Mentoring Program Design and Implementation * What is mentoring? * Why a formal program? * How do mentoring programs help? * What are keys to program success? * What training do participants need? * What are the first steps to a mentoring program? * Mentoring clients * Where can I learn more? An alternative to formal programs Audio Clips What is a mentor? (60 secs.) AIFF Format Please note that this file may take some time to download. For help listening to the audio, please click here. About my work Mary Dingee Fillmore, Director Clients Projects	Mentor for a moment. A mentoring relationship is nothing more or less than making a commitment to help someone else with job and career issues. It is a mutually beneficial connection built on confidentiality and trust. It is a process of discovery and learning which helps people focus, grow, and change their work and their lives. But much useful mentoring can be done in a moment, with people with whom you don't have a close, long term connection -- and it still works. Who? Everyone has something to offer as a mentor, and everyone can benefit from mentoring - - even the person at the top of the organization. No matter what your position is, you have information, contacts and perspectives to share which can help your coworkers do a better job and have more satisfying careers. And others can help you focus on your long term goals and your hidden talents and skills as well as how to solve a particular job problem. When and what? Take a moment when someone asks you a question or you see them struggling with a problem. Of course you can always give a simple answer to a simple question, but try to go beyond that: what is the context of the question? is it appropriate to tell the person some of the roots of the problem? would it help them to know how the subject affects others? can you give them a different perspective on the question? For example, they may see the situation only from an operational point of view, and you may be able to see the policy aspects -- or vice versa. is there an additional skill they need to do this job well? can you refer them to someone else, or to something to read which would give further insight? Set time aside to help someone address job and career issues. what are they satisfied and dissatisfied with in their jobs now? what new skills are they learning? what would they like to learn? what are their goals? If the person doesn't know, there is a lot you can do to help them focus by reflecting on their past. what do they see as their options? what have they accomplished inside and outside work? what can this tell them about where their potential lies? (This can be useful for people whether or not they have well defined goals.) are there situations in which they need coaching or counseling? Why? Mentoring is one of the most satisfying things you can do for another person. It means stepping back from the routine, to give them a glimpse of the future as it could be, and of their everyday lives in a broader context. It means helping someone see her or himself in terms of potential and the impact of the work they do, not just as someone trudging from day to day. How can people learn more? ChangingWork offers "Everybody Needs Mentoring," a half-day open registration workshop to encourage people to see themselves as both mentors and mentees, and to both offer and seek assistance on job and career issues.
© 1996 - 1998 Mary Dingee Fillmore, Changing Work <mfillmore@usa.net>. All rights reserved.