Mentoring the Mentor Sharing Lessons from Our Best

Mentoring the Mentor Sharing Lessons from Our Best Client Experiences: Rich Steel and Martin Mc. Laughlin February 22, 2007 1

Expectations • Provide insight in mentoring practices across industries, companies and cultures • Share your lessons with us… engage in a conversation • Reach out to someone who can use you…right now • Have fun and try something new 2

Not Evaluative, but Developmental • Mentoring is a confidential relationship in which learning and experimentation can occur, skills can be developed, and in which results can be measured in terms of competencies gained and objectives achieved. • Mentors are influential people who significantly help Mentees reach their major goals – benefiting the individual and the organization. Mentors are trusted and experienced teachers and counselors who help and guide another individual. Mentors accelerate the rate at which a Mentee learns. 3

Mentoring Guiding Principles (Our 10 Best Ideas) 1. Be Authentic (and Vulnerable) 2. Expand Mentoring Over a Life-Time (Balance Formal and Informal) 3. Change Perspective Prior to Changing Behaviors 4. Use a Mentoring Model to Sustain Momentum 5. Manage Comfort Zones and Manage Meetings 6. Flex Your Style to Meet Your Mentee’s Needs 7. Act as Your Mentee’s Brand Manager 8. Focus on Passions, Greatness and Stretch Goals 9. Facilitate Discussions, Don’t Solve Problems 10. Practice Real Mentoring Skills 4

1. Be Authentic (and be Vulnerable) Don’t try to be anything or anyone else!! • • Passion to Develop Others Commitment to Investing Time and Effort Honesty and Emotional Maturity Interpersonal, Communication, and Feedback Skills • Technical Competence • Proactive Problem Solving • Open to Learning and Open to Networking 5

2. Expand Mentoring Over a Lifetime Informal Functional or Technical TP 4 Personal Networks Career Path TP 3 Process of Developme nt Assimilation TP 2 Formal TP 1 External Mentoring Resource Internal Objective • Accelerate Learning • Accelerate Development • Gain/Retain Expertise • Expand Reach/Influence Needs • Fit in Culture • Career Development • New Challenges • New Experiences Relationship • Buddy/Sponsor • Mentor • Technical Expert • Learning Community Transition • New Environment • Career Selection • Leveling Process • Community Outreach 6

3. Change Perspective Prior to Changing Behaviors From Transactional to Transformational • The Mentoring Walk • Ownership and Accountability for their own learning, development, career • Change your Mentee’ conversation from “what can you do for me” to “what can I do for you” • Access (Experiences, Network, You) 7

4. Use a Mentoring Model to Sustain Momentum Getting Started (again) Planning and Committing Reflecting and Repositioning Getting it Done Coaching and Refining Mentoring Processes Gaining Perspective Focusing on the Mentee Implementing and Observing 8

5. Manage Comfort Zones and Manage Meetings • Is it easy for you to ask for help? Receptive Listening Observing Supporting Active Comfort Zone Talking Assertive Leading • Why or why not? 9

5. Manage Comfort Zones and Manage Meetings • Before the Meeting: – Have agreed upon objectives and agenda – Have agreed on time and place to meet – Prepare your own process/questions you will ask, etc. • During the Meeting: – Stay on topic but be flexible – Use appropriate mentoring skills – Set next meeting date • After the Meeting: – Follow up appropriately (DWYSYWD) 10

6. Flex Your Style to Meet Your Mentee’s Needs Situational Mentorship g in ch oa p u S C S up po rt g tin r po Style 3 Style 2 D in t a g g in ct D ire g e el Style 1 Style 4 Direction Motivation Competenc e High Varies Low High Moderate Low Development Level: 4 3 2 1 11

7. Act as Your Mentee’s Brand Manager • What is personal branding? • Why focus on personal branding? – It’s a “You” World so help your Mentee go out and Connect, Engage, and Build • • You Tube My Space Linked-In Blogging 12

7. Act as Your Mentee’s Brand Manager • What could you do to help your Mentee build and communicate their personal brand? – Help them Find the Passionate Expert within !!! – Get them to be good at telling engaging stories!!! – Help them Script the first 30 seconds because they are the VP, Director, and CEO of First Impressions!!! – Help them get visible by encouraging them to fill their calendars, never eat alone – go kiss 100 frogs and start tomorrow!!! 13

8. Focus on Passions, Greatness and Stretch Goals • How do your life / career goals stack up? Find the Passionate Expert within Your Mentee What Are You Passionate About? What Can You Be Best At? What Goals Will Guide me to Greatness? 14

9. Facilitate Discussions, Don’t Solve Problems • Focus on Solving the Right Issue through Open, Focus, Close P L A N N I N G Open Invites ideas, explores options, identifies problem, etc. Divergent Thinking - anything is possible Focus Clarify information, combine ideas, and rank issues Convergent Thinking - It’s time to come together Close Reaching consensus and developing action plans 15

10. Practice Real Mentoring Skills Giving & Receiving Effective Feedback Mentor Mentee • Be Specific • Identify Behaviors Understand It • Provide a Recent Example • Be Descriptive, Not Evaluative • Describe Both Strengths and Weaknesses Accept It • Provide Time to Discuss Feedback • Relate Feedback to Behavior That Can Be Changed • Focus on 1 or 2 Key Areas at a Time Do Something About It 16

10. Practice Real Mentoring Skills 1. Stop Talking 2. Stop Thinking 3. Parrot 4. Paraphrase 5. Reflect Underlying Feelings And one bonus thought: 6. Pay attention to non-verbals, even on the phone, by email, text message and instant message 17

10. Practice Real Mentoring Skills Action Who (Mentee/Mentor) By When Status Comments (Prioritize) 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 1. 2. 3. 18

Bonus Thought: Communication and Personality Styles • Understanding Styles is Critical (e. g. MBTI, DISC) – What type is best at being a Mentor? – What type is best at being a Mentee? – If I am a certain type, should I look for the same type, or an opposite type? – Are certain types better suited for certain careers/jobs? – Does my type stay the same forever? – Can I flex my style to better match or fit my Mentor/Mentee? 19

Next Steps Beyond the Webinar • Prepare to meet with your mentee – Plan and send your agenda – Call / e-mail your mentee to set up the first / next meeting • If you don’t have a mentee, we can help… • Review webinar material • Plan for your first / next mentor meeting • Meet / listen / facilitate / learn / help your mentee build their brand / and enjoy the experience!!! 20

Help Your Mentee Act Consistently with their Brand • Act like the CEO of You Inc. and you (their mentor) are their brand manager. • Act like it is their first day on the job everyday. • Act like giving value is the key to success…because it is. • Act like they are working for tips. • Act like an adult, but ask questions like a kid. • Act like they are the CEO of First Impressions. • Act like they love what they do…better yet, find something that they love about what they do and build on it. And for you: • Continue to make a difference and pay it forward!! 21