Thoughtfully implemented mentoring remains high on my list of remedies for organizations facing daunting dual challenges of accelerated turnover and scary demographics as more baby boomers approach retirement. Still, mentoring can look deceptively simple, and yield disappointing results when not thoughtfully designed and guided through the organization.
There’s an argument that says mentoring happens on its own when two people take an interest in each other’s careers and that “arranged mentoring marriages” don’t work. While it is certainly true that some valuable mentoring relationships develop informally, leaving it to happen on its own will never move the needle on development and retention significantly enough to matter at an organizational level. The key is to find a way to scale the informal mentoring that is already working sporadically in many organizations.
Mentoring programs require just the right amount of structure and monitoring to generate value. Both over-engineering and loose management can yield lackluster returns. Here’s what I’ve seen work:
Some thoughtful design work up front can prepare your organization to nimbly respond to the heightened demand that thoughtful design should generate. Keep in mind that if your design is not scalable, it is unlikely to impact the organization on a large scale!
Do you have questions about designing an effective mentoring program? Let's have a conversation.
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