When Mentoring Doesn't Work

When Mentoring Doesn't Work

If a couple of mentoring pairs fail to thrive, there are lessons to be learned but if more than a few people involved say mentoring didn’t work, you have a problem you have to fix fast.

You’re not alone if you worry about poor results from mentoring. If mentoring doesn’t work, valuable resources have been invested without return and people feel disappointed and disillusioned. The failure of mentoring to deliver to expectations reflects badly on organisers and champions and may make it more difficult to fund and introduce future initiatives of any kind. That’s why using the experience to bounce back quickly is critical.

Mentoring does work. Evaluation usually reveals tangible evidence of results. People report a satisfying, even inspiring, experience and positive outcomes. Over the longer-term, the impact on retention and development of people is apparent and the organisation’s reputation is enhanced, making it more attractive to potential employees.

You’ll only get one chance to recover from a failed mentoring initiative, so you need to get it right. Here’s how:

1. Find out what went wrong;
2. Get your model right;
3. Start and continue a properly planned strategy. 

What Went Wrong?

Investigate, don’t guess, what problems impeded mentoring. Being careful not to stir up blame or shame, ask participants about their experience. It’s usually not the people but the program that failed.

It’s not uncommon for first attempt mentoring to hit obstacles. The most frequent problems are:

1. Unclear strategic value
2. Insufficient lead-time and planning
3. Under-resourcing
4. Inadequate support
5. Not enough training
6. Lack of structure and follow-up
7. Ineffective monitoring, feedback and evaluation

The Right Model

Many first attempts at mentoring begin with good intentions and not much else. So model your strategy on what has been proven to deliver results. Four key elements must be addressed if your mentoring strategy is to be successful:
 

1. Planning – producing a blueprint that clearly ties the strategy to important outcomes and maps out how they will be achieved and measured;
2. Promotion - your ability to communicate so that the value of mentoring is recognized and welcomed by stakeholders;
3. Preparing – training and equipping participants to succeed in mentoring; and,
4. Program Support - a structured program that includes ongoing assistance, follow-up and feedback.

Start and Stay On Track

If you think through all the issues and develop a blueprint before you begin, you are off to a good start. Make sure that you have adequate budget, time and people allocated to follow through. Put a system in place so that daily, weekly, monthly and quarterly tasks get done. Look at what can be automated. Review the plan regularly and adjust as necessary.

You need to check in with participants and see how they are doing soon after the start and keep up two-way communication. Be creative in how you keep participants engaged. That’s how mentoring works.

Mentoring Works provides:

• Consulting to help you plan and implement your mentoring strategy;
• Workshops to enable participants to initiate successful mentoring relationships;
• Resources - books, e-learning, Mentoring Tips, webinars and more.

Don’t wait! Book an appointment now so that we can discuss what it will take to make sure mentoring works for you. Email today or phone 02 4342 2610. Your first consultation is free.