5 Steps Toward an Effective Mentoring Program

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Quality mentor programs make for more engaged and happy employees. However, a good mentor program requires thoughtful planning and commitment from leaders. Here's how to get your company started.

Quality mentor programs make for more engaged and happy employees. However, a good mentor program requires thoughtful planning and commitment from leaders. Here's how to get your company started.

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1. Define your why.

1. Define your why.

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Define, for the organization and participants, why this program exists. This will guide what success metrics you need to track.

Define, for the organization and participants, why this program exists. This will guide what success metrics you need to track.

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2. Engage your stakeholders.

2. Engage your stakeholders.

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Senior management buy-in is crucial in demonstrating top-down commitment to mentoring across the company. The clearly defined why and measurable outcomes will help you do so.

Senior management buy-in is crucial in demonstrating top-down commitment to mentoring across the company. The clearly defined why and measurable outcomes will help you do so.

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3. Create quality connections.

3. Create quality connections.

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Matching learners based on clearly defined criteria—such as what participants want to learn, their interests, and career goals—gives mentors context to how they can help.

Matching learners based on clearly defined criteria—such as what participants want to learn, their interests, and career goals—gives mentors context to how they can help.

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4. Consider how you will match.

4. Consider how you will match.

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Do you want to retain control of the matching or let people self-match? The quality of the match is what drives the quality of outcomes, so determining the best methodology based on program objectives is vital.

Do you want to retain control of the matching or let people self-match? The quality of the match is what drives the quality of outcomes, so determining the best methodology based on program objectives is vital.

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5. Monitor and manage.

5. Monitor and manage.

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Mentor programs need regular maintenance. Establish check-in points to identify participants who have not yet communicated or are lacking engagement, and find out why.

Mentor programs need regular maintenance. Establish check-in points to identify participants who have not yet communicated or are lacking engagement, and find out why.