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Acknowledgements. .. As I cornplete this research project, my heartfeIt th& goes to.. .

My PCL "watchdogs," my advisory committee, Dev Fraser, Oscm Gauder. Peler Greene and Al Troppmann, for taking an interest in this project, the financial support, and the PCL perspective, which always sets the bar high!

My facdty advisor-at-a-distance, Fred Jacques, whose assistance to me was aiways timeIy and thorough.. .for good counsel and a Listening ear.

My fami13 Amie. Erin orrd Keegan. for happily carrying on without me! My parents. Walter and Theha for your astute and helptùl dit .

Michelle Miller for your "hugew assistance with questionnaires.

Joe P accagnan. Denis Demarais, Andv Wi[Ziam. Kelly m i t e and Paul Knowles for being my "guinea pigs," for being first! Ron Kubsch for reminding me of Emie Poole's Rules. Stan Sagert for ailowing me to share a busy morning on the jobsite and for giving me a new d e to live by, "It's not a mistake, rmless you canlt fix it." TF Nobles for the magic and the wisdom. Mike Gantenbein for your serious contemplation. Ran4 H e l h for your perseverance. Scott Duncan for the idea that the word "nurture" can be used in constmction. Randj Sare~ for reminders that work is o d y part o f f fe, daughters are important too! Den- Annotir for allowing me to "ciose the door" and for your h e d e I t support of our Iegends. Jim WmgA ... a great tour! Susie Wong for sending me ail those yeUow envelopes. Karen Zapisocki for your survey expertise. Chris Stack andJefKinney for providing glimpses of the civil side. EspeQally to Chns for the tour and to Jeff for meeting me half way. Phil Rattai. An& Ahrendt and Jim Morîenson for getting me back to church, taking me to lunch, showing me the site and sharing your wisdom. A p d Smith for youth and a woman's perspective. Tom Pipa for a look at operations through new eyes. Chris Gower for your eamest support of your mentors. Chrîs Moms for the notion that attitude is everythùig. Mike O'Mdey for reminding me of the power of "why?" B q Reynolds for doing what teaches best, t e h g a story! Dean Xureub for your bIatant enthusiasm and the notion that it talres a lot of time to grow good gniss! Chen L h for the thought that without feedback, we may just be getting it done. Rick Hermann, Don Draginda Dave Kami* and Mitch Soeraert for ha* the thne when m your division there is no snch thg!

..And to everyone who took thne h m work or home to respond to mtenriew or questiomaire, thank you for your opmess7 warm generosity and wisdom. You have heIped to rnake my Iearning experienc one, not of books and computers7 but one of "reai" peopIe and heart!

Observations .............................................................................................................. 4-3 C C Menton and Proteges ........................................................................................... 4-4

What Do Protégés Learn? ................................................................................... 4-5 Why Do They Need to Leam These Things? .................................................. 4 - 7

What Time is Needed for Mentoring? When Do Mentors Teach? ................... ... 4-8 How Do Mentors Teach? ..................................................................................... 4-9 Functions of a Mentor .................................................................................... ......4-1 1 Why Do Mentors Bring Them Along? ................................................................ 4-12

Other Observations ........................................................................................... A - 1 3

.................................................................... PCL's Description of Mentoring A l 3 Uecommendation ................................................................................................~..... -3- 16

Supervisors are Menton ...................................................................................... 4-L6

CHAPTER 5 O RESEARCH IMPLICATIONS ........................................ 5-i implementation .......................................................................................................... 5-1

Mentors ................................................................................................................ 5-1

. ..~~.~............~................~.~~~...~....~* Mentors Go Fimt Create the Environment 5-1 ............................................................................. Mentoring is "Real" Work 5-2

r C

Proteges ................................................................................................................ 5-2 ................... .....*.....*............. Ask Questions ....... .................... 5-2

It's Not an Age Thing ............... ... ............................................................... 5.3 . .

DistncKorporate Management ......... .. ............................................................. 5.3 EIders Mentor ................................................................................................. 5-4 Highiight the Pockets of Expertise ................................................................ 5-4

1 Brag ............................................................................................................... 5-4

Think Differently about Staffing and Recnllting ........................................... 5-5

Ask About M a i t o ~ g .................................................................................... 5-7

Summary .................................................................................................................... 5-7

Fritare Research - Implications for PCL ................................................................... 5-9

Leader-Assisteci M e n t o ~ g ................................................................................ 5-9 ObstacIes to Mentoring ........................................................................................ 5.10

Diversity Issues .............................................................................................. - 1 L

CHAPTER 6 O LESSONS LEARNED ..................................................... 6-1 Research Project Lessons Learned ............................................................................. 6-1 Program Lessons Learned ....................................................................................... 6 . 2

Major Project Cornpetencies .................................................................. 6 - 3

.......................................................................................................... REFERENCES 7-1

Appendices:

Appendix

Appendix

Appendix

Appendix

A ppendix

Appendix

A . PCL's Statement of Values and Guiding Principles ............................... A 4 B . PCL's Career Paths for Buildings Operations .....................................cc... B I C - Covering Letter and Questionnaire ................... .... ........................... C 4

........................................................................................ D - Interview Fom D-l E - Consent Fom ............................................................................................ E4 F - PCL's Perfomance Management Mode1 .................................................. F- 1

CHAPTER 1 - STUDY BACKGROUND

The Opportunity

"PCL Iias a reptation us a constmction leader: a strong, relicble and

successful contracring entity that prides i ~ e r f o n producing a quality

prodz~t thor meers or erceedS client expectarions. It is this reputation for

construction excellence that makes te one of the leading general

contracring organkatiom in North Amerka"

These staternents are the preamble to information issued publicly about PCL by its

communications department. The words desmie a company proud of its achievernents

and position in todayk construction marketpiace. Behind this stamch belief in its success

is a compmy keenly aware of its source of strength, those individuds charged with the

responsibility to build.

It is believed that moa of PCL's senior operations personnel Say that they have been

mentored at some stage of the* development. When they use the t e m "mento~g," it is

thought that they mean they've been 'kought dong" or that they've been the recipients

of someone's particular attention. That person has taught them, coached hem and

positioned them so that the essentiai skilIs, knowiedge and attitudes for work in the

construction industry, and specincaIIy for PCL, have been Ieamed. Over PCL's niaety-

four year history the company has relied on this informai yet eEeaive way of nnrtiiring

those in construction operations, to educate the company's buüders and fiiture leaders.

While we know that these mentoring reIationships exist, we know Iittie about the

environment in which mentoring takes place and can not readily d e s d e its many

aspects. Because this group of employees is so aiticai to the company, understanding

how mentoring works must be essentid to its funne stabiiity and heaith.

The research opporhmity therefore is to deveIop a cIear description ofhow mentoring

works within the operations jobstreani at PCL by answering the questions.. .

"How is mentoring described wirliin the operodons jobstreum at PCL?

mat are the specifics, the essential eletnenfi, of that process?"

Impact to PCL

PCL has grown substantially in its long history, with more rapid growth predicted for the

near h r e . This expansion and growth, as weil as the day-to-day operation of this large

company, places a constant demand for well-trained operations personnel to adequately

fulm the company's continent-wide contractual obligations. These key people are

required to estimate and bid construction projects, plan and organize the work, and

efncientiy manage and execute the construction of those projects.

This growth, combined with today's demands of increasingly rapid construction, rnay

cause the leaders of this company to negiect m e n t o ~ g relationships. Placing Iess

importance on mentoring rnay mean that:

Not enough time is given to aUow mentoring relationships to deveIop.

Mentoring relationships are broken in order to move people to needed locations.

Personnel are positioned where potentid mentors are in short supply or rnay not exist

at alL ui generai, thme rnay be regional shortages of mentors.

CriticaI knowledge of systems, documentation or procedures rnay not be adequately

transfmed fiom one empIoyee to the next

Essentiaiiy, ifmentoring lessens, these employees criticaI to PCLrs success rnay not have

the opportunity to Iean i what is necessary for constnictiug th& projects. As this occnrs

the losses to PCL are two-foId. The projects themseIves rnay suffer as mistakes are

made, ultmiateiy resuiting m Iost revenue. The -ter and fiu more miportant Ioss is that

of operations personnel, a reaI and e v a present tfireat, As yotmg and inexperienced

employees are de& the opportrmities to hone their construction howledge, they may

become f h t n t e d and overburdened, eventudy choosing to l a v e the organization.

Because the backbone of PCL is the operations jobstream, surely the key to PCL's fùture

must be to ensure the continueci sharing of expertise, the mentorkg, within this group.

The Company

PCL is one of the Iargest general construction contractors in North Amerka Founded in

1906, the Company has expanded fkom its Canadian prairie roots to include district

ofnces in seven major United States dies as well as offices throughout Canada.

Corporate offices are located in Edmonton, Alberta. A corporate office located in

Denver, Colorado supports the Amencan operatious. PCL holds a strong position in the

construction marketplace with annuai billings ranging upw ards of $2.6 billion.

PCL's consmiction expertise resides in three major sectors: cornmerciai, industrial and

civil construction. Some of PCL's major construction projects currently underway or

recently completed include the Terra Nova Project in S t John's, Newfoundland; the

Hawaii Convention Center in Honolulu, Hawaii; the Air Canada Centre (Toronto

RaptordMaple Leafs) and National Trade Centre, both in Toronto, Ontario; the Staples

Center (Los Angeles Kmgs) in Los Angeles, California; the Light Rail Transit Project in

Denver, Colorado; and the two-phase Universai Studios Parking Structure in Orlando,

norida SpeciaI project work, consisting Iargely of renovation and restoration work, is

another spec-ialized sector.

in the risky business of construction PCL takes pride in being empIoyee owned.

Dependhg on the season, PCL ernploys upwards of 5,500 peopIe. Whether in the field or

the office, a strong corpomte culture maintains that people are this company's strongest

and best resource. Publicized values statements (see Appendix A) say that, "people are

the source of otrr strength and our success." The third of six @dhg principks (see

Appendix A) States,

"We expect our employees to produce quality workmaaship, We

understand the challenge of innovation and change. We provide feedback

on anployee performance and we know that our 'Ieaming never ends.' In

return for cornmitment to excellence and achievement, we provide

continuity of ernpIoyment, a share of the profits, training, and satisfyuig

careers!'

PCL's c o ~ c t i o n projects are built using project teams. These teams beiieve strongly

in each other's abilities, the quaiity of theu workmanship and the Unportance of working

together for timefy job completion. A second guiding principle states that,

"Our success is built on loag-term relationships with our customers, our

people, and our partners. We expect our people and partnerships to

operate with integrity, courtesy, faimess, and professional respect.. ."

When PCL looks to growth and expansion, the fifth gui-ding principle states,

"Our growth and success corne tiom within. in the same way that we rely

on intemal promotions for our professional growth, our corporate

expansion will corne Eom our existing business cornpetence. We mi.

continue to expand at a controlled rate to create opportunities for our

people and to sustain a healthy company."

Those employees working in the operations sector form the backbone of PCL's business

(see the PCL Career Paths diagram - Appendix B). They are hdividuals who estimate the c o s of each construction project, pIan and schedule the work and manage the day-to-

day activities of each jobsite. They are the estimators, project managers, field engineers,

pmject coordinators, superintendents and foremen. The senior IeveIs of the company's

operations consist of district manager and constniction andlor operations manager. With

the exception of kancial advisors, it is fiom t h group that the Ieaders of the company

are chosea

Y entoring at PCL

PCL has long recognked mentoring as key to its construction success. The following is a

statement of PCL's rnentoring philosophy, found in the employee orientation package.

One of the rnost effective ways of leaming and teaching can be achieved

through mentoring. The promotion and expansion of mentoring at PCL

pIays a key role in our ongoing success. [f everyone accepts the

responsibility for acquiring knowiedge and new skUs, and for helping

others to leam, PCL will tnily become a "leaming organization."

The traditionai model of m e n t o ~ g places a senior respected individuai

with a junior employee, This traditional model of m e n t o ~ g still works,

but a broader model can increase its effectiveness. If we accept this

definition of rnentoring to be a 'supporteci oppominity to share Imowledge,

information and skiIls with others who aspire to leam,' it will become

naturai and expected for employees to cross boundaries and lines of

authority in search of new knowledge and skilis. At PCL, asking someone

for help and support is encouraged.

PCL has adopted the philosophy that training and leaniing "on-thejob" is

a standard part of the way we do business. Ifmentoring receives active

and visibIe support everyone in the organization, we wüI continue to

profitably grow and develop the people we need to ensure our ongoing

SuCCesSc

As a new empfoyee, we encourage you to take every opportunity to

devefop your knowledge, information and skiIls fkom others in the

Company, and to share your own expertise with others interestecl in

learning fiom you.

in 1996, a representative team studying the training needs of PCL made the

recommendation that mentorhg should be strengthened and promoted.

Mentoring was discussed at the annual Operations Conference in April of that

year. A carnpaign was begun using a 20 minute video and posters to promote

mentoring. The words Each one, Teach one were used to express our philosophy

that rnentorïng at PCL was everyone's job.

CHAPTER 2 - LITERATURE REVIEW

Mentoring : Towards a Definition.. .

Any inquiq into the nature of mentoring at PCL would be incomplete without an

understanding of mentoring itself Researchers started to study m e n t o ~ g in

organizations during the 1970's. (Clutterbuck, 1985) Since that the, m e n t o ~ g has been

d e s d e d and dehed in a variety of ways.

Dennitions of mentoring abound. Al1 include elements of Ieaming and wisdom, the

notion of two, a relationship, and some sense of the value of that experience to those

involveci. Chip Bell ( 1996) intentionally emphasizes the simple nature of mentoring h

this definition:

"A mentor is simply someone who helps someone else l em something the

leamer wouid otherwise have leamed Iess weH, more siowly or not at alI."

(P- 6 )

Another definition of mentoruig posed by CIawson ( 1996) emphasizes the richness of the

'Mentorhg provides a deeply rewarding and personal way for the wisdom

of one generation to be passed on to the next" (p. 15)

Mentoring has a naturd fit with the worId of construction because it is beiieved that its

ori* are based in the concept of apprenticeship. CIutterbuck (1985) States that,

"In the days when @ds mId the commaciai worid, the road to the top

in business began in an eady apprenticeship to the master cfaftSman.. ." (P- 1)

Like apprenticeship, rnentoring invoIves the pairing of individuah so that the essentid

knowledge, skills and attitudes for work in the constxuction industry are learned. in other

areas, Uiformd mentoring partnerships are seen throughout history, as in the pairs of Gail

Sheehy and Margaret Mead, Michael Jackson and Diana Ross, etc. (Murray, 199 1 ;

Caldwell & Carter, 1993)

The roots of the term mentor are found in Homer's O@ssq- Homer tells of Odysseus

leaving Athens to fight in the Trojan War. In leaving for battle, he leaves the upbringuig

of his son, Telemachus, to Mentor. Mentor becomes a father figure, teacher, role model,

counseior, trusted advisor, challenger, encourager, etc. to the boy Telemachus. (Caldwell

& Carter, 1993)

The terni mentor today has almost as many meanings and roles as those entnisted to

Mentor by Odysseus of ancient Greece. A working dennition of a mentor cornes h m

the work of MichaeI Zey (1 984). His definition States,

"A mentor is a person who oversees the career and development of

another person, usually a junior, through teaching, counseling, providing

psychologicai suppo* protecting, and at times promoting or sponsoring."

(P. 7)

Gordon Shea ( L994) says that a mentor can be desmied as,

". . myone who has a beneficiai life- and or styleaitering effect on another penon, generdy as a resuit of personal one-on-one contact; one who

o f f i knowledge, insight, perspective, or wisdom that is he1ph.I to

another person in a reIationship which goes beyond duty or obiigation."

(P- 14)

That person, Like Telemachus, within the mentorhg pair is ofien descriied as the protégé,

a term deriveci from the French verb protéger, meaning tu p r o t e (Caldwell & Carter,

1993) The mentor in ancient times was seen to fùIfilI the role of proteetor to the more

junior, inexperienced partna and the term protégé has stayed with us and is consistently

used in research. Other t m s such as mentee or mentoree are used but as Georgïa Chao

( L 998) points out these are artificidly constructed words and inappropriate for the

description.

Y entors.. .The Relationship

The interaction between mentors and protégés is integrai to a more complete description

of mentoring. in order to understand the relationships between mentor and protégé it is

important to offer a W e r description of the activities in which mentors and protégés

take part. Michael Zey ( 1984) divides the activities of these pairs into four Ievels and

desmies the primary investment of the mentor at each of those Ievels. They are:

Teaching: In this activity the mentor instnicts the protégé, imparting information

about the organization, specific job skilis, management hicks, social graces and inside

information. The primary investmeot that a mentor makes at this IeveI is t he .

Counseüng: Zey desmies the activity and benefit to the protégé as that of

confidence building through pep talks, personai discussion, etc. The primary

investment of the mentor here is that of motion or seif,

Organhationai: The mentor intercedes on the protégés behaifby nmning

interfiaence within the organkationd settiog. The primary investment is in the

mentor's established organizationd reIationships.

Sponsoring: The mentor is active1y recommending changes in work assigrnent and

is promothg the protégé. The primary mvestment is reputation, (p. 7)

Mentors are ofien desmieci as roIe models. They are held in hïgh regard because as

Margo Murray (199 1) suggests, they "get things done." @. 12) Role models, she says,

ofien exhr'bit:

Success,

Exemplary behavior, achievement and style,

Knowledge of the organization, policy and philosophy, and

An enjoyment of their position and accomplishments. (p. L?)

These thmes or activities of the mentor are consistent with others who descn'be the d e s

of mentors. Clutterbuck ( L 9981, for instance, cdls them behation and lists these:

Collaborating - simply doing thuigs together, Goal-setting - stretching the protégé to set anainable goals,

Chaiienging - pushing protégés to think deepIy about issues, about their perceptions

of themselves and their reIationships with others,

Acting as criticai fnend - telling the protégé what others might not

Listening and questioning,

Acting as a sounding board - giving the protégé consmictive and impartiai feedback or a person with whom the protégé c m tallc through ideas without fear of ridicuie,

Guidhg - heiping the protégé to develop "worldly wise" attitudes, Acting as a role mode1 - setting an exampie, Acting as a bridge - setting up usefui contacts for the protégé and advice on how to

appmach those contacts, and

Acting as a network catalyst - stimuiatuig the protégé to estabiish networks and connections. (pp. 94-95)

Sometimes the acavities of mentors are describeci as qualities. The nmiIarities to other

descriptions are apparent when reading this partial Iist of @tics proposeci by Caldwell

and Carta ( 1993) which desmies the mentor as a guide, supporter, advisor, tnisted

couuselor, leader, fiend, coniidat observer and networkm

Anotha way to view the mentor/protégé relationship is in the work of Kathy Kram

(1985) who describes the relatiomhip in ternis of nine hct ions of a mentor. These nine

h c t i o m are divided into two dimensions, career and psychosociai. Career f'unctions are

dependent on the experience and howledge of the senior person who assists the junior

individual to develop within an o r g ~ a t i o n . The career hct ions are these:

Sponsorship - nominating for laterai moves or promotions, Exposure & visibiIity - giving opportunities to demonstrate competence to others, Coaching - enhancbg ones understanding and knowledge of the job, Protection - shielding one tiorn untimely or damaging contact with others, and Chailenging assignments - preparing one for career advancement by assigning difficult tasks.

"Career firnctions," says Kram, "are those aspects of the relationship that

enhance leaming the mpes and preparing for advancement in an

organization." (p. 22)

The psychosocid hc t ions of a mentor affect an individual on a more personal IeveI and

depend on the quality of the interpersonal relationship. The psychosocial hc t ioas are

listed here:

Role modeling - demonstmting attitudes, values and behavioa for the job, Acceptance & c o ~ a t i o n - giWig support and encouragement, Coumehg - being a sounding board for selliexpforation, and Friendship - interacting socially, having mutual Iiking and understanding of one another.

"Psychosocid firnctions are those aspects of a relationship that enhance a

sense of competence, cIarity of identity and effectiveness in a professional

rote." (p. 22)

Ali of these qualities, activities and responsibilities help to further desmie the mentor

and mentoring. There is a vimial morgasbord of roIes for the mentor. As we view hem,

we begin to understand how these mentorlprotégé pairs pose some interest to an

organization, particdarly an organization like PCL, culturally grounded in some of those

mentor qualities. We see gIimpses of these in the book A Ranion: The Story of PCL

Constmction. Ltd. (Cashman, 198 1 ) Some of the recokctions that provide glimpses of

mentoring relationships are:

"Charlie Blair persuadai me to apprentice as a carpenter, said Les Albert.

'1 was up to 67 55 cents an hour as a laborer and he convinced me I shodd

&op d o m to 40 cents to begin the apprenticeship. Harry Ellenwood, our

jobbing niperintendent, saw that I stuck to it. We went to Calgary Tech

School for courses and sometimes I didn't feel üke it, but he'd be around

to the job and lay it on the Ihe. You'd better be ihere, those are the

des'." (p. 101)

"M.. Poole used to cd1 me The Schoolteacher, chuckied Hany." (p. 101)

"1 retired as a concrete superintendent with a '38' on my hard hat, and it

was on account of Fred. I'd been a laborer for years and started working

on concrete after the war, when we were dohg the additions to Swift's and

Canada Packers in North Edmonton. I used to work the Levers for the skip

that took the concrete up. One day Fred saki, 'OK, Mike, you take the

mixer.' I told him I didn't know anything about d g concrete but what

Fred Hooper said, that was it." (p. L07)

"1 remember another incident with Dick, said J o b Poole. One hot

Saturday night we were closing an estimate. The job was at a remote site

and we got off into a discussion on how you get peopIe to do thmgs. WeU,

Dick took a piece of string and laid it out stxaÏght on the cirafting table.

Then he pushed nom one end till it went mto Ioops - a heck ofa mess.

Then he took one end and gently pded it and the string came out stmight

'See fellahs, that shows you can't push people arormd but you can lead

them anywhere'." (p. 73)

This vast array of mentor roIes hints at the opposite side of this partnership, the role of

the protégé. M m y ( 199 1) talks about protégés as,

W i k g to assume responsibiIity tbr their own growth,

Able to assess potential to succeed at one or more levels above the present position in

the organization,

Able to perform in more than one ski11 area,

Seeking new challenges and responsibility, and

Receptive to feedback and coaching. (p. 14)

Protégés, as descnbed b y Clutterbuck ( l W8), are individuais having a "hi& internai

locus of control."(p. 97) His suggestion is that these individuals believe that they can

influence their environment and that they control their own tùture- Clutterbuck (1 998)

descnies the behavioa of a protégé using four quadrants:

Coachee: seeking goaI-setting and a conmitment to achievernent, having a positive

attitude, and openness to new ideas,

Acolyte (follower): is cornpliant, approvd seeking, loyal, and seeks advice,

Self-Managed Learner: seeks help m developing contacts, sets own agenda, and

brings own thinking to meetings, and

TruthSeeker: trusting and open to new ideas, wiIlhg to explore feehgs, seeks

reassurance and becomes dependent. (p. 99)

Protégés generally are seen to be the recipients within the partnemhip. Forret (1 996)

considers the benefits to the protégé nothg mcreases in promotion, compensatioa career

opportunities, recognition and job satisfaction. (p. 27)

Mentoring: Phases

The mentodprotégé relationship changes as time passes. The changes are descnibed by

Kram (1985) in these four phases:

[nitiation: A penod oftime up to a year where the relationship is initiated and becomes

important to both mentor and protégé. Durhg this phase opportunities for interaction

center around the work at band-

Cultivation: From two to five years is the tirnefkame where most of the functions of a

mentor are in use. Both begin to benefit fiom the interaction and emotional bonds

deepen.

Separation: This begins nom six months to two years after a roIe change or emotionai

change occurs w i t h the relationship, It happens as job rotation or promotion blocks

interaction, as the junior grows out of the need for guidance or as the senior partner

becomes less avaiIable to the interaction.

Redefm0tion: Afier the sepration phase, the mentoring relationship may end or it

changes to become peer-like and may even develop into an enduring ûiendship. (p. 49)

Mentoring and the Organization

We now have visiteci a description of the mentor and the protégé and have a notion of

what mentoring sets out to accomplish. We have demtions of mentorhg and have

glimpsed the roies, qualities and/or behaviors of the partaers hvolved However, there is

stiiI sornething to be understood about the nature of the interaction and the part that

organizations Iike PCL rnight play in those rdationships. For mstance, m e n t o ~ g is

desdeci both as an informal and a forrnd process. Shea (1994) goes a step M e r to

Say that mentorÏng can be situationd, c d one-the events.

Sometimes mentoring "just happens," individuals &d each other, and begin to develop

mentoring pairs. (Cunningham, 1993, p. L 5) Clutterbuck ( L 985) says that mentoring

grows informdy in organizations and is ofien a hidden method of "passing on the

experience of old tirners to young re-ts, supervisors 'keeping an eye onr promising

ernplo yees, a method of identifjing potentiaI 'high-fîyers' and a way of generally givuig

advice and encouragement." (p. 2) "Chances are," says Shea ( 1994) "that if you can

identi@ one or more people who were mentors in your Life, that relationship wiII fit the

definition oErinformai mentoring'. "(p. 10) idormal relationships tend to have the

following characteristics. They are:

rn Voluntary,

Very personal,

Very responsive to the protégé needs, and

Loosely structureci and flexible. (p. 3 7)

These relationships are ofiea driven by the mentor, are dependent on the mentor's

competence, knowledge, skiils and abilities, and develop a path of mutuai respen

tiiendship and acceptance.

Some mentoring relationships are initiateci ~Ïthin an organization because of a mentoring

programgram These programs are dnven by organizatioaa1 needs. (Shea, 1994) There is a

pres&ed method by which mentors are matched with protégés. Formal mentoring

relationships are desmieci as institutional, systematic, and structureci. (Shea, 1994)

Bemg driven by the organization, thae are tooIs made avdabIe to assist in the creation

and maintenance of the partnerships. (Treasmy Board of Canada Seaetariat, L995)

Some organizations match menton and protégés by ushg resumés detaizing currwt job

responsiiilities and hobbies. Others match mentors to protégés ushg profile sheets with

pictures of mentors, detaiIs of their positions or reasons for choosing to becorne a mentor.

(Forret, 1996)

Some mentoring programs choose only high potential emplo yees for their prograns.

M e n t o ~ g programs ofien require training about mentoring itself and the giving and

receiving of feedback. ReguIar meetings and social fünctions numire these m e n t o ~ g

programs,

Situational

While most of the Literature desmies mentoring as either formai or informal, Shea

( 1994) adds a third option that of situational mentoring. He says,

"Some of the most powerful mentoring expaiences occur in short bursts,

when an individual provides the nght information or ideas at the right

moment in another person's life.. .neither party may recognize the activity

as mentoring. However the incident may produce a significant He- and or

style-altering effect on the other person." (p. 36)

Situationai m e n t o ~ g tends to be short, isolated episodes, qontaneous and seemingiy

random events. They are need-driven, one-time events and oniy Iater does a protégé

reaiize the impact.

CHAPTER 3 - CONDUCT OF RESEARCH STUDY

Research Methodology

The approach to this research project was phiIosophicalIy d a r to appreciative inqujr,

which suggests that we look for what works in an organization and as we investigate,

generate information from pmkipants that is grounded in their r d and lived

experiences. (Hammond, L 996) Del Bdso and Lewis (1 997) wouid desmie the

approach to this research as a descriptive study, an approach which explores and

descnies in detail the many variations and elements of a phenornenon, in this case, of

rnentoring. It is largely a qualitative approach to research but has mai1 parts

(demographic data) that are more appmpnately descriied as quantitative, but simply in

terms of that midl amount of data. The distinction between these approaches has to do

with how the data is collected, quantitatively in the fonn of numbers and qualitatively in

the form of words or pictures (Denscombe, 1998; Neuman, 1994). The vast major@ of

this study involved qualitative research. The reasons for using a qualitative approach to

research are these:

To understand the meaning of events from the participant's perspectives,

To understand the context in which the actions of the participants take place,

To Ïdentify unanticipated phenornena or influences,

To understand the process by which events and actions take place, and

To deveIop causai explanations. (Maxwell, 1996)

These fit oicely with the research objective of developing a description of mentoring

because it is important to capture the perspective of those individuaIs involved, their

actions and the process by which mentoring takes pIace. The identification of the

unanticipated is aiso of importance as is whatever causai expIanations are highlighted. In

the @tative traditions of in* posed by CresweIi (L998), this research might be

descnled as a phenomenoIogicai study. On cornpletion of the stndy, the reader betîer

understands the essentid expenaice, m this case, of mentoring.

The plan for data collection within both a qualitative and quantitative research framework

essentially involves four parts:

Identifying the respondent population,

Designhg the methods for collecting data fiom these individu al^^

Collecîing the data, and

Analysis o f the data.

The %t three of these are cornmented on in this chapter. Analysis of the data fouows in

chapter four.

Population

The goal of thÎs research, as discussed in the "opportunity" section (chapter one) is to

create a thorough understanding of what those involved in mentoring relationships

believe mentoring to be. It is hoped that this information wilI f o m the basis of decision-

makùig when considering the needs of employees within the operations jobstream at

PCL. With that goal in mind, the criticai population for this study were those individuals

within the operations sector. A pictorhi of the operations jobstream, outlining the

specific job titIes, appears in Appendix B.

Sample of the Population

'The absolute size of the sample will depend on the compIexity of the population," says

Denscombe (1998, p. 21). Keeping this in mînd, it was necessary to determine the size of

the sample popdation given several factors:

Job tities,

Number of potential respondents w i t b each of those job titfes,

Geographical distribution, and

Ease of accessing those individds.

It was not possibte within the time constraints of this project to access ail of the

individuals in the operations jobstream; however it was necessary to accurateIy reach the

iudividuals withui the three basic sections of this population: estunating, project

management and field management. Respondents were chosen at random f?om these

categorks. It was aitical to ensure that each of those segments was represented giving a

range of respondents within the three categories. Maxwell (1996) cds this "purposeful

selection." (p. 71) This process is aiso described as stratifieci random samphg. (Del

Balso and Lewis, 1997; Marshall and Rossman, 1999; Denscombe, 1998) Making

provision for additions to the core sarnple is sometimes cded snowball sarnphg (Del

Bdso and Lewis, 1997) and enables others, within the jobstream to voluntady participate

or be added. No one came forward to volunteer for the survey but several district

managers asked for individuais to be added to the sample population.

Data Collection

The methods used to gather information from this sampie population took two forms,

questionnai. and interview. Data colIection through these methods provided an

opportunity to seek infiormation about mentoring rdationships from Ïndividuals in ways

that provided perhaps slightiy different perspectives. It is generalIy believed that using

two or more methods to obtain data is a way of Uicreasing the validity of responses and is

cdled triangdation. (Denscombe, 1998; MaxwelI 1996; Neman, 1994) Ushg these two

methods ensured that the research question was approached tiom two different

perspectives, the fim by asking questions of au anonymous group through questionnaire

and the second asking questions of a known group via in-person interview. These

methods heIped to ensure more valid data because similar responses are expected of each

P u p -

The interview provided the persond connection to the respondents. Because questions of

both mtewiew and qyestionnaire were simiIar, the idionnation acqnned throngh

interview heIped to give a hmnan face to those of the qyestionnak In fa& the

sentunent and emotion ofim expresseci in d e n responses to the questionnaire came to

life dmhg the human contact and conversation of the interview. The respondents oI3e.n

echoed each other's responses. There were two supplementary questions asked during

interview that were not on the questiomaire. One asked how individuds leam without a

mentor and the other asked the importance of mentoring to leadership at PCL. Both

provided additional and insighdul responses during interview.

The thoughts and expaiences of the researcher during intewiews were also recorded to

provide insights into the research process. These and the reflections on the resûirch of

others, on the topic of mentoring, and ideas that emerged as the data was gathered

produced what Maxwell (1 996) cails memos, observations essentid to data analysis.

Questionnaire

A questionnaire was used for this research because the operations jobstream within PCL

is a large and widely diverse group. This group is the Iargest single sector within the

company at approxirnately 1000 salarieci employees. It is cornprised of those working in

the field (our jobsites) and in the office, holding many different job categoriedtides, and

dispersed across North America Because this potentid respondent group was so large,

the questionnaire made it possible to reach a representative sample. At Ieast one

individual within each job category in each district office was selected to respond about

mentoring. Using PCL's existing internai mail semice, it was an inexpensive way to

reach this respondent group.

There were 5 13 questionnaires (for the questionnaire package see Appendix C) sent to a

cross-section of the operations jobstream. Table L on the following page shows the

distniution of questionnaires by district.

During September, a query was made of the sdaried empIoyee database to d e t e e the

nionber of potentid respondents, the research sample. The qyery asked for employees in

three main categories within the operations jobstream: estimating* project management

and field management. Using PCL's Career Parhs@ Opemtions as a guide, twenty-

seven job categories were identified (see AppendVc B for a detailed List),

From this tist the number of potentid respondents withh each category was caIculated.

Su~veying half the potential respondents in the operations jobstream was thought to be a

sample large enough to aLlow severai within each category a . opporhmity to respond.

Where there were few potentiai respondents within a category (ie. operations manager),

dl within that category were selected to receive a questio~maire. The list was then sorted

by district and roughiy haIf in each category were selected at randorn by choosing every

second name on the tist,

Total Questionnakes Sent Per~onnd Percentage of Total

Canadian Districts: Caigary 38 69 55 Edmonton 26 49 53 industria1 Division - Edmonton 65 122 53 Ottawa 27 47 57 Regina 20 49 4L Toronto 62 118 53 Vancouver 25 48 52 Winnipeg - 73 38 46 Totai: 285 540 53

US Districts: Civil Southeast Civil Southwest 25 41 61 Denver 27 56 48 GIendaIe 37 66 56 Minneapolis 33 66 50 Momtain States 17 33 51 Orlando 27 38 71

Total: 228

Grand Totai: 513

Table L: Dhbution of qudonnairec; by district

To complete the sarnpIe group the names of five foremen in each district were added.

Because these are hourly paid empIoyees, the names of these individuais reside within

each district office. To obtain the names of these individuals, a ques t was made to each

payroll coorduiator. They randomly seiected five. The names of the foremen, seventy-

five in total, were obtained fiom al1 but one district.

The questionnaire was designeci to capture information that wodd answer the research

questions. The questionnaire asked for respoases in these areas:

demographic information (length of time in consmiction, job aitle and geographicai

distribution)

specifics about whether respondents have, or are mentors,

thne cornmimient to mentorin&

what is taught,

how rnentoring takes place,

the tùnctions of a mentor

why someone mentors,

how respondent desmie m e n t o ~ g at PCL, and

suggestions for irnproving mentoring at PCL.

The questionnaire, four pages in tength, contained an introduction and explmation of the

questionnaire itseIf and three pages of questions on the topics outlined above.

The questionnaire was tested before it was sent out using three individuaIs from the target

group. Feedhack on the questionnaire9 as welI as regular feedback on the research itself,

was requested of an internd advisory commrmmrttee consishg of four senior ernployees:

Dev Fraser, Vice President and Generai Manager Corporate Services, Edmonton

Corporate Office

Oscar Gaudet, Generai Superhtendent, Calgary District Office

Peter Greene, Vice President, Professional Development & Quality, Edmonton

Corporate Office

Al Troppmann, Executive Vice Pedent, PCL Construction Sewices, Denver

Corporate Office

The responses from this intenial comcnittee, provided information about wordïng,

missing questions, positioning of questions, etc. The questionnaire went through severai

drab before it was finaily printed and disaibuted.

On November 5: the questionnaires were sent to the entire sample group. The package

containeci the questionnaire itself, the covering Ietter and return envelope. R e m

questionnaires were received unti1 December 1 O&. The only follow-up done was a

reminder to dl United States district managers to encourage responses from the foranen

group. As the questionnaires came in, it became obvious that this group was not weU

represented, therefore at the suggestion of one comznittee member, US districts in

partinilar were encouraged to respond.

As questionnaires were received, they were numbered and entered into a cornputer

program caiied Survey Pro. This enabIed the data to be sorted in a number of ways and

the resuits of each question to be cornpiled for easy andysis.

The second method of obtaining data fiom the sampIe group was through one-on-one, in-

person intenriews. The questions for the intemiews were designed to foiIow the same

wording and structure as the written questionnaire. Interviews of 28 individuais within

the operations jobstream were completed. Each interview session Iasted no longer than

30 minutes. This t h e Iimit was important out of respect for the rapid pace of rnany of

our projects. Few people (jobsite or office) have the t h e for activities not directly

rdated to the project at hand. Most of the interviews were conducted withh thei.

workplace, however one young man traveIed over an hour simpIy to participate. With the

exception of one individual, the respondents were welcoming and conversed tieely about

rnentoring. Each session was tape-recorded and notes were taken on prepared i n t e ~ e w

fonns (see Appendix D). The interviews were recorded because they were being

conducted, for the most part, within a two-week period.. .a rapid pace. The potential to

forget or c o d e one with another was great. Also, it was thought that these individuah

might provide some insightfid quotes useful in reportuig the data and for fùture

mentoring projects. Each 30-minute tape was transcnibed, but not verbatim, due to the

excessive time requùed for this type of transcription. instead, the interview notes were

used as a guide and matched to the information heard on tape.

Interviews were conducted in six disnict/divisions. They were: Denver - 6, Civil Mountain States (Denver) - 2, Minneapolis - 5, Toronto - 6, Edmonton - 5 and industriai (Edmonton) - 4. The job titles of the operations jobstream were well represented. There was a good mix of regions, Canada and United States, divisions (commercial, civil and

industriai) and within the jobstream itself (office and field statt; experienced and

inexperienced individuals). All interviews were completed between November 15 and

December 10. 1999.

Respondents were selected from the sarnple population list generated for the

questionnaire The disnict manager fiom each diseict/division was sent a package of

information about the research project which contained the questionnaire package and a

List of potential respondents within their distrÏc~ A fo1Iow-up phone c d to seIected

disûict managers asked for the names of six interview wondents. At that the, they

were asked to as& in the research project by g e n d l y encouraging employees in their

district to respond, in other words, speak welI of the project

A consent form was used for each interview (see Appendk E). These forms were dated

and signed in dupikate. The consent was provided to gÎve mfomaiion about the nature of

the interview, to descnbe the responsibiIity of the interviewer and to make cIear the

f'reedom of the respondent to participate. Perhaps anique to this cornent was the added

assurance that, if an mdividuaits words were used as a direct quote, the intewiewer wodd

ask for additional written consent for that quote to be used. This was done to encourage

people to speak k l y without concem that their taped conversation would be pubLished

at a future tirne. At the start of each interview specific items withui the consent form

were clarified. The interviewer and respondent signed both copies. One copy was gîven

to the respondent and the inte~ewer retained the other- No one refused the interview or

refuseci to sign the consent.

CHAPTER 4 - RESEARCH STUDY RESULTS

Analysis of Data

The intent of the questionnaires and interviews was to produce the data, which answered

the fimdamentai research question, "How is mentoring described ivithin the operatiom

jobstreum al PCL?" In order to reach any conclun*ons or insights as a resuit of data

gathering, this data was thoroughly andyzed. The process of analysis begins with the

reading of interview transcripts, notes/memos, and questionnaires to ensure an absolute

familiarity with the data (Marshall and Rossman, 1999) Each question was examined for

consistently recUrnng themes, notes were made and manuai tabuiations completed to

indicate the tiequency of respoases within each theme. Each question was dso examuied

tiom the interview and questionnaire perspectives, then combined to determine the

consistency of responses. Continued retlection on the gathered data gave nse to

interconnections that were used to make compdsons, determine relationships and

deveIop theoreticai concepts. These hdings were then matched to existing research.

Of the 5 13 questionnaires sent, 188 were retumed, a 37% response rate. Respondents

wrote a great deai, candidly and passionately! Because of the nature of the questionnaire

itselt one requirhg a great deai of writing, it was felt that the response rate was

representative of the sample population and that useful conciusions couid be reached

from the analysis of this data. Of the 75 questionnaires sent to foremen, there was an 8%

response rate. This was poor! This data, while usefui in combination with others, was

not usefui as an Ïndicator of that popdation specificalIy,

The conclusions reached in this snidy are the r d t of interpretations of the data by the

researcher. Qpaiitative research reqyires that the researcher be a part of the conclusions

drawn; therefore deMed notes must be kept to account for these segments:

The aims of the research,

Aow the research was undertaken, and

The context in which the concIusions were reached in relation to the data received.

(Denscombe, 1998, p. 2 13)

This information provides an "audit trd," (p. 313) in case reliabiüty of the conclusions is

questioned. (Denscombe, 1998) The reliability of the study can be proven ody if

someone eIse using the same process aniveci at the same conclusions. Having the

historicai information available, the audit aail, heips to prove a study's reliability.

(Denscombe, 1998) Details of dl aspects of this research have been kept so that others

might be able to produce similar resdts.

Validity

Attempts to achieve vaiid concIusions through this study were reached in two ways. The

kt, dready mentioned, is tnanguiation. Two methods of data co1Iection (interview and

questionnaire) were used in order to obtain data fkom a variety of locations and

individuals. This is what is sometimes calIed rich data. (Maxwell, 1996) The second

way in which vdid conclusions were reached ws by the use of a sponsor advisory group

throughout the research process. This group served to check the assumptions and biases

of the researcher. Detaled and cornprehensive information f?om interviews and periodic

checks with an in-house advisory cornmittee was used to test and support concIusions.

The Respondents ...

The largest number of respondents were those m the position to mentor, those with

greater than ten years o f constraction experience, 713% of the total respondents. The

Iowest respome 28,7% was fiom the M o t ranks, those most iikely to be the protégés

with less than ten years in construction.

Most respondents worked in the commerciaYbuildings division of PCL, 75.9%. This

shodd not be considered unusual as it refl ects the dominance of the buildings division.

SIightly more response came nom Canadian districts (54%) than the US districts (46%).

The greatest number of respondents descnied their position as project manager,

superintendent (mïd to large projects), construction manager or gened superintendent.

Only halfof the respondent population reported that they have a mentor, most of those

project managers (24%). The range of construction experience for those reporthg having

a mentor was equdy distriiuted across dl job titks, uicluding 25.5% for those

respondents reporting over twenty years experience!

The intent of the questionnaire was to capture enough demographic data to d e t e d e the

range of respondents within the operatioas jobstream and their experience with

construction. Questions asked about hating a mentor wae a simple gauge of the extent

of mentoring in this group.

Observations:

The analysis of the i n t e ~ e w and questionnaire data r d t e d in a description of

mentoring at PCL to answer the research questions, "How is mentoring desmilied within

the operationrjobstream at PCL and w h t are the specifcs (the essential dements) of

that mentoringprocess?" This description of mentoring at PCL included these areas:

Menton and Proteges:

- W h o mentors and who Es rnentored?

The Mentoring Process:

- What is rnentored? What is learned through the mentoring process? What

t i m e b e is needed for mentoring?

- When does mentoring occur, and

- Where?

- Why do mentors '%ring others dong?" Why do they spend the the? And why is

it important to leam the things that mentors teach?

- How do they mentor?

Mentors and Protégés

The mentoring relationship involves a mentoring pair, the mentor and the protégé. in

general the protége is leamuig kom the mentor, although a few in this study have talked

about the leaming that takes place for both within that mentoring pair. The great rnajority

of the respondents saw mentoring as the passing of ùiformation fiom a senior, more

experienced person to someone junior and/or Iess experienced. In fact, in most instances,

it was stated or implied that mentors and protégés at PCL are ofien in a boss and

nibordinate relationship.

Of importance to this mentodprotégé relationship is an understanding of how this

relationship begins, who takes the proactive ro le and initiates the interaction. in response

to, " Who shouid be the proactive mernber (begin the interaction) in the rnentoring pair?"

the responses were:

Mentor - 73% Protégé - 19.9% Both - 8.m

Respondents beIieved that mentors shouid be the proactive partners in the relationship,

the ones to initiate the interaction, for a variety of reasons, primdy because they have

the experknce and knowledge. They know the construction process ... how to build. Mentors b w the needs of the protégé. They h o w what the protégé d m r t know. The

role of the mentor begins as one of givingpennission for aiunior, less experienced

person (the protége) to approach. They encornage the asking of questions and provide a

secure, comfortabk environment for the asking of those qaestions. They look for the

spark, the aptitude, abiIity and attitude. They iden- self-starters, those with a friture as

good constructors. The role of the mentor is candidLy expressed by respondents in these

statements:

"1 thuik the mentor shouId be looking to take the new gays 'under their

wings.' Often new employees are uneasy about initiahg this sort of thing,

feeling that they may be bothering the mentor. One of the prionties for a

mentor should be to pass on his experience so that the new guys can

progress fürther and fwer."

"As a long-term PCL employee, I feeI we should be cotl~tantiy on the

lookout for people to mentor, if for no o k reason than to help people to

advance to their best po tentid in the shortest amount of tirne."

The protégé has a role as well. They have the moa to gain. They leam construction by

doing and askuig. Respondents Say that protégés musr show an interest and be willing to

Ieam. in the eariy years, some desmie the protégé as needing to be "a sponge." The

following statement illustrates the protégé's role:

"Most at PCL have linle t h e for those who Iack initiative but conversely

al1 kinds of thne for those who do. It's up to the protégé tu demonstrate

attitude and wülingness to Ieam and to ask for advice, then make sure they

liaen. That's aii it takes and the dividends are huge!"

The relationship grows and changes with many respondents reporting that while the

relationship begins with the mentor's initiative, as the relationship matures, the

responsibiIity shifts to that of both mentor and protégé.

What Do Protégés Leam?

M a t is Ieamed Eom a mentor about construction is "everythuig." In fact, during

intervr-ews in particdar, that was the most cornmon response. Here are the comments

h m others:

"My answer wodd inchde 'everythmg' in the construction business. To

give you some specinc examples wouId do a dissenice to others not

listeci,"

"How to write contracts and change orden, purchase equipment and

supplies, how to use the cornputers and phone, how to write and hande

RFIrs, how to keep contract document logs, how to keep rebar and

concrete logs, how to use surveying instruments, how to detd CIP and

precast concrete, field QC, how to handle field personnel relations, office

politics and power centers, advice on career paths."

The list provided by respondents of what is learned from a mentor is like the above

response, it goes on and on. Technically, the highest responses are for the construction

process itseI£ estimating, planning (prioritizing and organizing) and schedding. Reading

drawings, costing, concrete use, and materials coutrol are dso frequentiy mentioned.

Oflen, even when asked, "What do you Iearn h m a mentor.. .technica

Further numerous responses show that "the PCL way" is Ieamed, our company's values,

policies and procedures. Protégés Say that they Ieam their career path, too.

Why Do They Need to Leam These Things?

Respondents Say that it is important to Iearn these things primariIy to know PCL. We

leam our systems to ensure smooth ninning jobs and effectiveness maintenance of our

standards. B y mentoring, we speed leaming, rejuvenate and stimulate our workforce. It

ensures PCLrs growth and profitability, maintains our edge. Numerous responses, as

those shown below, echo why it is so important:

"Allows effective (accurate) communication. Most 'young' construction

people do not understand the steps toward management, our Meblood.

Evaluate budget, purchashg and cost, the importance of project controls,

materiais, equipment, etc. Communication is critical, when and what to

Say (owner, crafi, and staff).

"The PCL person on the project team must dways be the person most on

top of the job."

"This reduces our xisk and potentiai disputes tbrough the project; no one

mes to lose. A flexible and reasonabIe person gains confidence and

respect of those reporthg to him or her. An organized person spends Iess

time l o o h g for something and more time doing something about it

Tme management means 6%%."

" A good strong fornidation o f d the basics of the construction industcy

skilIs is necessary for stmng Ieadership and development (estimating,

surveying, engineering, supervision, management, etc.). Exposure to ail

areas allows for specinc areas of expertise or to move up into a leadership

de. Nothmg beats a strong foundation."

What Time is Needed for Mentoring? When Do Mentors Teach?

The length of time it takes to mentor varies. There is no dear amomt of time per week

reported as the best amount of time to mentor. Anythïng h m one hour to more than four

was the nom. The amount of time devoted to mentoring is beiieved to become less over

hme with the most hours spent when the relationship between the two is new. Time is

also dependent on the skius and quiclmess of the protégés or the complexity of the job.

The following table represents the percentage of respondents and their appraisai of the

amount of t h e needed per week to mentor.

Bours per Week % of Respondents

O - l houdweek 6.0% L - 2 hours/week 22.9% 2 - 3 h o d w e e k 24.1 % 3 - 4 h o d w e e k 19.9% More than 4 hourdweek 27. 1 %

TabIe 2: M e n t o ~ g h o u per week

What is cIear is that the Iength of time thought to be ba t , long term, is fiom Nc mon&

to two years, often stated as "the Iength of a typicai job." By some, mentoring is beiieved

to be a long-term commitrnent maintained over a career and even a Iifetime- Many

believe that it is important to change mentors, that even the tight crews that move fiom

job to job would benefit Eom changing mentodprotége relationships. BeIow are the

percentages of respondents and the Iength of time the mentor and protégé need to

maintain the relationship over the long term.

Length of Time % of Respondents

O - 6 rnonths 8.8% 6 rnonths - 1 year 30.0% L -2years 34A% 2-3 years 10-6% More than 3 years 16.2%

Table 3: Mentornigr fong tenn

So, when do mentors use that time? Interview respondents gave a variety of answers.

Some said that the sturt of the day is bat, when work is assigneci and needs explanation.

Others said that at the end of the day when phones no longer ring and the site activity is

les. Still others replieci that many mentors grab the time whenever it is approprÏate. A

senior projet manager t h about a mentor's use of time by sa&

"Mentors are people who want to teach. Thefre confident people who

dont mind sharing their secrets.. .good teachen.. .not selfish people.. ..will

spend the time. A guy Iike Don doesn't have that extra 20 minutes. That

means something to the people being mentored when you're very busy but

stili take the the."

Other responses on mentoring and the.. .

"It takes t h e to develop the relationship (trust, cornfort Ievel, etc.). We

should make it a point to touch base at l es t every day."

"Mentoring is for life, especially in this business."

How Do Mentors Teach?

Respondents indicate that directly or indirectiy, mentors pass on their kuowledge in a

wide variety of ways. They Say that mentors are patient teachers. They:

Lead by example,

Explain,

Take protégés dong.. .to meetings, jobs, etc.

Give m e n t and constructive feedback,

Demomtratdshow how to do the work, and

hh.. .challenge,

TeII stories,

Encourage and praise.

Examples of the many ways in which mentors teach are given below:

"My nrst superintendent used to take me on howledge walb on Friday

afkemoons. He dso, d e r resolving a problem, took me aside, explaineci

the problem, asked me how 1 wodd resolve it and told me how he

resolved it. This took 10 minutes and was worth a lot This super was not

a boss but a father!"

"Teach by t e h g teach by showing, teach by tagging dong."

"He goes through a labor coa report of the current project with me and

really gives me hands-on leaming. He will take time from his busy day to

explain something he thinks 1 should know and expuience. He lets me fill

out the project diary and t h e cards and looks through the project forecast

and answers any questions 1 might have. He obsenres me talking to

people and offers suggestions based on his experience."

"By example - a mentor is being watched more careflully than he Ihinks."

"He is open to my opinions and ideas, but takes the time to explain what

might work better. Trusts that I will make the right decisiors. Gives me

the fieedom to grow and take on new respoasiiilities. hcludes me on

rnost everythuig in his job so that I can observe and Iearn his methods and

techniques. Asks my opinion on a daiIy basis."

"...a mentor who "tells storiesr of what has happened and the resdt of it on

previous jobs rapidly upgrades the junior person's breadth of experience.

Irm dso sure that de1ivered by voice and related to a current situation that

it sticks,,,"

Functions of a Mentor

When asked the most important hc t ions of a mentor, responses h m both interview and

questionnaire were the same. Both groups rated role modeling as the most important

fcunction of a mentor, wîth c o a c b g second in importance and acceptance &

confirmation, third. nie complete resuits based on the average response for each

mentoring function are Liaed in Table 4 below. The average of 2.54 for role modeling

represents the highest average response for any of the nine mentorhg fiinctions. in other

words, most cespondents ranked role modehg withui the top three functions. Of

particular interest here is that three of the top four functions are those, which Kram

(1 985) calIs the psychosocial. They are fÙnctions, which depend on the qudity of the

interpersonai relationships.

Function: Average R.nking

1 Role Modeling - dernonstrates attitudes, values and behavion for the job 2-54

-- --

2 Coaching - enhances ones understanding and knowledge of the job

-

3 Acceptance & Confurnation - @ves support and encouragement

4 Counseling - is a sounding board for one's ideas and concems

5 Chaiïenging Assigments - prepares one for career advancement by assigning difficult tasks 4-70

6 Exposure & Visibiiity - gives one oppommihes to demonstrate cornpetence to others 5-42

7 Friendship - interacts socialIy, munial liking and understanding of one another

8 Sponsorship - nominates for IateraI moves or promotions

9 Protection - shieIds one fiom mamely or damaging contact with others 7.79

Table 4: Functions of a mentor

Why Do Mentors Bring Them Along?

Mentors undertake the task of assisting others to leam about constniction because they

believe that it benefits PCL. It is their investment in the company, their duty and

responsibility because they care about the niccess of PCL. They know that they have the

experience and knowledge to pass dong. It is their way of giving back as others have

given to them. Two examples are given below:

"It is the best way to ensure that the company remaius successful. We

must pass down ail of out knowledge. Try to have others learn from own

mistakes so that the company o d y pays once."

"A mentor reaikes that they have the oppommity to make a Iong-standing

contribution by developing a niperior group of employees who have

benefited fiom the experience, knowledge and expertise of the mentor. in

essence, if we want our Company to continue to grow and prosper, we

must develop our future leaders to be strong, confident leaders in their

own right*"

Mentors are excited to see others Iearn, take personal pnde in their growth and niccess,

are not selfish. The heartfèlt candid responses to, 'Why does someone become a

mentor?" are reflected in these responses:

"Because they recopize that young people are the fiture of the company

and have a great wiiuigness to p a s on what they know. Mentors get

great satisfaction tiom knowing they made a difference in someone."

"Tt's good for the heart and soul."

"1 am encouraged to see young people eager to leam. 1 am there to see

mibordinates pass me on the fast lane, wave at me and give me a sde."

Other Observations

Mentoring at PCL is desmieci as informai, a n a d process, Respondents call it "day-

to-day, on-the-job training-" It is an unstnictured, often random event, desmbed as %t

and miss," "sporadic," "inconsistent district to district," and "passive." "Itfs time

coasuming" and "sometimes negiected." Respondents also desmie mentoring as

iIIustrated in the statements below:

"More often tha. not m e n t o ~ g at PCL happens by accident. New hires

usually are cuiled so they aiready have the basic quaiities required to fit

the PCL culture- As nich the senior employees mer the new kid and a

rnentoring process just happens. After a year or two the 'pair' usuaily get

separated to différent projects and new mentodprotégé pairs form. [f there

is no mentoring, the new employee feels outcast and leaves."

"Itts the pendulum at its extremes. It used to be 'take you to the deep end

and say jump!' Able to breathe was the oniy feedback that you sunrived.

We are now tryüig to take them by their hands! But we are afraid to give

feedback,"

PCL's Description of Mentorhg

"How b mentorhg described w'rhin the operati'ons jobstream m P a ?

What are the spectj?cs (the essental eiements) of that rnentoringprocess? "

It was thought that answen to these questions wouid provide a soiid understanding of

what rnentoring means. From that understanding, decisions about improving mentoring

codd be made.

The nwey responses were rich in detail, painting a vivid pictlne of what mentoring looks

like at PCL. A description of mentoring is captured using the questions of who, what,

when, where, why and how. That description outlines:

The people (protégés and mentors) and their responsibilities,

The content of their interaction, the skills, knowledge and abilities that are passed

f?om one to another,

The time it takes weekly and over the long term,

The location in which it occurs,

The mechanisms that make the transfer of this inf'ormation possible, and

The reasons prompthg individuals to bring others dong.

To summ&e the information detailed in this chapter, what follows are bnefstatements

that descnie mentoring at PCL.

Mentors are the proactive partners in the relatiooship. They estabiish the

environment in which mentoring takes place.

The protégé is the "sponge," has an ongoing thim for knowledge about

constniction, has a questioning demeanor, is eager to Ieam.

Mentors teach eveiything there is to know about consmiction, technicaIIy

and O therwise, the sofi skils too.

In addition to thes- protégés Ieam "the PCL Way" the culture, policies

and procedures. They leam about thek career.. .th& future with PCL.

Mentoring is important because passing on the skills, knowledge and

abilities ensures PCL's growth and protitability, and maintains the

company's cornpetitive edge.

Mentors pass on their knowiedge in a wide variety of ways. They h c t i o n

best as role models and coaches, givers of support and encouragement-

They are patient teachers and storyteiIers.

Mentors brùig others dong.. .no rnaner the rime ir takes. They do that in

the moming as the project gets underway, as the day draws to a close or

whenever an opportun@ presents itself They spend an average of one to

four hours per week. Over the long t a n , mentors and protégés spend six

months to two years together.. .the length of a typicd job. Some believe

that mentoring is for iife!

Mviduals become mentors because it is their duty. ..their way of giving

back to a Company that has subaantially given to them. For some, it is

exciting to see others team. They take personai pnde in the

accomplishments of others.

intewiew respondents were asked to speculate on what Ieaming would be lüce without a

mentor. They said that obviously seIfsirected leamhg wouId be important. For those

who've experienced leaming without a mentor they describe the experience as "trial and

error," "costiy," "a stniggie," "very difficdt," and "nnk or S . . " AU respondents

indicated in some way that leaming without a mentor was difficult. Some went so Eir as

to Say that Iearning about construction at PCL was not possibIe without a mentor.

Recommendation

This study of mentoring at PCL has given us the same idormation that we've known or

suspected for many years. The description of rnentoring just given may seem to fit our

expectations Like a weU-wom @ove. Very Little is surprisùig.

So, if we know what mentoring is and how it works best, why do many of the

respondents Say that we need to do something to hprove it? The reason may be in the

Eequent responses that desmie mentoring at PCL as "inconsistent," "random," "Iimitedtf

or "hit and miss. " When asked how to improve mentoring at PCL, the greatest number of

responses indicated that mentors shodd be designated and mentoring be aiiotted tirne as

each job is planneci, some going so far as to suggest including mentoring in the

construction schedde,

Keeping these suggestions in min& improving m e n t o ~ g at PCL must involve those

individuais closest to it, the mentors and protégés. Respondents use words Like

"designate" and " d o t time." ui other words, not only are the activities of mentors and

protégés important to the success of mentoruig, but it is imperative that those charged

with estabIishing PCL's working environments have a responsibility too. These

uidividuds are our senior managers, in particufar, senior managers in our districts, who

daily must rime the mentoring relationships.

Supervisors are Mentors

Key to the success of mentoring at PCL quite possiiIy is the realllation that ail

supervisors are mentors. At PCL mentors fkequently fidfIU the d e of boss to a

subordhate, the protégé. Supervisors, therefore, not ody bear the responsibiIity for

managing others but of "bbringing them dongn.. .a signifiant teaching de. The

fimctions o fa mentor most ofken cited by respondents in this study wae:

Role modeling,

Coachin& and

Acceptance and confimation - providing assistance and support.

These three fiuictions of a mentor are dso seen in what we beiieve to be hctions of our

supervisors. Role modeiing has to do with setting an example, demonstrating through

actions and words how the job, in aiI its complexity, is done. Roie modeling is the

function most often attn'buted to a mentor (Kram? 1985). It is aiso a hc t ion of good

supervision, management and leadership.

Coaching is the direct guidance that is given to leam the job, the Unparthg of knowledge

and skills. When we Say at PCL that we "bring someone dong," it is through coaching

another's performance that this is achieved. Our Performance Management Model (see

Appenduc F) encourages supervisors to work with subordinates, seizing opportunities to

coach by recognizing oppornuiities, choosing the best approach, giving feedback, setting

goals, and observing pertbmüince in order to again seize a coaching opportun@.

When subordinates receive assistance and support says Kram (1985), they become bener

able to experiment with new ideas and try-on new behavioa. They become able to take

nsks and explore alternatives. When mentors provide assistance and support, they heip

to establish and develop the relationship between theniseives and their protégés. SureIy,

we would Say that it wouid be desirable for our supervisors to provide the environment

where subordinates become capable of takmg cdculated rÎsks and weighing alternatives.

When interview and questionnaire respondents 6equentIy desmie their mentor as their

boss, their supeinsor, we begin to see that the roIe of supervisor within PCL takes on

even greater importance- WhiIe other organizations make distinctions between

supervisor and mentor, for the majority of individds at PCL their supervisor is dso th&

mentor. This means that fiequently m e n t o ~ g is not a one-to-one pairing-

Mentors/supenrisors may be bringhg dong several protégés. IndividuaIs dso may

choose more than one mentor. The Supervf'oly Training Program, amady behg

designed, wiU enable supeMsors to better understand their roIe and acquire the skills to

beîter mentor-

The recommendation for the improvement of mentoring at PCL simply has two parts:

1. AU individuah involved in the mentoring relationsbip must undastand their

roIes.

2. As a Company, the role of supe~sor is understood to be synonymous with

mentor,

CHAPTER 5 - RESEARCH IMPLICATIONS

lmplementation

Mentors, protégés, distnctkorporate management.. . what are their responsiiüities and what do they do to ensure that individuds are king brought dong? First, each

s u p d s o r knows that as they take on their management and leadership role. they are

epected to mentor. Second that each of the three groups (mentors, protégés and

distnct/corporate management) know their roles and willingly take part in the activities

necessary to bring others dong.

The strategies for implementation which follow are divided into the roles of these three

groups: mentors, protégés and distnct/corporate management.

Mentors:

Mentors Go First - Create Che Environment Mentors assist others to learn the business of construction, that body of howledge, skills

and abiIities that enable them, whether in the office or out in the field, to become good

builders. Supervisors, or sirnply those employees with a wealth of experience, begk the

process of helping others to Ieam construction. They are in the position to initiate the

interaction with a young or inexperienced protégé, an interaction that sparks questions.

They provide the environment where m e n t o ~ g takes pIace. This enviromnent is one of

cornfort, where questions are not oniy weIcome but aiso expected. Opemess to the

askhg of questions is key to mentoring. It is ofien the element that "tests the ice"

between the mentor and protégé. Questions, h m the protégé% perspectîve, are a critical

part of th& leaming. Mentors initiate the interaction, questions fl ow, answers are

and knowledge of how to b d d is passed one to another. This opemess to q~estiom is

expressed weD in the observations ofa g e n d superintendent,

"I kind of like to think that I'rn rnentoring anyone in rny area, my zone, my

project. - ..(speaking about someone new tu construction). - . Ifs good for at least the first couple of months that you bump into him, which you probably will

aqway, bump into him everyday and Say 'How's it going? Got any problems in

a certain ma?' and if youtve already started to set up your communication

dialogue with him, he's hopefüIIy open enough to directiy Say, WeU, I'm not m e

what werre doing over here,' or 'Cm you help mr. with that?' So then right away

you need to plan to vend some t h e daily with that person because, you know if

they're that green, they're going to have a lot of questions.. ."

Mentoring is "Real" Work

T h e is important to mentors, necessary for the development of the mentodprotégé

relationship, but c m aiso be a signincant obstacle. The demands of the construction

process itself, scheduling, documentation, communication, and the uiaeasing

requirements for finished projects in shorter and shorter tirnefiranies leaves linle time for

adequate instruction, consultation or guidance on how to build. Regardes of these well

known reaiities of todayk construction projects, mentors must fhd the time to do just

that.. .teach others, their protégés, how to build. That time must be found and taken

whether in the morning as work is assigneci, during the day as the need mises or at the

end of the day when activities begin to subside.. .whenever it is convenient or appropriate

to provide direct interaction with the protégé. Time for mentoring must be seen as an

investment, putting in the time in order to get back positive results,

Protégés:

Ask Questions

Protégés within the operaîions jobstream cm be the most junior or those with the Ieast

experience in construction. They can dso be the most experienced and senior or

anywhae in between. Twenty-six percent of respondents with over twenty years of

construction expaience still report having a mentor! In otha words, they report beùig

protégés and mentors too. This mentoring chain passes on what is ofien c d e d "the PCL

Way," our philosophy of how we operate.. .with integrity, courtesy, fainiess and

professional respect. During the earliest years protégés must demonstrate an eagerness to

learn and an obvious, blatant desire to know PCL and the worId of construction. A

protégé does this in many ways, the one most often mentioned in response to this survey

is by a s b g questions. The protégé m u t ask, must not wait to be told.

It's Not an Age Thing

As the protégé ages the mentoring relationship changes, the questions become different,

are oflen Iess urgent but important none-the-les. There may be a significant group of

individuals at mid-career who are in need of mentoring too. For example, twenty-nine

percent of those with five to fifteen years of constmction experience report not having a

mentor. At this stage, many individuds Iike to be seen as "standing done," infonned and

knowledgeable. Position or age, we must never quit asking ... must continue to seek mentors and be mentors ourselves.

DistrictlCorporate Management:

Mentoring in operations exists m each PCL district, in the office and the field. From

Iistening to the responses at interview and noting the responses to the questionnaire, it

appears that the strongest mentoring exists in the field and estimating segments of the

operations jobstream and is weakest within the project management segment, partidady

for those working primady in the office. Since operations exists within the fieId and

district ofnce, theprhmy responsibility to fostamentoring at PCL lies withh the

district.

Elders Mentor

The mentoring reiationship c m be nurtured in a variety of ways. lndim'cluaZs become

mentors. They feei a responsibility to gÎve back to the Company. They have knowtedge

to share and sometimes a heartfielt desire to see someone leam and grow. District

management must dnw on that sense of duty by asking senior people to become mentors.

Consideraiion might be given to suggestions made in May of 1998 by Rich Fragapane,

who recommends asking retired project managers or superintendents to teach others.

Where possible, having knowIedgeabIe elders on hand may temporady take some of the

responsibility