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IACCAmericasMenteeReadinessInformation&Resources

Introduction&EligibilityTheIACCMentorshipProgramisauniqueopportunitytoconnectpeoplewhoshareapassionforthemeetingsindustry.Itisdesignedforindividualswhowouldliketobuildarelationshiptogetherasmentorandmenteethatwillhelpthementeeimprovetheirskillsandbemoreeffective.ThegoalistopairanexperiencedindustryprofessionalwithanotherIACCmemberwhowantstobroadentheirunderstandingoftheindustryandtaketheirdevelopmenttothenextlevelofgrowthorexpansion.Forthementorshiprelationshiptobesuccessful,itisimportantthatamenteehavebothreasonableexpectationsandanunderstandingofwhattherelationshipis,andisnot:•Mentoringisnottraining,socialchit-chat,orsupervision.Itisauniquerelationshipthattakesbothparticipantsoutoftheirday-to-dayactivities,andallowsthementortohelpthementeeplanfortheirfutureandstrategizeaplanofactionforhowtheywillachievetheirgoals.•TheIACCmentor’sroleisnottoteachthementeeeverythingtheyknowandhavelearnedfromtheiryearsinthebusiness,ortotellamenteewhattodonextintheirownroleand/orbusiness.Instead,thementorwillfocusonfacilitatingstrategicdiscussionsthatwillhelpthementeeclarifyandorganizetheirownthoughtsandplansfortheirroleand/orbusiness.•Thementorrelationshipisnotacrashcoursein“MeetingsIndustry101.”Itisanopportunityfortwoindustryprofessionalswhobothhaveanunderstandingbeyondthe“beginner”levelintheindustry,todiscussbestpracticesandadviceforinsuringthementee’songoingsuccess.(Ifyouarejustgettingstarted,thereareseveraltoolslistedontheIACCwebsite,includingwebinars,guidesandvideosonIACCthatshouldprovehelpfulbeforeyougettothestagewhereamentorrelationshipwouldbeproductive.)InordertobematchedwithaIACCMentor,westronglysuggestthatyouhavedonethefollowing:1.AttendedaIACCChapterevent,suchasanannualconferenceor/andregionalmember’smeetings.2.BeenemployedataIACCvenuefor1ormoreyears.3.ProvidealetterofsupportfromyourvenueGeneralManagerorequivalentleadership.

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MentorshipProgram

FrequentlyAskedQuestions1.WhodetermineswhetherIamreadyforamentor,andwhomatchesmewiththeappropriatementor?TheIACCMentorshipQuestionnairewillaskspecificquestionsaboutyourbusiness,yourareasofinterest,andyourgoalsforamentorshiprelationship.YouranswerstothosequestionswillhelptheIACCStaffdetermineifthetimeisrightforyoutobematchedwithamentor.Theywillreviewavailablementorswiththeintentofmatchingyouwithsomeonewhoseareaofexpertiseisbestsuitedtoyourgoals.Ifyouarenotattherequiredlevelnecessarytobeassignedamentor,youwillbegivenalistofIndustryResourcesthatwillhelp2.Whatisrequiredofmeandmybusinesstobeassignedamentor?InordertobematchedwithaIACCMentor,westronglysuggestthatyouhavedonethefollowing:

• AttendedaIACCChapterevent,suchasanannualconferenceor/andregionalmembersmeetings.

• BeenemployedatanIACCvenueforoneormoreyears.• ProvidealetterofsupportfromyourvenueGeneralManagerorequivalentleadership.

3.Howlongdoesthementorshiprelationshiplast?Attheonsetofthementorshiprelationship,thementorandmenteewilldiscussthegoalsandtimelinefortherelationship.Areasonablecommitmentbybothpartiesshouldbeinthe6to12-monthrange.4.HowsooncanIbepairedwithamentor?Often,thedemandforamentorexceedsthecurrentsupplyofindustryprofessionalsavailabletoserveasamentor.Asnewmentorsbecomeavailable,youwillbepairedwithamentormostsuitedtotheneedsoftheareaofexpertiseinwhichyoufeelyouneedthemostassistance.5.Whatismyroleasthementee?Asamentee,youareresponsibleforbeinganactiveparticipantinthementoringrelationship,whichincludesensuringtimelyandresponsivecommunicationwithyourmentor.Youareexpectedtofollowthroughonadvice,introductionsandconnectionsprovidedtoyoubyyour

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mentorsothatyouaredoingyourparttomoveyourpersonaldevelopmentforwardwiththeexpertisebeingprovidedtoyou.6.WhathappensifmymentorandIarenotcompatibleinourmentorrelationship?Weunderstandthatthereareavarietyofdynamicsthatmakesomerelationshipsworkbetterthanothers.BoththeMentorandtheMenteemustbecomfortableandfeeltheycanestablisharapportwitheachotherinorderforthementorshiptobesuccessful.TheIACCStaffwillbeavailableatanytimeifyoufeelyouneedtoconsiderbeingmatchedwithadifferentmentor.7.CanIhavemorethanonementor,inordertogaininsighttodifferentareasofexpertiserelatedtothemeetingsindustry?Unfortunately,wecanonlyassignonementortoeachindividualrequestingamentorrelationship.Wewilldoourbesttopairyouwithsomeonewhoisbestsuitedtoaddressthedefinedgoalsthatyouprovidewhenansweringtheinitialmenteequestionnaire.8.AretherelimitstowhatIcanaskmymentorabouttheindustry,theirbusiness,orothercompanieswithintheindustry?Anti-trustGuidelinesprohibitsdiscussionsregardingpricing,competition,biddingpractices,orallocationofcustomersormarkets(IACCwillprovidethefullAntitrustStatementtoyouandyourmentor).Further,theMenteeshouldunderstandandexpectthattheMentorcanchoosetonotanswerquestionsthatwouldrequirethemtodiscloseproprietaryinformationrelatedtotheirownbusiness,customers,clients,orproductlines.Inturn,theMenteecanchoosenottoanswerquestionsrelatedtothesametopics.Boundariesregardingthesetopicsshouldbediscussedattheonsetoftherelationship.9.WhatresultscanIexpectfromthementorship?Becausementoringisabouthumanrelationships,itcanbedifficulttoquantifyormeasurewithharddata.IACC’sgoalforitsmentorshipprogramisthatthementorwillhelpthementeedevelopspecificskillsandknowledgethatwillenhancetheirprofessionalandpersonalgrowth,andprovidebetterunderstandingofthemeetingsindustryandconferencevenues.

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10.HowcanImakethemostofmymentoringrelationship?Opencommunicationisthekeytoasuccessfulmentor/menteerelationship.Throughoutthementoringrelationship,youshouldbespeakingwithyourmentoraboutwhetherornotyouarefulfillingthegoalssetoutatthebeginning.YouwillalsobeaskedbyyourmentortoprovidefeedbackonyourexperiencethroughoutthementoringrelationshipAnyotherqueriesrelatedtotheIACCMentorProgramcanbeemailedtoinfo@iacconline.organdamemberoftheIACCstaffwillcontactyou.11.HowdoIapplytoparticipateintheIACCMentorshipProgram?Youcancompleteanonlineapplicationformathttp://www.iacconline.org/mentoring-programPleasealsosendanemailwithaletterofsupportfromyourGeneralManagerorequivalentleadershiptomjones@iacconline.orgAnyotherqueriesrelatedtotheIACCMentorProgramcanbeemailedtoinfo@iacconline.organdamemberoftheIACCstaffwillcontactyou.