Is Mentoring Dangerous?

When mentoring is badly done it raises expectations but does not fulfil them, it leaves staff disappointed and disengaged and it makes management wary about investing in your people development initiatives.

It’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking that mentoring is easy, inexpensive and yet effective because it is – if you do it right!

Quick Quiz:

• Can you demonstrate that mentoring is delivering desired outcomes?
• Do your mentors know the real power of mentoring and how to use it?
• Can they defer giving advice and ask a question instead to get a better result?
• Do you know whether mentoring pairs are progressing well?
• Have you provided what they need to remain engaged and productive in the mentoring relationship?
• Does mentoring have the appropriate budget and resources to ensure success?

If you answered no or are not sure about one or more of these questions, be aware of danger ahead.

What’s Needed?

Mentoring can be a cost-effective solution to the problem of attracting, retaining and bringing the best out in people. You can have a mentoring program that is motivating, builds capability and contributes to the bottom line. To achieve this you need to:

1. Mentor For Outcomes
2. Train For Mentoring
3. Support Mentoring

Mentor For Outcomes

A mentoring program must produce worthwhile outcomes. The aims of mentoring and ways of evaluating results should be agreed from the outset. Outcomes must be clearly linked to the strategic objectives of the organisation. Mentoring is an investment and every investment should produce a return. Mentoring delivers when its purpose is clear, expectations are understood and visible results can be identified.

Train For Mentoring

There is an art and a science to mentoring. Without training, mentoring can be disastrous. People expose their vulnerabilities in mentoring, they discuss aspirations and share problems. It is very risky not to prepare participants properly for such conversations. Special skills and knowledge are essential. Both mentors and those who are mentored must understand their role, learn the process and acquire techniques for success. They need to be able to develop rapport and trust, know the boundaries and how to manage the relationship. A lot of people have experience to share but mentoring is not as simple as telling people what to do.

Support For Mentoring

Getting mentoring off to a good start is not enough. Even if you match and train people well, mentoring is likely to fizzle out in the face of conflicting priorities. To sustain mentoring relationships you need a strategy for support. Planned activities, resources and follow-up that fosters ongoing commitment.

While priorities often shift in this climate, one thing never changes: for organizations, people really are their greatest asset. And while most just say that, mentoring is a way to maximize your organisation’s investment in people. So, assuming that mentoring is a serious strategy, not just a tick-the-box exercise, it may be time to apply some risk management by mentoring for outcomes, training and supporting mentoring. Then you’ll ensure that mentoring works.

This article appeared in Mentoring News #64.  You can view past issues, or sign up to our mailing list here.