In the spirit of back to school season, we are dedicating our blog in these upcoming posts to education— namely, mentoring training.
In my 25+ years designing and implementing corporate mentoring programs, one thing has remained constant: the programs that succeed are the ones set their mentoring programs up for success by educating and training their mentors, mentorees, and program managers.
Aren’t all mentoring programs set up for success?
Unfortunately, no. That’s not to say these programs don’t have good intentions. I suspect just about every organization that takes the time to set up some sort of mentoring program, even an informal one, has good intentions.
So what makes the difference? How can you ensure your corporate mentoring program succeeds?
Programs that include a training element tend to be the ones that succeed.
Why does my program need a training component?
Good question. After all, mentoring isn’t a foreign concept. Most of us probably get what it is, at least at a top level. But how many of us know how to mentor or be mentored when we enter a mentoring program for the first time? Based on my experience, I can promise you this: not many.
What topics should mentoring training cover?
Mentoring training should introduce and educate mentoring program participants on topics such as:
- Crucial mentoring skills and key concepts of the corporate mentoring program
- Creating the relationship
- Building on the relationship
- Achieving mastery/confidence
- Communicating within the mentoring relationship
- active listening
- common barriers to listening
- specific listening techniques
- giving feedback
- receiving feedback
- Diversity and Mentoring
- stereotypes
- unique aspects of diversity mentoring
So whether it’s back to school, starting a new mentoring program, or re-enegizing your existing mentoring program, remember that education and training is important!
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Image Credit: https://www.flickr.com/photos/25221954@N04/