects, we’ll feature an exclusive interview with journalist and author Joan Anderson. My quest with Joan began as part of a reflective “weekend by the sea,” which grew out of her life-altering experiences chronicled in the book A Year by the Sea: Thoughts of an Unfinished Woman. This past Autumn, I had the pleasure of connecting with Joan again on a trip to Scotland where we took “time out of time” from our busy lives to explore where we’ve been and where we are headed in these modern times.

Whether you’re already a fan of Joan’s — or are interested in learning more about her work and philosophy (including insight about the value of mentoring and coaching others) — I encourage you to mark your calendar and log on to www.reachthetop.net on April 2.

The Power of Mentoring

A successful mentoring program provides opportunities for learning, networking and collaborative growth — with little impact on an organization’s training budget

Men-tor (‘men-‘tor) n.
[<Mentor, a friend of Odysseus]
1. A wise, loyal advisor
2. A trusted counselor or guide
3. A teacher, coach

What is mentoring?
Mentoring is a process by which an experienced person provides advice, support and encouragement to a less experienced person. A mentor leads through guidance and example.

Current research indicates people who have a mentor early in their careers typically find their careers enhanced by the experience and are more likely to use coaching and teamwork in their own management styles.

Why develop and implement a mentoring program?
Mentoring is a tool that:

• Promotes diversity of thought and style.
• Helps to develop leadership talent, particularly with an organization’s “star” performers, by giving them access to the organization’s subject experts.
• Fosters a collaborative environment within an organization by familiarizing protégés, particularly new hires, with other departments. Inter-departmental networking gives protégés a deeper understanding of the day-to-day operation and helps to immerse them in an organization’s corporate culture.
• Increases the protégé’s visibility.
• Allows protégés to become mentors themselves.
• Provides organizational knowledge to employees with minimal direct training cost.

How to develop and implement a mentoring program
A mentoring program should encompass:

Plan
The planning committee, which should include at least one senior executive, is responsible for developing program goals and objectives; formulating the program’s structure; determining staffing requirements; defining the mentoring relationship, including timeframes; and soliciting support.

Recruit
This process should encompass criteria for recruiting protégés and mentors, including identifying star performers and new hires who would benefit from mentoring. It should also define mentors’ essential qualities and expectations and solicit volunteers. Good interpersonal and communication skills are key — not to mention a positive attitude. Make sure you have a deep pool of mentors before you launch your program.

Train
Formal mentor orientation must focus on program goals and objectives; diversity awareness; methods for building trust and honing listening and communication skills; and information on what mentors may encounter throughout the program.

Pair
When pairing a protégé with a mentor, it’s important to consider what the protégé needs, each participant’s business background and experience, common interests, and cultural and diversity similarities or differences.

Remember, even if the match seems perfect, the two personalities may not “jive.” If this happens, after the first or second meeting, be prepared to step in and discuss the situation and, if it can’t be resolved, make a different pairing.

Support
Work doesn’t stop once you’ve successfully paired mentors and protégés. Ongoing support should included arranging any off-site meetings and checking in frequently with participants to make sure each relationship is running smoothly.

It’s also advantageous to:

• Hold regular meetings where mentors may talk about their experiences, receive feedback from their peers and offer constructive suggestions.
• Close mentoring relationships when the pair has reached the end of the program, including soliciting feedback and/or feedforward from participants.
• Recognize mentors formally for their participation and commitment to the mentoring program.

One of the key issues many businesses face is the transfer of knowledge from one generation of employees to another. A successful mentoring program will not only help you transfer these priceless skills, but also encourage continuous learning at a very low cost to your organization.

For more information about how I can help your organization tap into the power of mentoring, including helping you design and implement a successful mentoring program, please call me at 724-935-1397.

Benefits of mentoring to the protégé:

• Gains self-confidence
• Improves corporate visibility
• Builds inter-departmental networking skills
• Establishes a quicker understanding of corporate culture
• Strengthens on-the-job, organizational knowledge
• Attains a deeper sense of personal and career satisfaction

Benefits of mentoring to the mentor:

• Increases exposure to different cultures and/or ideas
• Attains a deeper sense of personal and career satisfaction, thanks to the sharing of knowledge and expertise
• Helps to create a more collaborative “teamwork” environment
• Increases corporate visibility

Joan Anderson, A Walk on the Beach: Tales of Wisdom From an Unconventional Woman; Published by Broadway 2004; ISBN: 0767914740

Mentoring, ASTD Info-Line, Issue 0004 at www.astd.org

Sheila Washington and Catalyst, Be Your Own Mentor, Strategies from Top Women on the Secrets of Success. Random House, 2001. ISBN0-375-50060-X

Linda Culp Dowling and Cecile Culp Mielenz, Ph.D., Mentor Manager, Mentor Parent: How to Develop Responsible People and build Successful Relationships at Work and at Home. www.mentormanagementmentorparent.com

About Donna Billings and Reach the Top

My firm works with key leaders, helping you define and identify meaningful work, craft strategic career development plans, hone and develop your leadership and management competencies, including embracing cultural diversity — and eventually help you phase into retirement.

My leadership coaching and development practice is called “Reach the Top.” We all climb many mountains over the course of our lives — some are physical, some are mental, some are emotional. Sometimes we are successful. Sometimes we are not. Through coaching and leadership development, we help you reach powerful, new heights as you traverse whatever life transition you’re now experiencing. Together, we will form an alliance that is mindful of where you are on your journey right now.

To supplement my coaching practice, I am affiliated with the Center for Leadership Studies, one of the premier leadership training organizations in the world. We are committed to helping people develop their inherent potential as leaders and to helping organizations succeed and prosper.

A publication of Reach the Top and Donna Billings. To reproduce or reprint information contained in this e-zine, kindly contact me at donna@reachthetop.net.