Mentoring: Effectively Building the Team

Transcription

1 Mentoring: Effectively Building the Team

2 The delicate balance of mentoring someone is not creating them in your own image, but giving them the opportunity to create themselves. Steven Spielberg

3 Objectives Upon completion of this module you will be able to: Identify the difference between mentoring and managing Identify the positive benefits of providing mentoring Identify the elements of a successful mentor-mentee relationship Identify the elements of an unsuccessful mentormentee relationship Review strategies for improving current mentormentee relationships

4 Why focus on mentoring? The overall success of the ARNG Child and Youth Program depends on having highly functioning teams. Successful teams are those providing guidance to ensure: State/territory expectations are being met Programming meets the needs of targeted military population Cross-training to avoid breaks in delivery of services Fostering of knowledge continues; questions are appropriately answered; processes accurately modeled

5 What is Mentoring? Mentoring is most often defined as: a professional relationship in which an experienced person (the mentor) assists another (the mentee) in developing specific skills and knowledge that will enhance the less-experienced person s professional and personal growth. Management Mentors

6 Mentoring vs. Managing Help Innovate MENTOR Focus on Long-Range Perspectives Keep Their Eye on the Horizon Challenge the Status Quo/Think Outside the Box Focus on People/Individuals Actively Communicate Desire to Be Creative/Originate Focus on Doing the Right Thing Administer MANAGER Focus on Short-Term Views Keep Their Eye on the Bottom Line Accept the Status Quo - What we ve always done before is good enough Focus on Structure and Output Command Mimic/Imitate Others Focus on Doing Things Right Bennis

7 The Mentoring Process Successful mentoring is not a once-and-done process, it is a continual process of experience, reflection and growth. Successful mentoring elicits and engages both parties in meaningful and constructive conversation. Successful mentoring serves a purpose, meets a goal and produces a positive outcome.

8 The Mentoring Process Build Rapport Evaluate & Followup Goals & Vision Commit & Recognize Brainstorm Action Planning Effective Coaching (adapted)

9 The Mentoring Process Build Rapport STEP 1: Build Rapport: Current roles and expectations; personal and professional interests; shared goals and visions Be open and honest about roles and expectations to avoid later confusion Use body language that is open and inviting; mirror body language Employ active listening skills; mentors may listen more than speak at times in the process Ask engaging, thought-provoking questions Work to find common interests Provide acknowledgement and reassurance; mentor to mentee as well as mentee to mentor Effective Coaching (adapted)

10 Role & Expectations Roles and expectations within the Child and Youth Program are as follows: LCYPC: Provide oversight of the Program at the state/territory level, liaison with SFPD, provide supervision and guidance, assign taskings to meet expectations CYPC: Provide support in implementing state/territory goals and expectations, serve as a SME on youth-related topics, collaborate to both sustain and build state/territory programs NOTE: LCYPC/CYPC should be cross-trained to ensure program coverage at all times not stove-piped into only a few responsibilities

11 The Mentoring Process Build Rapport Goals & Vision STEP 2: Goals & Vision: These should be both personally and programmatically; in-line with established program needs and expectations Being with 2-3 goals; more than that can cause unintentional stress on behalf of both parties Constantly be asking: How do these goals support our program s mission? Write goals down so both mentor and mentee have visibility Work towards establishing a shared vision to avoid divergent view points in the future Effective Coaching (adapted)

12 The Mentoring Process Build Rapport Goals & Vision STEP 3: Brainstorm: Identify steps required to achieve established goals and vision; collaborate Brainstorm Focus on creativity not critical analysis Discuss possibilities and not only personalities It s okay to laugh; break the tension Active engagement by both mentor and mentee necessary for success Effective Coaching (adapted)

13 The Mentoring Process Build Rapport Goals & Vision STEP 4: Action Planning: Consciously outline the actions necessary for achieving goals Action Planning Brainstorm Establish realistic deadlines/suspenses for goals and follow-up meetings Establish criteria for evaluating overall mastery/attainment of goal(s) Avoid extremely detailed action plans; can easily become overwhelming, unmanageable and demotivating Effective Coaching (adapted)

14 The Mentoring Process Build Rapport Goals & Vision STEP 5: Commit & Recognize: Begin Commit & Recognize undertaking identified actions to meet professional development goals Action Planning Brainstorm Be willing to recognize where additional support may be needed Schedule specific time(s) for these actions Mentor/mentee should meet regularly throughout this process Work to identify how routine actions can yield tangible professional growth experience/insight Mentors should provide support and encouragement at all times Effective Coaching (adapted)

15 The Mentoring Process Evaluate & Follow-up Build Rapport Goals & Vision STEP 6: Evaluate & Follow-up: Review Commit & Recognize progress made against initial goals/objectives; determine further actions necessary Action Planning Brainstorm On-going collaborative process between LCYPC and CYPC Take time to complete thorough AARs Mentor/mentee should collectively review AARs and other sources of feedback Work to answer the following: What did I gain from this experience? What are/were my major take-aways from this experience? How will I be able to apply what I learned into my regular work? Were initial goals/objectives met? What evidence supports mastery of initial goals/objectives? What additional actions may be necessary to ensure continued success/mastery? What will future goals/objectives include? Effective Coaching (adapted)

16 Qualities of a Good Mentor Pages of Mentoring Guide Many components go into being a good mentor, the most conducive to garnering success are: Being POSITIVE: your job is not to find fault of place blame but rather to achieve goals Being ENTHUSIASTIC: mentors set the tone; ensure your attitude is worth catching Being TRUSTING: hold yourself to high standards; be the positive example Being FOCUSED: be specific and focused; focus on keeping things manageable and solution-based Being a VISIONARY: base taskings and decisions on clear, definable goals; always provide a why whenever providing a what Effective Coaching

17 Qualities of a Good Mentor Pages of Mentoring Guide Being OBSERVANT: be aware of what isn t being said as well as what is; body language Being RESPECTFUL: appreciate views; remember the Golden Rule and show empathy Being CLEAR: if they didn t hear you right, maybe you didn t say it right; seek clarification Being CURIOUS: open the doors to possibilities; seek their insight and views Being a OBJECTIVE: don t express judgment; insert personal opinions; focus on professional goals/expectations and action steps Effective Coaching

18 Qualities of a Good Mentee Pages of Mentoring Guide For the mentor-mentee relationship to be successful, mentees must possess the following qualities: Being OPEN: realize feedback is designed to promote success; actively welcome knowledge being shared Being ATTENTIVE: listen to what your mentor is saying and work to apply it to current goals and tasks Being ENGAGED: don t be afraid to ask questions, seek clarification and insight Being DRIVEN: work to exceed expectations; grow beyond anything you thought possible Being a COMMUNICATOR: never hesitate to share questions, concerns or areas of confusion MN Paralegal Association

19 Qualities of a Good Mentee Pages of Mentoring Guide Being LOYAL AND PROFESSIONAL: mentoring is challenge; avoid spreading gossip or rumors; be respectful even in times of disagreement Being THOROUGH: complete all taskings provided; never leave anything undone or incomplete Being APPRECIATIVE: as you experience success, share that with your mentor Being CONFIDENTIAL: mentor-mentee relationships are only successful if built on trust; avoid divulging any personal information to others Being THANKFUL: show gratitude for the guidance and hard work provided by your mentor; value all they have done for you MN Paralegal Association

20 Elements of a Successful Mentor- Mentee Interaction Purpose Openness Ground Rules Interaction Clear Communication Focused Concise Mentoring Guide

21 Elements of a Successful Mentor- Mentee Interaction Establish a Purpose: collaborate ahead of time to identify topics for discussion Establish Ground Rules: often during initial interaction; focus on end result(s) Stay Focused: remain focused on progress toward achieving goals; avoid environmental distractions Avoid Monologues: resist the temptation to tell long stories or lecture; mentee should do most of the talking/sharing/reflecting Communicate Clearly: use familiar terms; actively listen when the other is speaking; seek clarification if necessary Be Open to Ideas: the best of intentions will fail if neither side is open to new ideas/insights Mentoring Guide

22 Tips for Effective Communication Narrow the Focus: - Keep conversations limited to no more than 2-3 individual topics at any single time Define the Issue Clearly: - Ensure there are no areas of confusion; the person bringing up the issue should be able to define things in specifics Present Tense: - While keeping an eye on the future, focus on the hear and now; avoid going back to how things used to be Effective Coaching

23 Creating Solutions Through Mentoring The mentoring process is designed to foster success. Success often times is the result of overcoming challenges and creative problem solving. Problem Solving Process: Define Opportunity Define the Goal Create Action Plan Set the Standard Confirm Understanding Plan Follow-up Mentoring Guide

24 Creating Solutions Through Mentoring Define the Opportunity: view challenges as opportunities for growth Define the Goal: clearly identify the desired end result Create the Action Plan: begin identifying necessary steps to achieve end result Set the Evaluation Standard: determine what will demonstrate mastery/achievement Confirm Understanding: ensure everyone is clear on roles, responsibilities and expectations Plan the Follow-up: set the date; know exactly what will be discussed; ensures greater accountability Mentoring Guide

25 The Art of Giving and Receiving Feedback When done correctly, feedback opens the door to more powerful and engaging mentoring. Elements of feedback include: Sandwich Technique Timelines Individual Recognition Specific Examples Sincerity Think Before Speaking Go One-On- One Begin with a note of success Follow-up with an area for improvement Conclude with another positive achievement Feedback needs to be provided relatively soon following performance Prolonged time-lapses decreases impact of feedback Provide praise and support for individual achievements and successes Tie back into initial goals established Tie feedback back to specific examples Avoid speaking in hypotheticals or being vague with details Sincerity is equal parts speaking the truth and speaking honestly Ensure tone and gestures are genuine in nature Providing feedback requires preparation and practice Ensure clarity, especially if providing feedback over the phone or via Two is feedback, three is a performance Provide feedback in a safe and neutral environment mentor and mentee only Mentoring Guide

26 As evidence of completion of this course, you will need to complete the short assessment tool provided. To access the assessment, please click on the link below: Click here to being your assessment: Please Note: Following completion of the assessment, please save/print out the certificate and then scan the document and the results to your RAPM. This will serve as your documentation of completion.

27 You have now completed the Mentoring module as outlined by the national contract. Congratulations!