“I want to start a mentoring program.”  You may have said this.  You may have heard this.  You may have been tasked to lead this effort. Mentoring programs are quite popular within corporate circles these days – for good reason.  Effective mentoring links to improved employee productivity and retention.

In addition, mentoring programs are a key component of leadership development, succession and future organizational growth. You may think it is a simple task to get on the “mentoring bandwagon.”  And the mechanics of planning and implementing a program are easily executed thanks to an abundance of available best practice literature.  But, before you start with design, you might want to take a look at the foundation upon which your program will be built.

• Culture:  Is your organization ready to take on this task?
• Commitment:  Are all participants dedicated to follow the program through to closure?
• Collaboration:  Is the stage set for open dialogue among all players?

Organizational Readiness:  Your Culture

“Culture eats strategy for breakfast.”  We often hear this Peter Drucker statement and nod our heads at the truth of it.  Mentoring programs succumb to culture as easily as any other organizational strategy or program. Mentoring is all about learning.  That is the premise behind the pairings, the objectives, and the measures. 

Successful mentoring programs come out of organizations that value development.  These organizations are characterized by having robust and differentiated programs for the entire employee populace. A development culture is easily identified by the actions of senior leadership and managers.  How much time is spent on developing direct reports and others?  If the answer is little to none, then expect the mentoring program to fall flat on its face.  As the percentage of time devoted to organizational development increases, so does the probability that the program will be a success.

Mentoring thrives in a culture of accountability.  Participation in a mentoring partnership is not a passive activity.  Mentors, protégés, program sponsors, and organizational managers have responsibilities to ensure successful outcomes.  Lack of preparation and responsiveness on any participant’s part leads the program down the ineffectiveness track.

Organizational Dedication:  Participant Commitment

Culture is the backdrop.  Commitment is the next step. When we think of mentor relationships, we visualize a mentor and a protégé.  When we think of formal mentoring programs, we also include a program manager.  However, effective mentoring program participation is much broader than this trio.  A successful outcome also depends on the commitment from the organization’s senior leadership and the organization’s managers. 

Effective mentoring is a TEAM activity. Successful mentoring programs are not executed in isolation.  So ask yourself:  Are the senior leaders on board – in words AND actions?  Is the downstream management on board?  These crucial voices of support prepare the program for success.

Organizational Practice: Collaboration

Informal mentoring partnerships may pop up anywhere.  But if a structured formal mentoring program is to succeed, attention must be paid to constructing a collaborative network. Collaboration begins before the initial kick-off meeting of the mentoring class.   Those who can contribute the most to the success of the mentoring program are the mentor’s and the protégé’s managers.

In the view of managers who have not been involved in the process, mentoring programs are part of a secret society – where the doors are locked and a “code word and secret knock” must be used to gain entrance.  Because they have not been included in the “reason why” and the path the partnership will take, these managers tend to make up their own (most likely negative) story. The mentor pairs will have established guidelines regarding their own communications.  Adding the manager into an open dialogue about the protégé’s objectives and progress positively impacts mentoring success. 

Managerial resistance is eliminated.  The manager becomes a team player supporting the success of the partnership. Culture + commitment + collaboration = a strong foundation for successful mentoring programs.  Come to think of it – aren’t these the requirements for success in any initiative?

Please share your thoughts in the comments section!