How can you create an adaptable mentoring program for your business?

Start with end in mind. Where will the organization be in the future. How will that be achieved with the current skill sets? Find the gaps and develop the mentorship to meet those gaps.

All good things start usually with a declaration of what the future could look like collectively for the community concerned. Starting with objectives well defined is like the Declaration of Independence.. not necessarily about the future of independence but the future of something worth attaining. Declarations can lead to good design for the future. .and then more concrete to pour e.g. tactics, milestones, systems, meetings, who, what, where, how.. when. etc.

When the growth and development of your team are paramount, initiating a mentoring program can be a transformative step. For everyone to connects with the overarching goal, consider posing the question, "What will our vision look like when we're fully living out our purpose?" Gaining clarity on this vision sets the stage for assembling the mentors. You'll want to think about a few key points: Where are we headed? What experiences will we want to see in our mentors? What kind of personalities will complement our team culture for the future? What variety of capabilities do we need collectively to achieve our vision? This starting point will enable mentees to tap on the experience of their seniors, but not necessarily by age.

I invariably do that. One methodology is to do a quick ‘Appreciative Inquiry’ type conversation with a microcosm population of a min 5-6 people. Theme the insights, and share it back, to thus get a buy-in by all concerned stakeholders before embarking on the larger agenda

Having used 3 different methodologies of coaching, design sprints and master facilitation workshopper format mentoring and building a program to go with this, it offers a variety of areas for teams to be mentored with a range of skills. By starting with clear objectives this will help you design a program that will align with your business goals. Create a mentor hub for different areas of skill in the business with flexibility. This will evolve with any change of needs required. Make sure there is a culture of continuous learning and up skilling so as to keep the program running. This in turn will add value and great mentorship to all employees in the business while the mentors gain training each time they teach.

I have actually done most of the above. So let me share my insights and learnings on a few : First : 121: Agree on agenda and desired outcomes - overall and from THAT session Second :Group coaching - solicit 1 desire/expectation from each participant in Advance. Theme them and present back to all Third : Cross cultural - this has a different approach. It will typically be situation based. A mini-caselet type of “#’Real-encounters’ and how each participant will analyse it. Report out via each participant interviewing a fellow participant, and report out in ‘first person’ of their partner. Huge empathy and compassion build up happens. It’s very powerful

Yes to all that I have read thus far. Be mindful of your vision and immediate goals. Interview your staff to understand what their needs are. Yes, meet frequently for an effective program. Yes metrics are key. It will drive the success of the program. One thing I have also found helpful--use your intuition in the mentoring program. As you get to know your employees, match and teach them by planning and utilizing intuition based on your vast expertise to create unique experiences for mentees. Also remember most learning is caught rather than taught. When possible, I delegate to my mentee, teaching the how-to-steps to a project I want done well. This expedites the learning curve. Trust inutuion and delegation in the process of mentoring.

In many cases I've seen Mentors are chosen from within the business or same industry as the Mentee. My challenge to you is to consider finding Mentors from outside of your industry who have the skills and insights from a broader perspective. So, if you have a mentee in Real Estate Sales consider partnering them with a Mentor in Banking and Finance Sales. A Banking industry leadership role mentee with a People Leader from a large Corporate Retail business with a proven customer focused model. Using cross Industry Mentors can provide great insights for both mentor and mentees and expand the level of 'open to new ideas' thinking rather than recycling current practice.

In developing a list of participants in an organization, I recommend people who are generally inquisitive, but not just theoretical. They need to be able to utilize effective questions in order to extract practical, implementable experiences from their mentors. More so than matching, it is probably relevant in this day and age to match mentees to mentors who may have diverging viewpoints, so that learning can be amplified. Otherwise, we risk groupthink and complacency. Times change, and opinions change. Overall, both mentors and mentees must learn to establish a safety for conversation and use probing questions from a state of curious exploration, while challenging mental models for learning.

Why do mentees seek mentors? They want clarity, guidance and support. It's hard to find people who believe in you! Mentors can move their mentees by trusting and respecting the mentees' efforts, encouraging them along the way. Why do mentors want to contribute? Often, it is for recognition. They want to feel that they are still relevant in some way, in spite of their experience through the years. I find that the biggest flattery a mentee can deliver is to hear out the mentor, implement the advice provided, and elevate the mentor's delivery to a higher level of impact. Mentees can then take time to attribute their success to foundations given by their mentors, which is very likely to enhance the culture of meaningful mentoring.

Très souvent la mesure de la réussite entre mentor et mentoré n'est pas sur des critères clarifiés au début. Est ce la capacité du mentoré à mettre en pratique les conseils du mentor ? Ou la précision du mentor lorsqu'il partage ses expériences ? A qui attribuer alors une récompense en cas de succès ? Toutefois c'est utile et encourageant lorsque le mentor prend du temps pour féliciter le mentoré de "petits progrès" ,et aussi que le mentoré ait la culture du "j'ai pu réussir grâce à vous". Cela renforce les liens du mentorat. Et oui, il est très important de faire former le mentor et le mentoré pour une relation plus percutante.

Integrate mindfulness practices within the adaptable mentoring program to enhance emotional intelligence, resilience, and interpersonal skills. Encourage mentors and mentees to incorporate mindfulness exercises into their interactions, promoting a holistic approach to professional development. This mindful element fosters self-awareness, empathy, and a positive mindset, contributing to the overall effectiveness and well-being of participants and your business.