A Perfect Match: Showcasing Benefits of a Successful Mentorship Relationship

Juanita Roesler, SHRM-CP, PHRHR Business Partner Associate

Define different types of mentoring relationships

Matching mentors and mentees

Four phases of the relationship

3E Model: Education, Exposure and Experience

Commitments to a successful mentoring relationship

Basic framework for a formal mentoring program

Today’s Objectives:

Benefits of Membership:Advance your career with connections made through conferences,seminars, chapter meetings, and other networking events

Elevate your professional status through extensive education programs orby earing specialist certifications

This is your association, your experience…

mentor [men-tawr, -ter]

noun1. A wise and trusted counselor or teacher.2. An influential senior sponsor or supporter.

Why do we mentor?

Learning and networking

To give back to our profession and/or members

Invest in development of emerging leaders

Build community

Rewarding and fun!

Different Mentoring Types

Peer mentoring – shared work experience looking to build further learning experiences

Group mentoring – peer and senior mentoringcombined, group projects and multiple developmentopportunities

Speed mentoring – short, focused conversations aboutspecific questions

Different Mentoring Types

Face-to-Face mentoring – in-person planned meetings between mentor and mentee.

E-mentoring – same goal as face-to-face mentoring but through electronic platform.

Formal Mentoring Program – specific guidelines,timelines and structure to the mentoring relationship.

What Do You Want?

“the beginning is the most

important part of the work”

Greek philosopher Plato, who was a protégé of Socrates.

Plato served as a great mentor to Aristotle.

Remember…

Chemistry

Law of Similarity: the idea that people like and attribute more positive characteristics to those they think are similar to themselves.

Surface Level Deep Level

Race

Gender

Where you went to school

Personality

Values

Goals

World-views

Ethics

• Ask for an introduction from your network– Work place relationships– Personal relationships – University relationships

• Use the world wide web– LinkedIn – Google

• Email and introduce yourself• Ask for a brief meetup (coffee)

Will you be my mentor?

Four Phases of the Mentor-Mentee Relationship

The

Phase

Cycle

Preparing

Closing Negotiating

Enabling

From: The Mentor’s Guide: Facilitating Effective Learning Relationships, by Lois J. Zachary, Jossey-Bass, 2000, pgs. 50 -

52

Preparing

• Work and professional background

Get to know each other: • Past Professional and Personal Success• Past Professional and Personal Difficulties• Times When You Had to Demonstrate Resilience• Interest• Dreams and Aspirations • Education• Fun!!

A Perfect Match

Getting to know each other• Strengths (Myers-Briggs, Strength Finders)• Personality and communication style (True Colors)• Core Values

A Perfect Match

Four Phases of the Relationship

From: The Mentor’s Guide: Facilitating Effective Learning Relationships, by Lois J. Zachary, Jossey-Bass, 2000, pgs. 50 -

52

The

Phase

Cycle

Preparing

Closing Negotiating

Enabling

Negotiating: Build Consensus & Commitment

Set Goals and Objectives• Identify Learning Opportunities or Action Learning

Project • Develop the Action Plan • Agree on commitments • Determine measures of progress/benchmarks

Negotiating: Identifying Goals

Goals may:

• Satisfy current information needs

• Provide vision and a roadmap for the future

• Agreement for focus of mentorship relationship

Example Topics:

• Gain knowledge in a specific area of immediate concern

• Grow knowledge of other areas for future application

• Change roles / beginning ____ career

Negotiating: Develop the Action Plan

Identify the Goal Setting

Our goals for the next 3 – 6 months:

1.

2.

3.

Action Steps for Mentor and Mentee:

-Specific steps to be taken to meet objectives

-List potential resources

-Set target completion dates

3E Model:

Expand Education: being open to a variety of learning avenues

Enable Exposure: to many individuals in your network to teach, mentor, and coach

Explore Experience: that will unlock opportunities to learn on the spot

From: Help Them Grow or Watch Them Go (Career Conversations Employees Want), by Beverly Kaye & Julie Winkle

Giulioni, 2012, pgs. Lois J. Zachary, Jossey-Bass, 2000, pgs. 84 - 92

Negotiating: Agreeing on a Commitment

When will we meet next?

Where will we meet and how will we communicate on an ongoing basis?

Who will initiate? (recommend mentee)

How will we make future plans and adjustments?

Four Phases of the Relationship

From: The Mentor’s Guide: Facilitating Effective Learning Relationships, by Lois J. Zachary, Jossey-Bass, 2000, pgs. 50 -

52

The

Phase

Cycle

Preparing

Closing Negotiating

Enabling

Enabling Growth

From: The Mentor’s Guide: Facilitating Effective Learning Relationships, by Lois J. Zachary, Jossey-Bass, 2000, pgs. 50 -

52

“The mentor’s role during this phase is to nurture the mentee’s growth by establishing and maintaining an open affirming learning climate and providing thoughtful, timely, candid and constructive feedback.”

Enabling Growth: Supportive Climate

• Listen!

• Give and receive feedback

• Keep expectations clearly defined

• Expand learning opportunities as the relationship progresses

• Make the relationship special

Enabling Growth: Supportive Climate

Listening….

Discernment:

3 step approach to guiding discernment: 1. Pause – help them see in extreme emotion a moment of pause

2. Indifferent to the decision – step back and be a neutral guide and not a judge

3. Reflect on different realities – encourage a moment of reflection. Encourage a time limit on reflection: Imagine one way for two days and the one for other two days

Enabling Growth: Checking In

• Monitor the Process

• What is going well in the relationship?

• What has been our greatest challenge?

• What has the mentee learned?

• What is our progress in achieving our goals and objectives?

• What assistance could we use?

• Make adjustments to goals and objectives, if needed

Enabling Growth: Avoid Obstacles

Communicate, Communicate, Communicate!

• Listening

• Questioning

• Being Direct and Respectful

Enabling Growth: Parameters

Confidentiality

Boundary Setting • Availability • Advocacy/sponsorship expectations• Evening and weekend contact

Hot Buttons (personal irks) • Being late• Coming unprepared• Coming unprepared• Multi tasking

Enabling Growth: Moving Forward

Learning Through Reflection

• Journaling

• Discuss strengths and areas for improvement (two-way street!)

• Analyze missteps for growth opportunities

Assess Progress Against Goals

Four Phases of the Relationship

From: The Mentor’s Guide: Facilitating Effective Learning Relationships, by Lois J. Zachary, Jossey-Bass, 2000, pgs. 50 -

52

The

Phase

Cycle

Preparing

Closing Negotiating

Enabling

Closure: Signs of Unplanned Closure

• Listens but no follow-through

• Don’t see any progress

• Feel wrung out – energy is drained

• Seems like a one-way relationship

• “High maintenance”

• Lack of communication

Closure: Make a Plan

• Go back to goals and timeline…

• Acknowledge approaching end of timeline if established

• Review goals and accomplishments

• Decide whether to continue with an informal mentoring relationship (outside of goals and action plan)

Formal Mentorship Program

Need:

• Mentoring Champion

• Support from association and/or organization

• Planning time and committee

Benefits:

• Formal infrastructure to facilitate relationships

• Create opportunity for all

• Eliminate closed networks and give mentees the same options as everyone else

Pick two…

What we learn….

#mentoringforthewin

Want to learn more?

Sources: Help them Grow or Watch them Go, Beverly Kaye and Julie Winkle Giulioni

Power Mentoring, Ellen Ensher

So You Want to Start a Mentorship Program, Nancy Kasmar

The Mentor’s Guide: Facilitating Effective Learning Relationships, Luis J. Zachary