Business Mentoring

Mentoring programs are not just adults helping youths, but include corporate mentoring in the workplace, women helping women, or numerous variations on the theme of one group of people helping another group of people.

If you or your organization are thinking about setting up a mentoring program, consider  these questions:

·         Why do you want a mentoring program?

·         What are the goals of the program?

·         Will your employer offer release time for mentors to participate in the program?

·         Does the organization have the nurturing culture needed to support a program?

·         Will you have the flexibility to start and support a program over the long term?

·         Who will be the program coordinator?

First and foremost a mentoring program should be compatible with the mission, vision, goals and objectives of the organization.  Secondly, the program should meet the needs of both mentored participants.

A key component of designing a mentoring program is research.  Don’t try to reinvent the wheel.  Get to know other mentor programs and borrow strategies and materials that you feel would fit the type of program you want to build.

Elements in designing a mentoring program include the following;

·         Clearly defined responsibilities of program coordinator.

·         Set guidelines or common principles to help guide the development of the program.

·         Provide orientation and training for mentors, mentees and key support staff.

·         Think big, but start small.  Initiate a pilot mentoring program, in order to work out any kinks before expanding to a larger group.

·         Provide an eligibility screening process for mentors and mentees.

·         Provide effective matching of mentors and mentees.

·         Develop a Marketing/Public Relations plan to create awareness and enthusiasm for your program.

·         Create a steering committee to keep the program coordinator on task.

·         Implement a monitoring process.

·         Evaluate the program.

The purpose and goals of a mentoring program should be clear, comprehensive (addressing goals for the program, mentors and mentees) and familiar to all who participate in the program in any capacity.

Once your program is up and running, it’s the job of the program coordinator to sustain and nurture the program.  It may take months to build an effective mentoring program.  The coordinator should work on building trust and participation of mentors and mentees.  As you build participation, you must encourage motivation, while doing everything you can to make the program a success.

Continuous process improvement and annual planning are vital.  If the program is nurtured properly, it will be able to serve the mentors and mentees on a continuous basis for the time it takes the mentors and mentees to reach personal and program goals.

Copyrighted

THE MENTORING SIDE

Copeland Communications Group

P.O. Box 24585

Cleveland, Ohio 44124

216-347-5652