The document outlines nine best practices for developing formal mentoring programs, emphasizing the importance of having a strategic purpose, training program managers, and distinguishing between mentoring and coaching. Key practices include fostering a safe environment for honest discussions, providing access to mentoring resources, evaluating program results, and ensuring adaptability to organizational changes. The guide concludes with the need for continuous improvement and embracing technology to enhance mentoring experiences.

1. 9 MENTORING PROGRAM
BEST PRACTICES
By Management Mentors

2. When developing formal mentoring programs,
there are nine best practices companies should
embrace. Let’s dig in!

3. IDENTIFY A STRATEGIC
PURPOSE
1

4.  Every mentoring program should
have a strategic purpose.
Image Credit: flickr.com/photos/evoo73/
1

5.  Every mentoring program should
have a strategic purpose.
 This provides the mentors and mentorees
a foundation upon which they can
build their relationships.
1

6.  Every mentoring program should
have a strategic purpose.
 This provides the mentors and mentorees
a foundation upon which they can
build their relationships.
 For example, if the purpose of your
program is to support leadership initiatives,
your mentors and mentorees will know that
this subject should be a main topic of
discussion throughout their nine to twelve
months together.
1

7.  Every mentoring program should
have a strategic purpose.
 This provides the mentors and mentorees
a foundation upon which they can
build their relationships.
 For example, if the purpose of your
program is to support leadership initiatives,
your mentors and mentorees will know that
this subject should be a main topic of
discussion throughout their nine to twelve
months together.
 No it doesn’t need to be the only topic.
Of course, other topics will evolve
naturally from this one.
1

8. Image Credit: flickr.com/photos/wwarby/
TRAIN A PROGRAM
MANAGER
2

9.  The mentoring program manager
(MPM) plays a critical role.
2

10.  The mentoring program manager
(MPM) plays a critical role.
 The MPM helps design &
implement the program, including
the all important process of
matching mentors and mentorees.
2

11.  The mentoring program manager
(MPM) plays a critical role.
 The MPM helps design &
implement the program, including
the all important process of
matching mentors and mentorees.
 The MPM also monitors the pairs
and provides them with support.
2

12.  The mentoring program manager
(MPM) plays a critical role.
 The MPM helps design &
implement the program, including
the all important process of
matching mentors and mentorees.
 The MPM also monitors the pairs
and provides them with support.
 Finally, the MPM supports the
program’s strategic purpose and
reports the program’s results to
upper management.
2

13. Image Credit: flickr.com/photos/untitlism/
NEVER PAIR MENTOREES
WITH THEIR DIRECT
MANAGERS
3

14. 3
 In professional mentoring, the
manager is never the mentor.

15. 3
 In professional mentoring, the
manager is never the mentor.
 Instead, a mentor is selected based
on specific skills and competencies
that the mentoree needs and
wants to develop.

16. 3
 In professional mentoring, the
manager is never the mentor.
 Instead, a mentor is selected based
on specific skills and competencies
that the mentoree needs and
wants to develop.
 Mentoring crosses management
boundaries, departments, and
organizational levels.

17. Image Credit: flickr.com/photos/34316967@N04/
DIFFERENTIATE BETWEEN
COACHING & MENTORING
4

18.  Coaching and mentoring are not
the same.
Click here to download a free
white paper on the differences
between coaching and
mentoring!
4

19.  Coaching and mentoring are not
the same.
 A mentor may coach, but a coach
does not mentor.
4
Click here to download a free
white paper on the differences
between coaching and
mentoring!

20.  Coaching and mentoring are not
the same.
 A mentor may coach, but a coach
does not mentor.
 Understanding the definition of
mentoring is crucial.
4
Click here to download a free
white paper on the differences
between coaching and
mentoring!

21.  Coaching and mentoring are not
the same.
 A mentor may coach, but a coach
does not mentor.
 Understanding the definition of
mentoring is crucial.
 Mentoring is “relational,” while
coaching is “functional.”
4
Click here to download a free
white paper on the differences
between coaching and
mentoring!

22. Image credit flickr.com/photos/kkleinrn/
PROVIDE TRAINING TO NEW
MENTORS & MENTOREES
5

23.  It’s easy to think there’s not much to mentoring.
Image Credit: flickr.com/photos/benoit-dufait/
5

24.  It’s easy to think there’s not much to mentoring.
 After all, it’s just two people getting together to
discuss stuff, right?
5

25.  It’s easy to think there’s not much to mentoring.
 After all, it’s just two people getting together to
discuss stuff, right?
 WRONG.
5

26.  It’s easy to think there’s not much to mentoring.
 After all, it’s just two people getting together to
discuss stuff, right?
 WRONG.
 It’s easy for mentorees and especially mentors to
think they don’t need any guidance as they head
into a mentoring program, but that couldn’t be
further from the truth.
5

27.  It’s easy to think there’s not much to mentoring.
 After all, it’s just two people getting together to
discuss stuff, right?
 WRONG.
 It’s easy for mentorees and especially mentors to
think they don’t need any guidance as they head
into a mentoring program, but that couldn’t be
further from the truth.
 Your program should offer some sort training and
guidelines to new mentors and mentorees who are
about to enter a mentoring relationship.
5
Click here to learn more about
mentoring training and
e-learning!

28. FOSTER A SAFE
MENTORING
ENVIRONMENT
6

29.  Mentoring is a developmental
relationship, one where feelings
thoughts, & emotions come into play.
Image Credit: flickr.com/photos/paperpariah/
6

30.  Mentoring is a developmental
relationship, one where feelings
thoughts, & emotions come into play.
 In order for honest discussions to take
place, both the mentor and mentoree
must feel safe—safe with one another
and safe in the overall environment.
6

31.  Mentoring is a developmental
relationship, one where feelings
thoughts, & emotions come into play.
 In order for honest discussions to take
place, both the mentor and mentoree
must feel safe—safe with one another
and safe in the overall environment.
 The MPM should encourage the mentor
and mentoree to jointly create an
environment whereby both can share
the “real” issues and the “real”
obstacles they have or are
encountering.
6

32.  Mentoring is a developmental
relationship, one where feelings
thoughts, & emotions come into play.
 In order for honest discussions to take
place, both the mentor and mentoree
must feel safe—safe with one another
and safe in the overall environment.
 The MPM should encourage the mentor
and mentoree to jointly create an
environment whereby both can share
the “real” issues and the “real”
obstacles they have or are
encountering.
 When mentors and mentorees feel safe
and trust one another to share these
sorts of thoughts and experiences, true
transformation can take place—for
both of them.
6

33. Image credit flickr.com/photos/kkleinrn/
PROVIDE EASY ACCESS TO
MENTORING RESOURCES
7

34.  You can easily create your own library of mentoring resources and share it with
mentors and mentorees as they enter the program.
7
Click here for FREE
mentoring resources
to get your library
started!

35.  You can easily create your own library of mentoring resources and share it with
mentors and mentorees as they enter the program.
 In addition, we recommend that the MPM send out regular communication to
mentors and mentorees (once a month, ideally) highlighting a specific, relevant
resource.
7
Click here for FREE
mentoring resources
to get your library
started!

36.  You can easily create your own library of mentoring resources and share it with
mentors and mentorees as they enter the program.
 In addition, we recommend that the MPM send out regular communication to
mentors and mentorees (once a month, ideally) highlighting a specific, relevant
resource.
 For example, during the first month, the MPM might send an article on three easy
communication tips, since the mentors and mentorees will be getting to know one
another.
7
Click here for FREE
mentoring resources
to get your library
started!

37.  You can easily create your own library of mentoring resources and share it with
mentors and mentorees as they enter the program.
 In addition, we recommend that the MPM send out regular communication to
mentors and mentorees (once a month, ideally) highlighting a specific, relevant
resource.
 For example, during the first month, the MPM might send an article on three easy
communication tips, since the mentors and mentorees will be getting to know one
another.
 During the halfway point, the MPM might send out a mentoring program success
story as motivation to keep going.
7
Click here for FREE
mentoring resources
to get your library
started!

38. 8
EVALUATE RESULTS

39.  At the end of each mentoring
program, an evaluation should be
made with a focus on what worked,
what didn’t, and why.
8

40.  At the end of each mentoring
program, an evaluation should be
made with a focus on what worked,
what didn’t, and why.
 You can then make adjustments
accordingly before your next program
begins.
8

41.  At the end of each mentoring
program, an evaluation should be
made with a focus on what worked,
what didn’t, and why.
 You can then make adjustments
accordingly before your next program
begins.
 The mentoring program manager will
likely be the one performing the
evaluation, but it’s always a good idea
to bring in an objective 3rd party at some
point so you can gain fresh perspectives.
8

42.  At the end of each mentoring
program, an evaluation should be
made with a focus on what worked,
what didn’t, and why.
 You can then make adjustments
accordingly before your next program
begins.
 The mentoring program manager will
likely be the one performing the
evaluation, but it’s always a good idea
to bring in an objective 3rd party at some
point so you can gain fresh perspectives.
 A seasoned mentoring consultant can fairly
evaluate your program and offer practical
suggestions for improvement.
8

43. Image Credit: flickr.com/photos/50144889@N08/
KEEP IT DYNAMIC9

44.  Your mentoring program needs to evolve along with your organization and the
world at large.
9

45.  Your mentoring program needs to evolve along with your organization and the
world at large.
 Technology can play a huge role in business mentoring thanks to email, smart phones, and video
conferencing.
9

46.  Your mentoring program needs to evolve along with your organization and the
world at large.
 Technology can play a huge role in business mentoring thanks to email, smart phones, and video
conferencing.
 Be open to experimentation, especially if it’s at the request of your mentors and mentorees.
9

47.  Your mentoring program needs to evolve along with your organization and the
world at large.
 Technology can play a huge role in business mentoring thanks to email, smart phones, and video
conferencing.
 Be open to experimentation, especially if it’s at the request of your mentors and mentorees.
 Be open to new tools, new ideas, and new ways to make your program even better such as
e-mentoring software, which can provide a streamlined approaching to to filling out forms, keeping
track of time, and providing updates to the MPM.
9
Click here for more
information about e-
mentoring software.

48.  Your mentoring program needs to evolve along with your organization and the
world at large.
 Technology can play a huge role in business mentoring thanks to email, smart phones, and video
conferencing.
 Be open to experimentation, especially if it’s at the request of your mentors and mentorees.
 Be open to new tools, new ideas, and new ways to make your program even better such as
e-mentoring software, which can provide a streamlined approaching to to filling out forms, keeping
track of time, and providing updates to the MPM.
 Technology should never replace the one-to-one face time that’s critical to mentoring, but it can
certainly support your overall program.
9
Click here for more
information about e-
mentoring software.

49. We’ve been helping organizations
worldwide implement successful
corporate mentoring programs for over
25 years. Decades of experience;
innovative e-mentoring software.
P.O. Box 67291
Chestnut Hill, MA 02167
617-789-4622
Email
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