Page 29 - Workbased Training COREL test 8.cdr

4. Mentoring

4. Put Your Marketing Hat On. When you introduce a new mentoring program to
your organization, there's generally natural enthusiasm. But this enthusiasm
doesn't always translate into high participation rates. A common reason. The
absence of effective promotion. Don't assume potential mentors and mentees will
automatically understand the benefits of mentoring. For many, this will be their
first experience. You'll need to convince them that participation is worth their time
and effort. If you need ideas, check out our toolkit for promoting your mentoring
program. Beyond participants, key leaders and stakeholders need to be educated
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on the benefits of the program and strategic value to the organization.
5. Think Win-Win. Consider the needs of mentors. Building a solid base of mentors
can be a challenge. A key is understanding the positive and negative factors that
impact mentor participation. Once you've identified them, look for creative ways
to reinforce positive drivers and lower the hurdles of negative ones throughout the
mentoring process. For example, mentors are often busy people with limited time
to spend. How can you help mentors become more efficient with their time? Also
consider recognition and reward strategies. Formally recognizing mentor
involvement is a best practice that can be very motivating to those mentors and
help attract new ones.

6. Use Mentoring Program Best Practices to Prepare Mentors and Mentees for
Success. Productive mentoring doesn't just happen. Provide training to mentors
and mentees regarding the program's goals, participant roles, mentoring best
practices, and your mentoring process. Help mentors and mentees clarify their
own objectives. The need for training and guidance doesn't end after the initial
orientation. Provide tips and best practices throughout the mentoring program to
help participants stay on track and get the most out of the program.
7. Embrace the Role of Mentoring Matchmaker. For mentoring to thrive, a solid
relationship needs to form between mentor and mentee. The strength of the
match plays a critical role in this. Consider giving mentees a say in the matching
process by allowing them to select a mentor or list their top three choices.
Mentoring software can improve and speed up the matching process. If your
software has a strong matching capability, it will recommend suitable mentors
based upon learning needs and compatibility.

8. Track, Measure, Listen & Tune. How will you know if your mentoring program is a
success? Track program and connection metrics and ask for feedback. At the
program level, build metrics around defined objectives. Also, be sure to assess the
outcomes of individual mentor and mentee connections. One of the easiest ways
4. Mentoring to measure success and capture feedback is through surveys. Ask participants and
stakeholders how well the mentoring program met their goals and the goals of the
organization. Also ask them for their ideas for improving the program.

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