Mentoring is one of the most valuable and cost efficient tools an organization has for the development of its people. Mentoring delivers tangible, bottom-line results when linked with business objectives. Done properly, a formal mentoring initiative will produce a return on investment for your organization. In fact, mentoring can:
- Support recruiting and retention goals.
- Drive inclusion by promoting diversity of thought and style.
- Develop leadership talent and build bench strength in your talent pipeline.
- Accelerate employee development, performance and cultural assimilation.
- Facilitate knowledge transfer and create a learning organization.
- Strengthen competitive advantage in the marketplace.
A mentor is an individual with experience, knowledge and skills who is willing and able to share this information with another individual. A mentee is an individual who is seeking specific knowledge, skills or experience. The relationship these individuals undertake for learning to occur is known as mentoring.
A formal mentoring program provides structure and guidance for individuals to be successful. It helps participants broaden functional experience, clarify performance goals and develop strategies to address job-related challenges. The DEC program does all of this and can focus on any of the below target issues or all of them.
Organizational and Cultural Mentoring
A process that fosters the type of development that comes from learning about an organization, its culture, its vision, its history and its status in today’s world. Mentors help mentees maneuver within an organization to get things accomplished, as well as make introductions to others in various departments.
Skills/Competency-Based Mentoring
This type of mentoring helps individuals develop or improve specific skills and competencies. This is the most targeted form of learning, while on the job. The DEC program matches individuals based on skills needs of the Mentee and what the Mentor has to offer in those areas.
Networking & Career Path Mentoring
Focusing on enhancing career development, this is the traditional perception of mentoring. Mentors are well respected and are found at higher levels in an organization. They assist mentees in developing and fine tuning key leadership behaviors to prepare for advancement opportunities.
Promote-ability Mentoring
This focuses on increasing retention and promote-ability for employees who wish to move up in the company. We focus on taking your employees to the next level by increasing employee morale and team development which speeds up soft behavior shifts and improves employee productivity.