Great mentoring schemes ensure quality talents reach their full potential. While learning through trial and error can provide some valuable life lessons (and inform much of what mentors offer), it’s also good to have something of a roadmap to success.
There’s a growing role for mentoring to play in the future, and though there’s pent-up demand for smaller businesses, every organisation and institution can benefit from these schemes. Some businesses may be under the false impression that these schemes are time-consuming or distracting, but that’s only the case if the programme is poorly designed.
So, what does every great mentoring scheme need? Find out below.
Set Terms
Every mentoring dynamic is different. The scheme needs to be designed to adapt accordingly. For example, mentors and mentees should immediately have aligned goals. What are the outlined career goals set to be achieved? How long might the programme take? Can much feedback be expected? Is any information shareable? Are the meeting logistics to everyone’s liking (time, place, virtual arrangements)?
These questions might seem like a chore to answer, but doing so makes the difference between a failing mentoring scheme and a great one. When expectations are similar, it means that both the mentor and mentee can make the most of the situation, plan their time, and embrace the opportunity without any reservations. The working arrangement can be tailored to both parties’ comfort levels, and they can hopefully hit the ground running.
Independent Learning Opportunities
Some mentors misunderstand the time commitment that’s required to perform their roles. Others can fear that they must spend endless hours with the mentee instructing them on everything they need to learn. While face-to-face learning time is invaluable, it shouldn’t make up the entirety of the mentoring scheme. Mentees must also embark on independent learning opportunities, sourcing facts, figures, and advice from elsewhere. Mentors can support these efforts, recommending valuable resources or arranging a viable training programme.
Well-presented online training courses from iHASCO can encourage mentees to be self-sufficient. Covering everything from HR, Compliance, Soft Skills, Health and Safety, and more, the course content is easy to access thanks to a straightforward interface. Prices are also flexible depending on the number of learners, so a robust mentoring scheme can be strengthened further with these tools.
A Drive for Change
Mentoring can profoundly affect the lives of both mentor and mentee. It can help participants on both sides resolve differences, understand each other’s perspectives, and build meaningful personal and working relationships. Some of the most rewarding mentor schemes boost minority progression and focus on helping people from disadvantaged backgrounds make real progress in their career development. While the mentee benefits enormously, the mentor can also feel a great sense of pride in bringing about lasting, positive change not just in their business but also in their industry and community.
Passion fuels every great mentoring scheme. Once mentors understand the full weight of their responsibilities, they can appreciate the level of influence they can have over much-needed societal change. There can also be excitement around developing a mentoring scheme that isn’t merely going through the motions. Instead, they’ll pioneer something meaningful and fair for all and devote more time to its running.