On Mentoring (Loud thinking)14th Feb 2002

Rajiv B Deo

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• What is mentoring?• How mentoring is different?• Why mentoring?• Benefits of mentoring• Can I be a mentor?• Developing Mentoring Relationships• Matching Mentoring Relationships• Risks, Fears and Challenges• Discussion...• Next steps…

Agenda

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What is mentoring?• Concept - 4000 years old

• Krishna - Arjuna “Sakha”• Mentor - Greek Mythology (3500 years old)

• Half God + Half Man• Half Male + Half Female• Believable and yet unreachable• Union of goal and path• Wisdom personified

• Mentor role in Today’s Context -• Loyal friend, confidant, advisor• Teacher, Guide, Coach, and role model• Has expert status to nurture a person of talent and ability• Willing to give away / share in a non-competitive way• Represents skill, knowledge, virtue and accomplishment

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How mentoring is different?Area Learning Training Education Mentoring

Orientation Self Application Theoreticalandconceptual

CompleteLifecycleDevelopment

Emphasis Need based AcquiringSkills andTechniques

BasicMinimumrequirementsfor the Job

Outlook,Attitudechange, Goalsetting andtracking

Methodology Non -structured

Mixed – onthe job and offthe job

StructuredClass room

Structuredglobal, un-bound

Scope Short termrequirements

Specificobjectives

Generalconcepts

Life timeachievement

Costing Time spent Trainee is paid Student pays Free

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Joys of Mentoring• Appreciation• Motivation• Acceptance• Achieving greater heights

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Why mentoring?• Identifying the gaps

• Knowledge• Attitude• Cultural• Values

• Knowledge gap can be closed by administering training and by monitoring training effectiveness.

• Mentoring is the only solution available for plugging all the gaps other than knowledge gap.

• Competency = skill level x duration x attitude

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Benefits of Mentoring• Orient new hires quicker• Develop future leaders• Foster creativity and innovation• Foster organizational change• Develop competencies faster• Guide career development• Capture, disseminate and develop Intellectual

capital• Develop Emotional Intelligence

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Can I be a mentor?• Here is a set of 20 questions designed

specifically to find out level of mentoring quality in you.

• Put down response to the questions as per your truthful evaluation of yourself

• Your Response Marks• Strongly agree 5• Agree 4• Neutral 3• Disagree 2• Strongly disagree 1

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Mentoring Checklist - I• I see myself as being people oriented; I like and enjoy

working with other professionals.• I am a good listener and I respect my colleagues.• I am sensitive to the needs and feelings of others• I recognize when others need support or independence• I want to contribute to the professional development of

others and to share what I have learned• I am willing to find reward in service to someone who

needs my assistance• I am able to support and help without smothering,

parenting, or taking charge.

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Mentoring Checklist - II• I see myself generally as flexible and willing to adjust

my personal schedule to meet the needs of someone else.

• I am usually patient and tolerant when teaching someone.

• I am confident and secure in my knowledge of the field and make an effort to remain up-to-date.

• I enjoy the subject(s) I teach.• I set high standards for myself and my co-workers.• I use a variety of teaching methods and my students

achieve well.

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Mentoring Checklist - III• Others look to me for information about my

subject matter and methods of teaching• Overall, I see myself as a competent

professional• I am able to offer assistance in areas that

give others problems• I am able to explain things at various levels

of complexity and detail• Others are interested in my professional

ideas

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Developing Mentoring Relationships - I• Stage I - Selection

• Mentor and Mentee select each other by discussing• Common Interests• Shared Values• Professional Goals

• Stage II - Expectation Management• Mentor and Mentee arrive at initial expectations

from each other and finalize feasible working practices between them to meet the expectations.

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Developing Mentoring Relationships - II• Stage III - Fulfillment

• Targets achieved. Phase may last for months or even years. New challenges are presented and achieved.

• Stage IV - Re-defining and Optimizing • Mentor and Mentee redefine their relationships,

goals and expectations to move ahead in life

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Matching Mentoring relationships• Mentors and Mentee can both have

mentoring responsibilities with respect to each other.

• Selection Criteria would be• Similar interests, Styles, Preferences, Education,

Alma Matter, Past Professional experience• Need to remember - Opposites too attract

each other.

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Risks, Fears & Challenges• Rejection - I am ready to help but my help is not

wanted!• Infusing enthusiasm• Offending by offering to help• Developing trust• Frustration - meet the dead wall!• Competition or rivalry• Mismatch - Early detection and correction• Threat to own profession image - Failure to meet

expectations