In our consulting and training work, we frequently are invited to evaluate mentoring programs. When we ask leaders to describe their mentoring programs today, the answers run the gamut from “we don’t have one” to “ours is best in class” and just about everything in between. Some organizations report “informal” mentoring programs, a few attempt to thoughtfully match mentor and protégé, and the remainder appear to leave their programs completely to chance.

For those of you considering the establishment (or refinement) of a mentoring program in your organization, we offer you the following:

1. Teach the Mentors how to Mentor – An area we find sadly lacking in many organizations is mentor training. Just because someone possesses mastery in a particular skill does not mean they will be capable of sharing or teaching that skill to others; therefore, some mentor training may be necessary. In a mentoring relationship, the protégé learns by doing, eventually coming to their own conclusions, and building the decision making skills that help organization’s grow and succeed. As the poet and artist Khalil Gibran once said, “(t)he teacher who is indeed wise does not bid you to enter the house of his wisdom, but rather leads you to the threshold of your mind.” Mentors should be trained in the three specific phases of their discussions with their protégé which are universal in their ability to help facilitate meaningful and educational dialogue between the parties.
• Analyze – The mentor listens and observes from a silent and neutral standpoint. This is difficult for many mentors, but remember – this is not about you, it’s about the protégé. Listening means not talking. Neutral means not judging or correcting.
• Challenge – The mentors encourage their protégés to explain their logic, rationale, and basis for their position or decisions they made, constantly asking them what they have learned in the process and how that learning may be applied to other scenarios. Challenging means asking questions, not giving answers.
• Focus – The mentor helps the protégé distill facts and make decisions. The mentor asks the protégé what other options are currently under consideration as a means of ensuring the protégé has explored and analyzed the problem and is not fixated on one solution. Mentors should always end the conversation with “what is your next step?” keeping the process moving and making the protégé think about what they are going to do with the information they just reported.
2. Selection Second – Everyone on your team deserves coaching, but the additional effort, attention, and investment of mentoring should be reserved for the “high potentials” in your organization. Protégés should be selected from among those high potential individuals who are both top performers and who possess the skills, abilities, and desire to assume greater responsibilities. Being an effective individual contributor is not enough, as protégés must bring the personal characteristics that suggest they have the ability to influence the behaviors of others without any formal authority.
3. Matchmaker, Matchmaker, Make me a Match – Not just a song from the award winning production “Fiddler on the Roof,” matching mentor to protégé can mean the difference between a successful and unsuccessful outcome. Many organizations let the mentor and protégé self select their matches. Others will match protégé need with mentor skill. Beyond matching skill and need, there is a need for personality compatibility. We’re not advocating mentor/protégé e-harmony here, but the mentor has to possess the skill needed by the protégé AND there must be a personality match or chemistry between the parties. If the mentor and protégé don’t enjoy each other’s company on some level, the relationship will not flourish nor be successful.