by David Pitts

Created on: January 03, 2009

Mentoring within an organization is an effective, inexpensive way to improve. The value of people to an organization is directly related to what they know. Through mentoring, you can efficiently use your existing resources to increase and enrich the overall knowledge of the people. Here are some basics for establishing mentoring in your organization.

Establish a Mentoring Culture. It's important to establish mentoring as part of the organization's culture. That usually implies a combination of formal and informal mentoring. Both are important. Everyone should be aware of the presence and value of mentoring to the organization, including those that mentor and those that receive the benefits of the increased knowledge.

Formal Mentoring. Here are the basics for establishing a formal mentoring program. These should be tailored for the organization's size and situation.

1. Establish a mentoring process and ensure it is followed. It's important that the organization knows a formal mentoring program is in place and how it works. Those directly involved should know that the process must be followed. Typically, it's a simple process, but it ensures some basic structure to the mentoring program. Mentors should be trained in the process and also the techniques for conducting mentoring sessions.

2. Judiciously select those to be formally mentored. Document the criteria used to select people to be mentored, and be certain the criteria are used. Typically formal mentoring cannot be done for everyone, so it is important to ensure fairness. The criteria will relate to maximizing benefit to the organization, specific career development, and immediate need. For example, a particular employee may have demonstrated exceptional abilities. In order to better utilize those abilities, a mentor may be assigned to take the employee to the next level of maturity. Be certain the selection is defendable to the other employees who may feel slighted that they were not selected.

2. Carefully pick the mentor. Formal mentoring is no better than the mentor. Be sure the mentor has the necessary knowledge you are trying to convey and can dedicated the necessary time. Effective mentors have the "teacher spirit", and the ability to clearly explain. A good mentor relishes in the success of the student and should not feel threatened by the increased knowledge of the person. The mentor must be committed to the role of mentor and must follow the basic process.

4. Mentoring planning. The mentor and the one

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