Leadership Academy

Estimated time for this training is 3 hours, including one 15-minute break

Welcome and your expectations Mentoring fundamentals and ground rulesGroup mentoring – session topicsEffective mentoring skillsGroup dynamics and facilitationPreparing for group mentoring

• Resources

• Self-assessments

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Non attribution Confidentiality Be fully present Be self-responsible Listen, listen, listen… and listen some more Be open to new information and ideas Use activities and group exercises as an

opportunity for growth Own your communication – use “I” language Accept the speaker’s frame of reference as true

to him or her

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Have you been a Mentor before?

◦What was positive about the experience?

◦What could have been better?

Have you been a Mentee?

◦What was positive about the experience?

◦What could have been better?

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Address the importance of mentoring and explore mentoring benefits

Describe group mentoring, including similarities with and differences from one-on-one mentoring

Outline proposed group mentoring session topics and brainstorm on additional topics

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Aging Workforce Increasing employees entering retirement, leaving an

inexperienced workforce – mentoring reduces the gap as experienced mentors empower mentees

Retention Five year study by Capital Analytics on Sun

Microsystems found both mentors and mentees were 20% less likely to leave

Productivity ASTD study – training alone increased manager

productivity by 24%; it increased by 88% when combined with mentoring and coaching

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Traditional Mentoring◦One-on-one relationship between a more experienced (senior) Mentor and a less experienced (junior) Mentee

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Group MentoringCollective mentoring relationships include senior-to-junior and peer mentoring

Group of mentees • Similar roles, similar levels, similar challenges

One or more Mentors, many Mentees• Efficiency “one to many”

Planned and flexible topics• Some structure with room for burning issues

The wisdom of groups• Learn from Mentors and from each other

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• Mentors gain opportunities to share expertise, leave a “legacy” and enhance leadership skills

• Mentees experience diverse views from many rather than one

• Everyone gains leadership and career development opportunities

• Everyone wins!

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Session Number Topic

Session One Building trust and relationships

Session Two Communication and listening skills

Session Three Networking and building professional relationships

Session Four Team building behaviors and leadership skills for all

Session Five Exploring career opportunities

Session Six What’s next?

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Discuss the importance of mentoring goals and partnership between Mentors and Mentees List key skills and behaviors for effective mentoringDiscuss role of manager and mentor; highlight actions and activities of mentors Assess own strengths and areas for growth re: key mentoring behaviors

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Mentors

Guide mentees in selecting goals and action plans

Teach mentees how the organization works

Encourage mentees to share knowledge with the group

Coach mentees to maximize strengths and address areas for development

Ask questions that will help build trust

Mentees

Ask questions

Seek guidance

Learn from your mentor

Share with other mentees to maximize strengths and address areas for development

Both

Be flexible

Be open

Maintain confidentiality

Invest in relationships

Mentor v. Manager

Mentor Manager

Shares relevant expertise and experience

Gives information needed to solve problems

Uses expertise to develop the mentees

Uses expertise to find the solutions

Holds mentees accountable for taking an active role in own career

Holds staff accountable for executing defined solutions

Listens, helps build confidence, shares own successes/failures

Listens, provides answers, directs activities

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• Share on developing or maintaining your network of valuable contacts

• Provide feedback to build confidence

• Help new people learn the ropes

How? Doing what?• Creating/maintaining trust

• Listening actively/asking open-ended questions

• Networking/relationship building

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Be honest. Tell the truth

Respect the dignity of every person and acknowledge that every person is entitled to their own views

Make things right when you’ve gone off-course, as quickly as you can

Address tough issues directly, acknowledge the unsaid, and be courageous in conversation

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Trust breaks down when individuals:

• Break promises

• Violate confidentiality

• Treat others unfairly

• Say one thing, but do another

• Withhold information from others

• Exclude others from activities

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To do that, you must…

…identify the root of distrust

…share perceptions

…integrate components of trust into your relationship

Active Listening • Ask follow-up questions• Manage your facial expressions• Use your voice; vary loudness depending on emotions• Use your posture; leaning forward to listen intently• Make good eye contact

Open-ended questions create space for conversation…

Closed-ended questions can limit conversation

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• Listening and asking open-ended questions• Giving and receiving feedback• Building trust• Networking and facilitating• Coaching/guiding

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Improving Your Communications Skills… Enables the Conversation

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Networking Skills• Share networking approaches that work for you

• Maintaining your contacts and keeping in touch

• Using social networking tools

Building Relationships with Mentees• Group mentoring may be a springboard for one-on-one

relationships

• Only offer this if you have time and can deliver

• Introductions• Preparing for Group Mentoring• Mentee Self-Assessment

• Handout self-assessment questions• Do self-assessment during this breakout• In pairs, discuss what you will do to prepare

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• Active engagement/active participation• Bring your questions to each session• Active listening means listening to everyone• Adhering to the ground rules sets the tone• You will have help from mentors and facilitators

Effective facilitation is all about: • Staying in tune with the group, watching

behaviors, gauging interest levels

• Listening for what is said and what is not

• Inviting engagement from participants

• Facilitators will help

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Facilitation Strategies – Mentor Breakout Cont.

• Making statements – draw out information

• Using self-disclosure – carefully share information about oneself; Mentors should do this carefully so they don’t dominate the group

• Utilizing silence – wait; don’t jump in with comments; allow silence to remain as people think and experience emotions

• Linking mentees’ comments – build on what others have mentioned in the past

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Feedback During Mentoring Sessions

Components of Feedback Conversations

Developmental Feedback Positive Feedback

State unacceptable behavior State behavior and its value

Note the behavior’s impact on productivity or the environment

Note its impact on productivity or the environment

Describe alternate behaviors or desired outcomes

State your appreciation

Set goals for the future Encourage continuation of positive behavior

Source: Corporate Executive Board (2007). A Manager’s Guide to Providing Informal Feedback.

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What three things do you want to give to this experience? 1. 2. 3.

What three things do you want to take away from this experience? 1. 2. 3.

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Something to Think About Before Your First Session…

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Questions and Final Remarks

Mentoring Resources

Books•Be Your Own Mentor

• Sheila Wellington, Catalyst

•The Elements of Mentoring• W. Brad Johnson and Charles R. Ridley

Group Mentoring SharePoint site•http://placeholder.com

• Contains all the materials used in class, plus articles and other resources

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Your name

How long you’ve been in the organization

Where do you work (which office)

Fun fact most people don’t know about you

Setting the stage for the first Group Setting the stage for the first Group Mentoring sessionMentoring session

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