Mentoring: A Global Perspective

The APEGGA International Mentoring Conference Delta Calgary Airport Hotel

7.- 8.10.2010

Many faces of Mentoring

Tuulikki Juusela, Finland

Canada - Finland

The XV Olympic Winter Games in 1988, were a winter multi-sport event, which was celebrated in Calgary, Alberta

Matti Nykänen from Finland dominated ski jumping events, winning 3 gold medals

Finland got silver medal in Ice hockeyWomen's 5 km classical gold winner was Marjo Matikainen,

she also got bronze in 10 km classicalWomen´s relay 4x5 Finland got bronze

Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour 2010 Finland11.10.2010

Stephen Elop, Ancaster, Ontario is the president and chief executive officer of Nokia Corporation

Some figures about Finland

Around 5.4 million people reside in Finland

It is the eight largest country in Europe in terms of area and the most sparsely populated country in the EU

Finland has built an extensive welfare state and balance between the East and the West in global economics and

politics

Finland ranks the best country in the world in the 2010 Newsweek survey based on health, economic dynamism,

education, political environment and quality of life

What mentoring actually is?

“Give a man a fish, and the man will eat for a day

Teach a man to fish, and he will eat for a lifetime”

Roots in mythology of Greek’s

Odyseus, king of Ithaka, did hand over his son Thelemakhos to goddess Athene, when he left to the

war of Troja.Athene took the form of Odyseus’s friend called Mentor,

the role was to help, guide and train youngster to his task - kingship

Greeks had very strong belief to this kind of relationship between senior and junior, key to civilization survival:

young will learn skills, customs and values directly from such person, which he/she respects

More history

18th century French priest Fénelon puts to to his pupil, the Duc de Bourgogne, against the day, when he will have to

take over the royal power: ”Do you understand the constitution of kingship?

Have you acquainted yourself with the moral obligations of Kings?

Have you sought means of bringing comfort to the people? The evils that are engendered by absolute power, by incompetent administration, by war, how will you shield

your subjects from them?”

ExerciseThink of someone who helped you to develop (or

someone who mentored you in special way)

What were your initial expectations of the person and the relationship?

Did your expectations start out positive or grow as the relationship started to succeed?

What were your behaviors that influenced the positive responses of your partner?

What did this person seem to expect of you? How did you react to these expectations?

MENTORING NOWADAYS

Mentoring involves primarily listening with empathy, sharing experience (usually mutually), professional friendship,

developing insight through reflection, being a sounding board, encouraging. - David Clutterbuck

Mentoring is a long term relationship that meets a development need, helps develop full potential, and

benefits all partners, mentor, mentee and the organisation. - Suzanne Faure

MENTORING NOWADAYS

Mentoring is a mutual relationship with an intentional agenda designed to convey specific content along with life wisdom from one individual to another. Mentoring does not happen

by accident, nor do its benefits come quickly. - Thomas Addington and Stephen Graves

Mentoring is a one-to-one, non-judgemental relationship in which an individual voluntarily gives time to support and

encourage another. This is typically developed at a time of transition in the mentee's life and lasts for a significant and

sustained period of time. - Active Community Unit

MIND HEART

BODY SOUL

EU Definition

Mentoring is activity outside of line organization, which will help other

person to notable develop his/her skills, work performance and thinking

TYPES OF MENTORING, 1

The perception of mentoring can vary; thus, several types of mentoring can be distinguished:

Adults and children mentoring - adults voluntarily help children and act like a godfather/godmother. This type of

mentoring is popular especially in the USA, in Finland senior citizens demonstrate hobbies to elementary students

Mentoring in enterprises - the older/more experienced employees of the enterprise help their younger colleagues.

This is popular in Scandinavian countries. In Sweden and Finland, enterprises engage also the

pensioned employees in giving advises and sharing experience, encouraging the participation of pensioners

and making them feel needed.

TYPES OF MENTORING, 2

Career mentoring - a high level pofessional or an experienced entrepreneur helps a perspective young careerist or a young entrepreneur to develop his/her career or business. This type of mentoring is popular

in Europe.

Mentoring in NGOs - on a voluntary basis, participants share their experience with the members of their own

as well as other organisations, and help other interested persons from various fields; thus,

encouraging the development of professional skills and life experience. This type of mentoring is popular

in Europe.

What Mentors do others

Set high targets, offer challengesSupport self confidence, encourage professional like

activityOffer a hand of friend

Help to avoid negative attitude and behaviourListen in personal problems, offer opportunities for

growthPush to work harder, tell how organization is working

Coach and train, support in difficult situationsHelp with wise advice, encourage in self-knowledge

improvementInspirit, help with own experience

Tools of Mentor

Sharing knowledge and experienceSharing observations

Providing (when needed/asked) suggestions and advice

Giving the big pictureSharing messages

Mentoring with questions, asking for plansAsking for decisions and recommendations

Giving challenging assignments

Good mentor...

will not give instructionswill not give bad criticismwill not rescue from crisis

is not only information transportis willing to share knowledge

is eager to learn, is influencingis appreciated

is able to make room for othersis a real person

What else?

Thoughts of an anonymous aborigin woman from Australia.

"If you have come to help me, you are vasting your time. But if you have come

because your liberation is bound up with mine, then let us work together"

Women executives assist other women to break the "glass ceiling"

Women and the mentoring relationship

it has been said that women in mentoring relationships have greater job satisfaction than women whitout mentors

a mentor can significantly accelerate a woman’s professional development compared to that of women whitout mentors

mentors are important in introducing women to the organization’s power structure, formal and informal.

women may face different problems to men in mentoring relationships

Women and the mentoring relationship

women mentors are in short supply at very senior level.

the gender of the mentor is less important to success than their quality as mentors.

the mentor should be aware of their own style and behaviour and those of the mentees.

participants need to be prepared to counter office gossip and jealousies.

Academic ”world”

Older students help younger students cope with peer pressure

University alumni provide guidance to students seeking business careers

Experienced faculty members assist their newer colleagues, mentoring has given them a very positive

attitude to the university

Peer mentoring - two colleagues mentor each other

Business Mentor Program

The mentors are experienced and successful senior business managers. Many of them are retired from

their full-time work. The mentors are willing to offer their own

professional experience and know-how for the benefit of small local companies and help new

entrepreneurs starting.

Florence Awasom, Cameroon

To help others walk along a path that they (mentors) have already cleared. But, it is easier if you can begin your

journey on a cleared path!"

Base of mentoring in a big finnish company

”Guiding Individuals Through Right Kind of Learning Experiences that Supports the Strategy of the Company and that Supports the Development Plans of an

Individual”

Objectives of mentoring in that company

Support the transfer of experimental knowledge in the organization and in the growth strategy

Acquaint new employees to organization, customers and way of working

Improve competence in the customer front line Enhance cooperation and networking

Help individuals to perceive their own potential and capabilities and encourage to develop those

Mentoring Principles

Mentor can undertake max. 6 months long work period in project, optimally 3 months long

If period is longer person will be involved in such responsibilities that he/she can not get rid of those ->

diminishing possibilities to learn and transfer knowledge to other projects

Mentor manages his/her own time and schedule

Mentoring Principles

Mentor’s superior and Technology Director should be aware of reservations to projects.

The goal to Mentor is transfer knowledge, it will also be measured.

Each mentor must produce at least one internal satisfaction query result/year. Query results should be

sent to Technology Director.

Internal satisfaction query results can also be one part of persons incentive agreement

Individual benefits for menteesSharing knowledge with somebody else: you get information

that you would not reach in a formal trainingA learning opportunity which will provide exposure to new

ideas and ways of thinking Possibility to get support to own work and to discuss

confidentially work related matters with somebody Creating a personal development plan according to own

strengthsPersonal growth and support in achieving goals

Develop networking and communication skills with colleagues

Increase clarity in personal occupational direction and development ideas

Individual benefits for mentors

Possibility to share own knowledge and experiences and to discuss confidentially work related matters with a

leader potential of the futureAn learning opportunity to develop management, leadership and communication skills and provide

exposure to new ideas and ways of thinking Networking with colleagues from different organizational

functionsPersonal satisfaction in making a contribution through

guiding and sharing own ideas

Some results, 1

“We have been using the SWOT-analysis during mentoring meetings, trying to apply the analysis into real tasks and

situations at work, finding how to use strengths and how to be aware of the weaknesses and turn them to opportunities

or strengths (mentor).

Maybe a bit too much talking instead of questioning and listing. But on the other hand, sometimes the best ideas occur during talking and it is sometimes enough to have

someone just to listen (actor).

Some results, 2

Two thingsare needed: What is the job description of the actor and what are the career plans the company has with the

actor. What are the actor´s career expectations within the company. Both are needed in order to anticipate to the

learning / mentoring process (both parties).For my personal career the program is great tool. I hope for

other company-employees those in coming years this program will be continued! (actor)

Program as itself is very good. Shows the company´s willingness to educate its workers. During the program you

get to know people around you. Joint meetings are important (both parties).

Youth mentoring

The process of matchingmentors with young people who need or want a caring, responsible adult in their lives. Adult

mentors are usually unrelated to the child or teen and work as volunteers through a community-, school-, or church-

based social service program.

In Finland, some companies are involved in these as well some voluntary organizations. Volunteers partner with

students at risk of dropping out of school

Reverse Mentoring

The more junior person is the mentor

It is usually used when elder employees need to understand operations or technology that can be

shared by shop floor, front-line or tech-savvy employees

It needs ability to create and maintain an attitude of openness to the experience and dissolve the barriers

of status, power and position.

GROUP MENTORING

Group mentoring - one mentor meets with several mentees

Group-group peer mentoring

Can be efficient, promotes diversityono a vibrant culture

Reasons for failures

bad chemistrynot able to create relationship

unclear goals and working principlesover and under managementwrong attitude (both parties)

no time, long distanceproblems caused by third parties

no confidenceMore....

Some tips for mentoring process

Purpose of the mentoring for the organization

should be made clear

Length of the co-operation should be discussed

beforehandTalks should also be regarding the termination of the

processImportant question should be asked why somebody

wants to be a mentor. What is her motivation or targets? The mentoring relationship will not work if the

mentor is looking for admiration or other personal benefit.

Some tips for mentoring process

Purpose of the mentoring for the organization

should be made clear

Length of the co-operation should be discussed

beforehandTalks should also be regarding the termination of the

processImportant question should be asked why somebody

wants to be a mentor. What is her motivation or targets? The mentoring relationship will not work if the

mentor is looking for admiration or other personal benefit.

More tips...

Responsibilities for both should be clearly outlined

The goals for both should be similar.

Mentor and actor will derive different types of benefit. The mentor usually feels satisfaction from being able to help and sharing his/her experience. The actor’s

benefits could be seen in improvement in decision –making skills. The actor’s self-esteem and confidence

might increase too. Every case is different and benefits vary too.

Diversity of Mentoring

In a cross-cultural or cross-gender mentoring relationship, it is critical to understand how different the partners’

assumptions may be about human behavior

Differences not only include race, culture, and gender but also such key differences as learning and communication

styles, life experiences, and personal interests

Learning about another’s life, outlook, goals and challenges drives a lasting appreciation of differences as a value, not a

deficiency

Networking is a prime component

In the future, information is powerThe larger your Network, the better your chance of

finding out exactly what you need to know

Knowing whom to call is almost as good as knowing!

Networkers can accumulate influence or power by control of information and, of course, by learning

Give and get information

Networking is a two-way street

A network is not a collection of business cards, but of people.

Take the time to understand the business of those in your network

Be careful never to burn bridges

Listen and give

Listen to the people you meet to see how you might assist them in what they do

Giving first and giving more than receiving is a very important rule of networking

If one party does all the giving, then the relationship will not last and the networking ends

Networking relationships takes work and cooperation by all parties involved

What do you get from learning to network

You'll save money on advertising, since you'll get more business from referrals.

You'll get more leads, and close deals faster. You'll develop an "In" with people that can help you get to the

profitable "hard to reach" clients. You'll develop strong and long lasting business relationships,

quickly and effectively. You'll build a network of loyal contacts, who will look for ways to

send you new business.

You'll hear about profitable opportunities before they become common knowledge. (That's an unbeatable edge!)

Internet-world

is part of reality. The people you correspond with on the network are real people with lives and careers and habits

and feelings of their own

Things you say on the net can make you friends or enemies, famous or notorious, included or ostracized

You need to take the electronic part of your life seriously

Electronic communication is wasted unless we use it to seek out, cultivate, and nurture relationships with other human

beings

So, mentoring has very many faces!

Thank you for your attention - "the future is one minute from

now"!