Dynamic Mentoring Presented by: Jennifer Sellers & Trisha Milligan

The Training Connection, Inc. The Training Connection, Inc. (TTC) is a woman-owned small business that specializes in building innovative mentoring solutions for federal clients. Founded by Kathy Wentworth Drahosz, TTC is the outgrowth of her experience in employee and organizational development. TTC combines state-of-the-art applications with extensive knowledge of customer’s unique situations, goals, and criteria for success.

What is Mentoring? A formal mentoring process capitalizes on the experiences of successful individuals (mentors) who are committed to developing a highly skilled and high-performing workforce. Having the wise counsel and advice of a seasoned mentor can help employees handle various situations, enhance their development, and avoid some of the pitfalls that can derail a career or delay a promotion.

Mentors Share Wisdom of Experience Mentors help their mentees broaden their skills and competencies in three key areas: Expertise –mastering the expertise required of their job or career field. Building relationships and connections with others. Understanding and navigating the organization through its formal and informal structures.

One-year formal mentoring partnership. A minimum of two hours per month either face-to-face with their partner or working on developmental assignments and activities. Each mentoring pair will agree, at the beginning of the mentoring partnership, on the frequency of the mentoring meetings. Formal mentoring support will conclude at the end of the year. Time Commitments

Roles and Responsibilities (Mentees and Mentors) Engage in mentoring activities for a minimum of 2 hours per month. Develop a Mentoring Action Plan and Agreement. Attend formal mentoring training and progress reviews. Keep supervisor informed. Provide feedback on mentoring progress & design.

Role of the Supervisor Support mentoring activities by allowing employees adequate time to participate in the program. Be willing to meet with the employee and his/her mentor to strategy and plans. Provide flexibility in work schedule. Support the employee during the mentoring process. Provide feedback on mentoring progress and design.

Dynamic Mentoring Process

Mentoring Program Flowchart

Step 1: How to Identify Potential Mentors and Mentees The success of any mentoring program depends on the careful recruitment and selection of mentors and mentees. The in-house Program Coordinators will utilize The Mentoring Connection (a web-based tool) to recruit volunteers to participate as mentors and identify mentee candidates.

Step 2: Facilitate a Mentoring Orientation For who? Mentees, Mentors and Mentees’ Supervisors What does it cover? Information about the history of the program, goals, roles, responsibilities, and program support structure. Explains the matching process and offers participants characteristics to look for in a mentor or mentee.

Step 3: Match Mentors and Mentees Voice in the process with the Matching Form: Empower participants to provide the initial screening process using objective criteria based on career and developmental goals. Matching Process: TMC provides a spreadsheet of the participants matching preferences. Every effort will be made to match mentees with mentors who can best support their developmental needs. Individual choices will strongly be considered, but cannot be guaranteed. We will make the appropriate match based on the mentor’s capability to support mentee needs. No-Fault Termination: If at any point, either the mentor or the mentee feels that the match is inappropriate, they are encouraged to notify the Program Coordinators for a possible rematch.

Step 4: Provide formal training for mentoring program participants Dynamic Mentoring Connections Training: A one-day workshop that brings newly matched mentors and mentees together to kick-off their mentoring partnership. Participants will receive the training and tools they need to engage in successful mentoring relationships. Topics include: Roles, responsibilities and expectations of partners. How to begin your Mentoring Agreement and Mentoring Action Plan

Step 5: Implement the mentoring process Mentors and mentees will begin the partnership: Formal training (mentoring forums or periodic check-ins) Mentoring meetings

Step 6: Evaluate and track progress Progress Review: Mid-Point Energizer and Evaluation End of Program Celebration and Evaluation Data collected via The Mentoring Connection allows the Program Coordinators an opportunity to make any mid-point or end of program adjustments that will enhance current or future programs.

Mentoring Program Flowchart

Tips for Mentoring Success Senior Level Support Commitment Program participants Supervisors of program participants Resources The Mentoring Connection

Benefits of The Mentoring Connection Online application process Systematic matching process Action Plans and Mentoring Agreements Communicate with other program participants Coordination of Mentoring Events Online program evaluations

Application Mentors and mentees apply to the program online by completing a short application form that includes a biographical sketch. TMC collects this important data to assist participants in identifying and requesting a partner.

Matching Mentors and mentees have a voice in the matching process. To facilitate a suitable match, mentors and mentees will review profiles of prospective partners. They are encouraged to identify up to five (5) preferences for potential matches. The mentor/mentee also provides other information essential to the matching process, including names of those who would be an inappropriate match.

View Bios Participants can view the database of mentee/ mentor applications prior to selecting their preferences and exclusions on the Matching Form. Participants can view the “TMC Suggested Matches” based on competencies and skills selected on their Application Form, or “Perform a Self- Search.” (“Perform a Self-Search” shown here)

Mentoring Action Plan The Mentoring Action Plan (MAP) is the mentees’ personal roadmap for progress in achieving their goals. mentees create and edit their own MAPs.

Evaluation The evaluation gathers important data for assessing the success of the mentoring program and partnership. It provides mentors and mentees an opportunity to reflect on their mentoring experience, uncover issues and recommend improvements or adjustments to the program design and mentoring training.

Discussion Forum This feature is a threaded discussion open to all participants in the mentoring program. Anyone can start a discussion or contribute to an already existing thread.

Calendar The Program Coordinator uses the calendar to convey event information and deadlines to mentoring program participants. Upcoming events then appear on the welcome page of all participants.

Next Steps Application Forms Due, November 30, 2010 Dynamic Mentoring Orientation, January 12, 2010 Matching Forms Due, January 21, 2010

Questions?