owerful relationship when properly matched, supported and nurtured.
The relationship must be a priority for both the mentor and the mentee and may be formal or informal, although a company sponsored formal program is what is being discussed here. The program may be a single mentoring pair or several. There are some key ingredients to an effective in-house mentoring program.
- Purpose – the company, the mentor and the mentee should be committed to the process and agree on what will be worked on and how they will know when the objectives have been met.
- Communication – communication methods should be agreed upon, each party should listen deeply to the other, be open to input and follow through on all commitments.
- Trust – trust typically grows over time through open and honest discussions, keeping commitments and sharing deeply.
- Process – an effective process includes a pace that works for both parties, regular meetings, a meeting place both are comfortable with, both parties follow through as agreed, the process includes the four stages of mentoring – planning, building relationship/negotiating agreement, developing and maintaining momentum and ending the formal relationship – and together, the mentorship team moves through them, both parties like how things are going and check in with each other to ensure both are satisfied.
- Progress – the plans made are followed and progress is made. Interesting learning experiences are identified and results are shared. Progress is made toward established goals.
- Feedback – positive and corrective advice and feedback is important. In a successful mentoring relationship it is provided, accepted and acted upon and goes in both directions.
Companies become more successful by ensuring that they are led by strong, qualified and effective leaders and to understand that leaders grow through a variety of methods. I encourage you to consider each development method listed above, however, the “sink or swim” method is the one I recommend that you avoid at all cost. It is, indeed, the most expensive path.