leader
Content
Megha
Mentoring Across the Generation Gap
August 14, 2009 Nowadays, the age-old image of the wise, older sage imparting wisdom and knowledge to the younger, less experienced protégé no longer epitomizes the typical mentoring relationship. “Modern” mentoring relationships are far more varied and wider in scope. Today’s mentoring relationships do not conform to age-based hierarchy, but adjust to fulfill the needs of employees of all ages. They enable young graduates with experience in the newest technology to be Mentors to older employees who have not yet had the opportunity to learn about that technology. Likewise, they ensure that experienced employees impart leadership skills, competencies and behaviors to their younger counterparts, so that the latter can continue to build a solid, stable organization with promising growth prospects. Ultimately, they can help Baby Boomers, Generation “Xers”, and Generation “Yers” compromise and build consensus in the same team or working environment. A New Generation of Mentoring Today’s Mentors and Mentees have different roles from their past counterparts. Today’s Mentors must not only be able to teach, coach and impart knowledge, but must also be open to a 2-way dynamic exchange of ideas between them and the Mentees. Today’s Mentees can no longer look to the Mentor to lead the relationship, but must drive the relationship and take half of the responsibility for its outcome. Updating Outdated Mentoring Myths There is an exciting and new focus for mentoring that can meet everyone’s needs, but it means adjusting old and outdated perceptions of mentoring to fit in with the times. What are the newest interpretations? • A Mentor is an individual with a specific degree of experience, knowledge, and/or skill set who is willing and able to share this information with another individual. A Mentee is an individual who seeks experience, knowledge and/or skills in a specific area and who looks to another individual(s) to gain that which is lacking. Mentoring consists of a relationship in which an experienced individual advises or trains someone with less knowledge or experience in a given area.
•
•
So long as one individual imparts what another wants to learn, there is value in the mentoring relationship regardless of each individual’s hierarchy within the organization. Traditionally, Mentor-Mentee pairs were created from the “top-down” theory. The Mentor was always at a higher position or title than the Mentee. The Mentee felt that he/she was interacting with an individual that would help him/her advance within the organization. This focus, although still valuable, is now merely one segment among several of how mentoring is used today.
(DEEPIKA) Mentoring
October 12, 2009 Growing leadership expertise in a short period of time within an organization is a continual challenge. The speed of projects and the speed for innovation have increased so that we are shoving people into positions of management and leadership in an ever-increasing pace. How are they going to learn? But more important, how are they going to be able to quickly apply what they have learned within their organizational culture and business environment? In the past, an individual would learn skills and knowledge through training, education and experience, and the organization could afford to wait around for him/her to come up to speed. But today, organizations need to have their people learn – and be able to apply that learning – more quickly. Studies have proven that there are limits as to how fast you can drive education and training and have it be effective. Also, due to economic constraints within organizations, many times the problem is not how fast to drive the education and training, but how to even find available dollars and resources to get it to individuals that are destined to lead the organization now and in the future. What can organizations do to help solve this dilemma and assist in the transition between “education” and “experience”? Mentoring can assist. By definition a Mentor is an individual with the experience, knowledge, and/or skills in a specific content area who is able, willing, and available to share this information with another individual. There is nothing in this definition that denotes that the
- Helping leaders and managers grow and develop.
Mentor must be older, of a higher job grade level, or have been with the organization for a longer period of time. The most important aspect is that the Mentor has “experience”, “knowledge” and “skills” that he/she wants to share with someone who needs them. In many cases, it may not even be the “knowledge” or the “skills”, but the “experience” – the application of that knowledge – that is important. We have learned that under the direction of the Mentor, the learner is given immediate access to valuable insights and past experiences. Within mentoring relationships, individuals are learning by doing. Individuals are able to practice what they are learning. Another advantage of mentoring to an organization is that it showcases those individuals that have the necessary skills/competencies to coach and develop others. Many times these are the same types of skills/competencies that an organization wants displayed in its leadership. Even individuals that do not wish to take on a “managerial” or “supervisory” role within the organization can satisfy a need to “lead” through a mentoring relationship as well as allowing the organization to tap into a greater pool of talent/skill. Many times individuals do not get any experience in specific coaching roles until after they have been given the title of “manager” or “supervisor”. This means they are in a reactive mode of learning these skills/competencies. If individuals have the opportunity to learn and practice these skills/competencies as a Mentor before they obtain the title of “manager” or “supervisor”, it is proactive and much better for them as well as the organization.
(VIPIN AGRAWAL)
Mentoring – Enhancing Diversity Strategically and Sustainably for Real Business Results
April 21, 2010
In today's world, best-in-class organizations understand that racial, cultural, and gender diversity in the workplace is no longer a nice-to-have, but a necessity in order to remain competitive and deliver sustainable bottom line results. A diverse and inclusive organization is able to recognize and fully deploy a wide range of knowledge and skills, reach out to an increasingly diverse clientele, and motivate all talented employees from all backgrounds to perform their best. For companies who want to increase market share, slice turnover costs, enhance productivity, or globalize, it's not a question of whether to promote diversity but how to do it in the best way possible.
But all too often, corporate diversity initiatives are ineffective. And when they are, it's usually "diversity" as an ideal that gets blamed. It's quick and easy for top management to conclude that promoting diversity isn't profitable. It's much harder to admit that the problem lies not with diversity itself, but with the way it's being promoted in the workplace and why. According to a study conducted by the Washington Post, the diversity training offered at most firms were followed by a 7.5 percent drop in the number of women in management. The number of black female managers fell by 10 percent, and the number of black men in top positions fell by 12 percent. Similar effects were seen for Latinos and Asians. The research showed that mandatory programs -often undertaken to avoid discrimination lawsuits – were ineffective for promoting diversity. Conversely, when diversity training is voluntary and strategic, it was associated with increased diversity in management roles. Apart from the limited success of mandatory programs, could there be yet another reason why many diversity initiatives fail? The answer lies in the way in which organizations define diversity. Is measuring diversity as simple as a numbers game? Can an organization with 50% men and 50% women in top management positions, or an equal proportion of each race or ethnicity, truly boast diversity? In reality, the kind of diversity that enhances organizational culture and heightens the bottom line cannot simply be defined by the number of positions attained in high places. In today's organizations, true "diversity" requires that individuals of various genders and cultural backgrounds are included not only in leadership positions at the top of the talent pipeline - but also that employees at all levels and of all backgrounds have a supportive, dynamic network within these organizations to facilitate their way to those positions. Among the wide array of potential diversity initiatives, formal mentoring programs for diversity and inclusion are highly effective for helping women and minority employees to build that crucial network of individuals who can help them improve their knowledge and skills and progress in their careers. What specific benefits does mentoring for diversity bring to an organization?
Ruposhri
Mentoring focuses not on diversity as an end in itself, but diversity as a means, as the strategy behind a stronger bottom line. While initiatives such as mandatory diversity training and race/gender quotas for recruitment can deliver the statistics that paint a picture of diversity, formal mentoring programs create bi-directional relationships and networks that actually generate sustainable diversity over the long term. By definition, mentoring establishes voluntary partnerships that enable individuals to share their knowledge and experiences with one another. This produces
diversity that is internally motivated and perpetuated, not mandated or stigmatized, within the organization. Such diversity is part of a solid strategy for enhancing the bottom line. Mentoring enables managers to leverage talent they may not even know they have. According to Frank Dobin, an organizational psychologist at Harvard who was quoted in the Washington Post, women and minorities find it tough to get ahead because most people, including managers, tend to form social groups with similar people -- and many managers are simply unaware of the talent in their own organizations. Mentoring programs that require or explicitly encourage managers to connect with subordinates in different departments can alert managers to talented employees with different social and ethnic backgrounds, and help younger employees figure out what they need to do to get ahead. Organizations that understand their own talent are well-equipped to look within their organization to fill necessary positions – cutting hiring and onboarding costs by simply redeploying instead. Mentoring empowers employees to navigate their career paths in a way that best fits the culture of their organization. Different organizational cultures require different strategies for career development. Without sufficient experience working in the organization and navigating its politics, culture and hierarchy, employees may have trouble defining realistic professional goals and working to achieve them. Mentoring facilitates the sharing of valuable experiences and insights within the organization that guide the mentee toward educated career navigation. If the mentor-mentee relationship is cross-cultural, for example, a mentor from the “majority” culture can guide the mentee from the “minority” culture on how to best navigate a majority-dominated system. Conversely, if the mentee is paired with an individual from the same cultural/gender-specific group, then the mentee has access to an idea role model with lessons on how to overcome any particular obstacles associated with the experience he or she is likely to get. Both avenues propel retention. Case Study Example(shakshi) A large US insurance company decided to develop a diversity mentoring program targeted toward minority employees (both racial/cultural minorities and women). The purpose was to offer these employees an opportunity to learn from and network with successful leaders in the organization. The company identified and trained mentors from various levels of the organization – not just senior management. A particular challenge that minority employees often faced involved the ongoing education requirements instated by the company, which many of them had neither the time nor the money to complete. Through the mentoring partnerships, employees gained a better understanding of the company’s culture and why those requirements existed, and also received advice and assistance on the best ways to obtain the necessary
requirements to advance their careers. Most notably, upon conclusion of the program, the mentees reported that the most crucial benefit they gained from the program was the opportunity to build networks with individuals outside their own departments and job functions. Ultimately, the mentoring program enabled various leaders across the company to notice key players in their talent pool – beneficial for both the minority mentees and company strategy as a whole. Cutting-Edge Mentoring Solutions for an Effective Diversity Initiative
Insala’s mentoring solutions enable organizations to launch and deliver effective and sustainable mentoring programs for diversity and inclusion. Insala provides a wide array of mentoring solutions including program implementation, program evaluation, mentoring readiness consulting, mentor training, mentoring technology, and more. In particular, our consultants work to help organizations identify key business objectives and metrics, leverage core competencies, and develop mentoring programs that align with overall talent and business goals. Our interactive mentoring software features advanced matching and pairing tools, robust reporting capabilities, the ability to manage multiple programs from a single portal, mentor-mentee communication tools, and more - enhancing both administrative efficiency and the participant experience.
Mentoring Across the Generation Gap
August 14, 2009 Nowadays, the age-old image of the wise, older sage imparting wisdom and knowledge to the younger, less experienced protégé no longer epitomizes the typical mentoring relationship. “Modern” mentoring relationships are far more varied and wider in scope. Today’s mentoring relationships do not conform to age-based hierarchy, but adjust to fulfill the needs of employees of all ages. They enable young graduates with experience in the newest technology to be Mentors to older employees who have not yet had the opportunity to learn about that technology. Likewise, they ensure that experienced employees impart leadership skills, competencies and behaviors to their younger counterparts, so that the latter can continue to build a solid, stable organization with promising growth prospects. Ultimately, they can help Baby Boomers, Generation “Xers”, and Generation “Yers” compromise and build consensus in the same team or working environment. A New Generation of Mentoring Today’s Mentors and Mentees have different roles from their past counterparts. Today’s Mentors must not only be able to teach, coach and impart knowledge, but must also be open to a 2-way dynamic exchange of ideas between them and the Mentees. Today’s Mentees can no longer look to the Mentor to lead the relationship, but must drive the relationship and take half of the responsibility for its outcome. Updating Outdated Mentoring Myths There is an exciting and new focus for mentoring that can meet everyone’s needs, but it means adjusting old and outdated perceptions of mentoring to fit in with the times. What are the newest interpretations? • A Mentor is an individual with a specific degree of experience, knowledge, and/or skill set who is willing and able to share this information with another individual. A Mentee is an individual who seeks experience, knowledge and/or skills in a specific area and who looks to another individual(s) to gain that which is lacking. Mentoring consists of a relationship in which an experienced individual advises or trains someone with less knowledge or experience in a given area.
•
•
So long as one individual imparts what another wants to learn, there is value in the mentoring relationship regardless of each individual’s hierarchy within the organization. Traditionally, Mentor-Mentee pairs were created from the “top-down” theory. The Mentor was always at a higher position or title than the Mentee. The Mentee felt that he/she was interacting with an individual that would help him/her advance within the organization. This focus, although still valuable, is now merely one segment among several of how mentoring is used today.
(DEEPIKA) Mentoring
October 12, 2009 Growing leadership expertise in a short period of time within an organization is a continual challenge. The speed of projects and the speed for innovation have increased so that we are shoving people into positions of management and leadership in an ever-increasing pace. How are they going to learn? But more important, how are they going to be able to quickly apply what they have learned within their organizational culture and business environment? In the past, an individual would learn skills and knowledge through training, education and experience, and the organization could afford to wait around for him/her to come up to speed. But today, organizations need to have their people learn – and be able to apply that learning – more quickly. Studies have proven that there are limits as to how fast you can drive education and training and have it be effective. Also, due to economic constraints within organizations, many times the problem is not how fast to drive the education and training, but how to even find available dollars and resources to get it to individuals that are destined to lead the organization now and in the future. What can organizations do to help solve this dilemma and assist in the transition between “education” and “experience”? Mentoring can assist. By definition a Mentor is an individual with the experience, knowledge, and/or skills in a specific content area who is able, willing, and available to share this information with another individual. There is nothing in this definition that denotes that the
- Helping leaders and managers grow and develop.
Mentor must be older, of a higher job grade level, or have been with the organization for a longer period of time. The most important aspect is that the Mentor has “experience”, “knowledge” and “skills” that he/she wants to share with someone who needs them. In many cases, it may not even be the “knowledge” or the “skills”, but the “experience” – the application of that knowledge – that is important. We have learned that under the direction of the Mentor, the learner is given immediate access to valuable insights and past experiences. Within mentoring relationships, individuals are learning by doing. Individuals are able to practice what they are learning. Another advantage of mentoring to an organization is that it showcases those individuals that have the necessary skills/competencies to coach and develop others. Many times these are the same types of skills/competencies that an organization wants displayed in its leadership. Even individuals that do not wish to take on a “managerial” or “supervisory” role within the organization can satisfy a need to “lead” through a mentoring relationship as well as allowing the organization to tap into a greater pool of talent/skill. Many times individuals do not get any experience in specific coaching roles until after they have been given the title of “manager” or “supervisor”. This means they are in a reactive mode of learning these skills/competencies. If individuals have the opportunity to learn and practice these skills/competencies as a Mentor before they obtain the title of “manager” or “supervisor”, it is proactive and much better for them as well as the organization.
(VIPIN AGRAWAL)
Mentoring – Enhancing Diversity Strategically and Sustainably for Real Business Results
April 21, 2010
In today's world, best-in-class organizations understand that racial, cultural, and gender diversity in the workplace is no longer a nice-to-have, but a necessity in order to remain competitive and deliver sustainable bottom line results. A diverse and inclusive organization is able to recognize and fully deploy a wide range of knowledge and skills, reach out to an increasingly diverse clientele, and motivate all talented employees from all backgrounds to perform their best. For companies who want to increase market share, slice turnover costs, enhance productivity, or globalize, it's not a question of whether to promote diversity but how to do it in the best way possible.
But all too often, corporate diversity initiatives are ineffective. And when they are, it's usually "diversity" as an ideal that gets blamed. It's quick and easy for top management to conclude that promoting diversity isn't profitable. It's much harder to admit that the problem lies not with diversity itself, but with the way it's being promoted in the workplace and why. According to a study conducted by the Washington Post, the diversity training offered at most firms were followed by a 7.5 percent drop in the number of women in management. The number of black female managers fell by 10 percent, and the number of black men in top positions fell by 12 percent. Similar effects were seen for Latinos and Asians. The research showed that mandatory programs -often undertaken to avoid discrimination lawsuits – were ineffective for promoting diversity. Conversely, when diversity training is voluntary and strategic, it was associated with increased diversity in management roles. Apart from the limited success of mandatory programs, could there be yet another reason why many diversity initiatives fail? The answer lies in the way in which organizations define diversity. Is measuring diversity as simple as a numbers game? Can an organization with 50% men and 50% women in top management positions, or an equal proportion of each race or ethnicity, truly boast diversity? In reality, the kind of diversity that enhances organizational culture and heightens the bottom line cannot simply be defined by the number of positions attained in high places. In today's organizations, true "diversity" requires that individuals of various genders and cultural backgrounds are included not only in leadership positions at the top of the talent pipeline - but also that employees at all levels and of all backgrounds have a supportive, dynamic network within these organizations to facilitate their way to those positions. Among the wide array of potential diversity initiatives, formal mentoring programs for diversity and inclusion are highly effective for helping women and minority employees to build that crucial network of individuals who can help them improve their knowledge and skills and progress in their careers. What specific benefits does mentoring for diversity bring to an organization?
Ruposhri
Mentoring focuses not on diversity as an end in itself, but diversity as a means, as the strategy behind a stronger bottom line. While initiatives such as mandatory diversity training and race/gender quotas for recruitment can deliver the statistics that paint a picture of diversity, formal mentoring programs create bi-directional relationships and networks that actually generate sustainable diversity over the long term. By definition, mentoring establishes voluntary partnerships that enable individuals to share their knowledge and experiences with one another. This produces
diversity that is internally motivated and perpetuated, not mandated or stigmatized, within the organization. Such diversity is part of a solid strategy for enhancing the bottom line. Mentoring enables managers to leverage talent they may not even know they have. According to Frank Dobin, an organizational psychologist at Harvard who was quoted in the Washington Post, women and minorities find it tough to get ahead because most people, including managers, tend to form social groups with similar people -- and many managers are simply unaware of the talent in their own organizations. Mentoring programs that require or explicitly encourage managers to connect with subordinates in different departments can alert managers to talented employees with different social and ethnic backgrounds, and help younger employees figure out what they need to do to get ahead. Organizations that understand their own talent are well-equipped to look within their organization to fill necessary positions – cutting hiring and onboarding costs by simply redeploying instead. Mentoring empowers employees to navigate their career paths in a way that best fits the culture of their organization. Different organizational cultures require different strategies for career development. Without sufficient experience working in the organization and navigating its politics, culture and hierarchy, employees may have trouble defining realistic professional goals and working to achieve them. Mentoring facilitates the sharing of valuable experiences and insights within the organization that guide the mentee toward educated career navigation. If the mentor-mentee relationship is cross-cultural, for example, a mentor from the “majority” culture can guide the mentee from the “minority” culture on how to best navigate a majority-dominated system. Conversely, if the mentee is paired with an individual from the same cultural/gender-specific group, then the mentee has access to an idea role model with lessons on how to overcome any particular obstacles associated with the experience he or she is likely to get. Both avenues propel retention. Case Study Example(shakshi) A large US insurance company decided to develop a diversity mentoring program targeted toward minority employees (both racial/cultural minorities and women). The purpose was to offer these employees an opportunity to learn from and network with successful leaders in the organization. The company identified and trained mentors from various levels of the organization – not just senior management. A particular challenge that minority employees often faced involved the ongoing education requirements instated by the company, which many of them had neither the time nor the money to complete. Through the mentoring partnerships, employees gained a better understanding of the company’s culture and why those requirements existed, and also received advice and assistance on the best ways to obtain the necessary
requirements to advance their careers. Most notably, upon conclusion of the program, the mentees reported that the most crucial benefit they gained from the program was the opportunity to build networks with individuals outside their own departments and job functions. Ultimately, the mentoring program enabled various leaders across the company to notice key players in their talent pool – beneficial for both the minority mentees and company strategy as a whole. Cutting-Edge Mentoring Solutions for an Effective Diversity Initiative
Insala’s mentoring solutions enable organizations to launch and deliver effective and sustainable mentoring programs for diversity and inclusion. Insala provides a wide array of mentoring solutions including program implementation, program evaluation, mentoring readiness consulting, mentor training, mentoring technology, and more. In particular, our consultants work to help organizations identify key business objectives and metrics, leverage core competencies, and develop mentoring programs that align with overall talent and business goals. Our interactive mentoring software features advanced matching and pairing tools, robust reporting capabilities, the ability to manage multiple programs from a single portal, mentor-mentee communication tools, and more - enhancing both administrative efficiency and the participant experience.
