Part 1 of our blog post series: Types of mentoring models.
We’re firm believers that every organization can benefit from corporate mentoring. But we don’t believe that one mentoring model fits all. While some organizations will benefit from a traditional one-to-one program, others will find that self-directed works best. Still others might use a combination approach, perhaps group mentoring for one department and peer-to-peer mentoring for another. The goal is to have the people in your organization thrive and benefit from their involvement in your program, whatever the model looks like.
We understand that choosing the right model is one of the biggest challenges facing people who are designing and implementing mentoring programs. In our next couple of blog posts, we’re going to describe the different types of models, the pros and cons of each, and the types of organizations that we’ve seen thrive under them.
Whatever model you choose, here’s something to keep in mind: as businesses grow and evolve, so do their mentoring programs. What might have worked for your organization twenty years ago might not work today, at least not “as is.” The beauty of many of these models is that they can work in tandem with one another.
One-on-One Mentoring
What is One-on-One Mentoring?
What is One-on-One Mentoring? In this traditional model, one mentor is matched with one mentoree, and a trained program manager monitors the match’s progress over the course of 9-12 months. Usually, the matches are deliberate; the mentoring program manager pairs two people together based on certain criteria, such as experience, skill sets, goals, personality, and a variety of other factors.
What are the Pros of One-on-One Mentoring?
Because it’s a “familiar” model, people tend to be comfortable with it. This model allows for—and even encourages—the mentor and mentoree to develop a personal relationship. The one-on-one nature of the relationship provides the mentoree with critical individual support and attention from not only the mentor, but also the program manager.
What are the Cons of One-on-One Mentoring?
Availability of mentors is the only real limitation in one-on-one mentoring.
Types of businesses that can benefit from One-on-One Mentoring:
This mentoring model works well for businesses that want to target a specific group for development or retention purposes. Usually this means emerging leaders, highly skilled workers, or a specific affinity group to promote diversity.