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    Mentoring Fundamentals – the five-stage mentoring process

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    By Kevin Schwenker, FCMC

    A formal mentoring program can deliver significant benefits, if it is properly supported.

    Introduction

    There is quite a buzz of mentoring going on – many organizations claim to be doing it or want to be doing it. At the same time, there is a lot of confusion as to what mentoring is and what direction and support it needs to be successful.

    In the current political and economic environment acquiring and retaining top talent is a critical factor in creating and sustaining higher performance and business success. It is increasingly necessary to develop deeper and broader competencies and create effective ways to share and transfer practical knowledge. The significant impacts that effective mentoring has on both the mentor and the mentee, and within organizations, will ensure that any organization which develops, and successfully supports, a well-designed mentoring program will have a huge strategic asset.

    When it works, mentoring can be a dynamic method to promote engagement, shift culture, support change initiatives, develop current and future leaders, and ensure knowledge transfer within an organization. It can be a powerful performance management tool, supporting recruitment, retention, professional development, and succession planning. And it can also be used as a powerful way to develop and integrate the increasing diversity we see in our workplaces.

    To accomplish any of these things, it requires that the organization have a clear understanding of what mentoring is, understand the mentoring process, establish clear program goals and be prepared to support the initiative.

    This article introduces the Five-Stage Mentoring Process—a structured framework that outlines the steps required to establish impactful and sustainable mentoring relationships. By understanding these stages, organizations can align mentoring programs with their strategic goals while delivering significant benefits for both mentors and mentees.

    Overview – The Five Stages of Mentoring

    Mentoring is an intentional developmental relationship. The key word is relationship. Mentoring is not about lectures, ‘downloading’ knowledge, group interviews, or rotating conversations with successful leaders; nor is it networking or a one-time meeting. To be effective, mentoring must be a sustained relational partnership:  the mentor and mentee must share a connection and a purpose.  

    Research and experience have shown that, to be effective and efficient, both the mentor and the mentee benefit from a solid foundation of education that prepares them to enter into a developmental relationship. Well-designed training that provides the necessary grounding, preparation and planning will ensure that both the mentoring partnership(s) – and the mentoring program – will achieve measureable, impactful results.

    The Five Stage Mentoring Process (shown below) follows a logical, sequential, and dynamic process that establishes the conditions for excellence and success. In training based on these stages, both mentor and mentee gain necessary knowledge that will guide the work of the mentoring partnership.

    Both mentor and mentee will understand the preparation and planning required to negotiate and enter a successful long-term learning and development relationship. Both will gain an understanding of their responsibilities, and the essential competencies and activities required to make the mentoring partnership work. And both will understand the importance of a well thought out closure and celebration of their work together.

    A brief summary for each stage in this model follows.

    Stage 1 – Grounding and Personal Foundation

    Stage 1 sets the mentor and mentee up to function at a high level of excellence in their upcoming mentoring partnership. Having a strong personal foundation and increased self-awareness, establishing clear intentions, and knowing key strengths and assets, are the foundational cornerstones explored in this stage.  This is an essential starting point to begin planning the work of the partnership in an inspired, confident and “game ready” state. 

    Stage 2 – Preparation and Planning

    Stage 2 builds on the solid work undertaken in Stage 1. Here, the focus is on readiness, and diligent preparation and planning that will enable success in the mentoring partnership. Exploring key roles & responsibilities, establishing expectations through goal setting, and identifying issues around communications and boundaries are key components of this stage.  As a result, key processes, protocols and guidelines have been thought through by each partner going into initial meetings and conversations. 

    Stage 3 – Negotiate and Initialize

    Stage 3 is the time to meet and discuss how the partnership will function. Goal expectations, relationship responsibilities, communications protocols, and boundaries around privacy and confidentiality are established and committed to during this phase. How access to the mentor’s network will work, how accountability will be ensured, and how the partners will deal with difficult challenges to the relationship are negotiated.  The result of this stage is a well-defined Mentoring Partnership Agreement that creates a solid framework for the upcoming work of the partnership.

    Stage 4 – Support and Enable 

    Stage 4 is the “action lab” for mentor and mentee development and achievement: facilitating learning, creating and supporting opportunities for positive growth and development of the mentee, as well as, focusing on specific goals and outcomes for both partners. Maintaining healthy communications, tracking progress and results, and giving constructive feedback on what is working and not working will ensure both partners are functioning at a high level of awareness and efficacy. Having tools to deal positively with challenging and problematic behaviours is also essential. Action learning, progressive achievement, and keeping attuned to any issues which might derail the partnership are the essence of the work during this stage of the mentoring partnership.

    Stage 5 – Closure and Celebration 

    Stage 5 is, unfortunately, often overlooked in a high percentage of mentoring relationships and programs. Facilitating closure or completion in the mentoring partnership is a necessary and powerful step in the development of both the mentor and mentee. It is a time to reflect on the achievements of the partnership, and any shortcomings, in order to plan more effective behaviours in the future. It is also the time to reflect on what the next steps might be for both the mentor and the mentee. And in appropriate acts of celebration, it is the time to show gratitude and appreciation for the quality time spent together.

    Benefits/Learning Outcomes 

    What is unique about a workshop designed around the Five Stage Mentoring process is the integrated approach – both the mentor and the mentee are trained in the methods, tools and techniques of the process. This ensures both partners know exactly what to do to achieve mentoring success and are therefore equipped to achieve the goals of both the partnership and the organization’s mentoring program.

    Here are some of the specific learning outcomes that can be achieved:

    • Understand and crystalize their motivations to become mentors or mentees
    • Take stock of their respective skills, their other assets, and their key needs
    • Clarify, and aspire to master, the key core competencies of excellent mentors and mentees,
    • Understand the 6 major roles that a well-versed mentor can play,
    • Learn and plan effective goal setting to meet the needs of the mentor, the mentee and the organization, and
    • Respectfully and graciously bringing closure to a mentoring partnership.

    On top of this, a well-planned training program will ensure its participants enter their relationship with  powerful mentoring partnership agreements, which enshrine the organization’s program goals supported by clear relationship goals, roles, responsibilities, expectations, protocols, commitments, and boundaries.

    Target Audiences 

    Organizations who are starting, considering, or already in process with a mentoring program would greatly benefit from an in-depth training program. Specific audiences include:

    • Team Leads, Supervisors, and Managers: Those responsible for fostering employee development and contributing to organizational success.
    • Senior Leaders: Individuals tasked with preparing the next generation of leaders.
    • Experienced Professionals: Those interested in mentoring managers in small to medium sized enterprises or non-profits to give back to their communities.

    Another target audience includes students or older workers, who can benefit from an effective mentoring partnership as they navigate entry or new options and possibilities in their careers.

    And finally, there is the entrepreneurial start-up community comprised of those who can benefit immensely through access to experienced business mentors, and other types of mentors who volunteer to work with these individuals. 

    Conclusion

    Mentoring can most greatly benefit organizations today through establishing it as a formal program supported with a solid foundation of education that effectively prepares the mentor and the mentee to enter into a developmental relationship. The Five-Stage Mentoring Process provides a structured and effective framework for organizations to develop impactful mentoring programs. By investing in well-designed training and support, organizations can foster meaningful relationships that drive strategic success. In the next article, we will explore the six essential roles mentors play in supporting their mentees’ success.

    About the Author

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    Kevin Schwenker, FCMC has considerable experience in coaching and training, including the development of powerful, strategic, and effective mentoring programs. He has mentored young entrepreneurs for over 20 years earning accolades such as a Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal. As a Certified Management Consultant, Kevin specializes in assisting organizations succeed with strategic planning, implementing organizational excellence initiatives, and creating engaged employees through performance management and talent development. He is a recognized consultant to consultants, making significant contributions to the international management consulting industry, while leading a practice delivering multi-faceted consulting projects locally, nationally, and internationally. He is also an adjunct professor at the Sobey School of Business in Halifax, Canada where he delivers advanced practical MBA courses.

    M: +1 (902) 483-044; E: [email protected]; W: https://ca.linkedin.com/in/kevinschwenker 

     

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    Kevin Schwenker
    Kevin Schwenker
    Kevin Schwenker, FCMC, ROES, is a distinguished management consultant with over 35 years of experience driving organizational excellence across business, government, and non-profit sectors worldwide. Renowned for his expertise in strategic planning, human resources, and change management, he has empowered countless organizations through mentoring programs, coaching, and professional training. His global impact includes leadership roles in prestigious programs such as the UAE’s National, Dubai, and Abu Dhabi Government Excellence Programs, while his influence on the management consulting profession is reflected in his contributions to the Canadian Common Body of Knowledge and the development of the first MBA Concentration in Management Consulting at Saint Mary’s University. As an Academic Fellow (CMC-AF) and an accomplished board member with over two decades of governance experience, Kevin exemplifies integrity, service, and mentorship, making him a transformative leader committed to global impact and professional growth. https://leadafi.com/executive-biography/kevin-schwenker-a-legacy-of-leadership-excellence-and-professional-impact/