by Skyler Wolf Jones

Created on: December 08, 2008

Somehow mentoring has turned into a large corporate agenda and companies are spending good quantities of time to set up a Mentoring Program that rarely sees life. Mentoring is not a complicated system that needs to be put into place. In fact, it is just opposite. Mentoring is this simple; one person has a skill that another person would like to learn. When you start to elaborate on the idea and possibilities you start to dilute the main principles. Here are 3 streamlined steps to setting up a mentoring culture, not system in your workplace

First: Have a Mentoring Culture

Establish the culture that you are company that encourages mentoring. This should be done in the New Hire orientation. It can also be done through examples by the leadership team, posted in break rooms, and advertised on the company intranet. The sooner you start emphasizing you embrace mentoring, the quicker the results will show.

Second: Have a place to connect Mentors and Students

If your company has an intranet this a great place to host a mentoring connection. If you do not, then a break room or hallway wall can work too. Here are the simple rules to the postings. If you are looking to be mentored on a specific topic write down your name and contact information and post it in the "Mentor Wanted" section. If you are a mentor that would like to offer your skills, place your name and contact information and place it in the "Mentor" section. You now have a mentoring connection.

Third: Give out best practices for being mentored

It is important to do a little research before spending time with your mentor. Once you have identified a potential mentor it is a good idea to write down the specific objectives of your meetings. Being prepared before you meet up with your mentor will show your mentor you are serious and respectful of their time and give them an agenda of topics on what to cover. This will also help them determine whether they are helping you achieve your goals or not. Each mentor will be different as some people have a natural gift to teach and others will just have the skill you want to acquire and will need to be done through observation or shadowing.

Start by meeting your mentor for about a half hour to go over initial objectives. This small amount of time is easier to schedule and will help you both decide whether it is a good fit to move forward or perhaps find another mentor.

Most corporations will encourage mentoring, however few are willing to invest company time to allow for the exchanges. More than likely you will need to meet your mentor after work hours or during lunch. If you are able to offer to buy their drink, lunch, or snack while you speak I recommend doing so.

Once you have established it is a good match, try to schedule out a good time to meet on a weekly or biweekly basis. Getting your mentor to schedule you time will secure their commitment to you.

Have your initial objectives ready along with questions prior to each meeting. Write down as many notes as possible so you can review them later and get the most amount of information as possible per meeting.

Mentoring is a great resource in helping transition management, it provides internal applicants strength in their current positions, and it is free! Stop thinking about how much work it might be to set up a mentoring culture and start doing the first steps. You don't have to have miraculous results right off; it will take time to grow. Have patience and the let those with a strong desire to learn more launch your initiatives of having a mentoring culture.

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