From what I know, there are two distinct types of mentorship programs. One is the
traditional “up/down” “senior/junior”, in which a more experienced senior mentor
is paired with a “mentee/protegee” to offer ongoing guidance and advice.
The other type of mentorship is Peer Mentoring, a system in which two people agree to support each other based on complementary skills and needs, and the partners create a ‘contract.’ The purpose of this process is to create a productively paired ‘buddy system’ to help each partner achieve her/his individual goals.
This type of mentoring program can be greatly cost-effective, increase productivity and create a culture of peer empowerment and competency.
- Education and Awareness: Employees should be educated via a webinar, company-wide meeting or other form of communication. The process should be described, share how people might benefit from it, and include examples of success in other settings and organizations. Make sure to gather feedback, questions and concerns from employees during this step.
- Buy-in: Once people are aware of the program and how it can benefit them offer them the opportunity to opt in for a designated trial period.
- Assessment: This step is all about creating an inventory of skills and resources. Ask employees to fill in a simple assessment about the skills and resources they possess and the ones they are interested in acquiring.
- Pairing: The next step is to pair participants based on skills and needs. This requires a skilled facilitator.
- More education: Now that the pairs are selected, share additional guidelines about the process moving forward. Setting goals, creating a peer mentor contract for accountability, and offering tips on monitoring and nurturing the relationship, should be included.
- Follow-up: Checking in regularly is also key. “How is it going? Are the partners’ contributions equal, equitable? What improvements can be made? These are important issues and questions during the process.
For more about Peer Mentoring and how it can work for you and your organization
https://tinyurl.com/2s42evpm or ez4u@ezinfluence.com
