The document provides guidance on creating a mentoring program within an organization. It outlines objectives like developing talent, providing career guidance, and helping mentees achieve goals. Mentees are less experienced employees and mentors are highly experienced employees selected for their skills and ability to guide others. The program must have management support and a steering committee. Mentor-mentee pairings are determined based on candidate profiles. Ground rules include regular formal meetings and action plans for mentees. Training orients participants and provides examples. The roles of mentors in challenging and supporting mentees, and obligations of mentees to be open, are also defined.

1. Creating a Mentoring Program

2. Objectives of a Mentoring Program
• Develop and expand the talent within an
organization to support its goals and objectives
through career growth as well as employee
development and retention.
• Provide advice and guidance to each Mentee to
achieve long term technical growth and career
objectives.
• Clarify the Mentee’s career goals and monitor
progress in their journey to achieve those goals.
Creating a Mentoring Program

3. • Mentees
– Most “inexperienced” employees.
– Even “experienced” employees in new roles.
• Mentors
– A highly performing “experienced” employees.
– Selection based on experience & skills that are
useful in developing others.
– Ability to communicate openly with others.
– Willingness to dedicate the time needed in the
mentoring of a less experienced colleague.
Creating a Mentoring Program
Mentoring is for ?

4. Must have Top Management Support
• Company Leadership must set the tone & full
support if the program is to succeed.
• A successful program needs a “Steering Committee”
of cross functional leaders who have been
“mentored” and who are or will be “mentors”.
Creating a Mentoring Program

5. How to choose pairings?
• Each participant must complete a
Candidate Profile form.
• The Steering Committee will review all
profiles and determine pairings based
on the development needs and career
interests of the participants.
Creating a Mentoring Program

6. Ground Rules
• Mentoring relationships must be a cooperative
effort between someone other than a
supervisor to insure a clear focus on the
Mentoring process.
• Both Mentors and Mentees should participate in
Mentoring Program orientation.
• The pairings must commit to holding formal
sessions three to four times a year.
• The individual being mentored should develop a
set of goals and an Action Plan to review with
their Mentor.
• Regular updates used to discuss the status of
the action plan.
Creating a Mentoring Program

7. Mentoring Training
• Orientation program
– Mentors & Mentees attend together
Overview of the program
• Benefits of such a program
• Expectations of the participants
• Reasonable outcomes
– Testimonials
• Real life examples of successful mentoring.
Creating a Mentoring Program

8. The Role of the Mentor
• Commits the time necessary to make the Mentoring process
successful.
• Respects the confidentiality of the discussions in the
Mentoring relationship.
• Challenges and encourages their Mentee.
• Provides insights to help a Mentee better understand the steps
necessary to achieve the Mentee’s goals.
The Mentee’s Obligations
• Commits to being open and honest with their Mentor
regarding career goals, objectives and challenges.
• Understands that the Mentor’s primary role is to provide
guidance, advice and encouragement and not solve their
problems.
Creating a Mentoring Program

9. A Pairing’s First Meeting
1. What is the principal purpose of the first meeting between a
mentor and mentee?
2. What would you consider as appropriate “ground rules” for a
mentoring relationship?
3. As a Mentor if you were to send a list of questions to a new
mentee – what would be on it?
4. All the participants emphasized the importance of respect
and trust. What measures could you take to ensure the
mentoring relationship is built on a solid foundation of trust?
Creating a Mentoring Program

10. 1st Meeting Ground Rules
1. The Mentor/Mentee commit to holding a formal
session 3 to 4 times per year.
2. The formal session shall be long enough to allow the
Mentee to fully express and share issues.
3. Mentors and Mentees are encouraged to hold
additional informal sessions as they see fit.
4. The Mentor/Mentee will develop a set of career and
professional goals for the Mentee.
5. The Mentor/Mentee will develop an action plan for
the Mentee to work toward achieving these goals.
6. The Mentee is responsible for writing out the goals
and the action plan and providing a copy to the
Mentor.
7. Part of the follow‐up sessions shall be used to
discuss the status of the action plan.
Creating a Mentoring Program

11. Active Listening
To be successful in a mentoring relationship, both the mentor and
the mentee need to listen to what their partner is saying.
• Mentor
– It is important to remember that this relationship is about
supporting the mentee.
– The focus is on what the mentee needs, not on what the mentor
knows or has experienced.
– Mentors do not play the role of sage dispensing wisdom, but
rather use their knowledge and experience to respond
compassionately and appropriately to the questions and needs of
their mentees.
– A primary task for the mentor will be guiding the mentee to
discover insights and answers for him or herself by asking probing,
open‐ended questions and actively listening to the responses.
– The mentor will also honestly and candidly respond to inquiries
from the mentee and share experiences and insights that may be
helpful.
Creating a Mentoring Program

12. Active Listening
To be successful in a mentoring relationship,
both the mentor and the mentee need to
listen to what their partner is saying.
• Mentee
– Time spent with your mentor is valuable for
both of you and should not be wasted.
– Don’t hesitate to ask questions that will help
you learn what you need to know.
– Listen to the answers and seek additional
clarification in areas where you need more
information.
– A Mentee’s job is not to impress your
mentor. The priority is to learn.
Creating a Mentoring Program

13. Program Steering Committee
• The Program’s Coordinator must follow‐up on a regular basis
with each member of the pairing to evaluate the effectiveness
of the working relationship and to provide progress reports to
the Steering Committee.
• The Program’s Steering Committee must oversee the program
and monitor its progress based on the information provided by
the Program Coordinator.
• Changes to the program must may be made to adjust to the
needs of the participants and those of a dynamic organization.
Creating a Mentoring Program

14. Most Importantly!
• Have fun with it !
• Enjoy the experience!
• Learn from it !
• Mentees
– Years down the road don’t forget to pass it forward.
Creating a Mentoring Program