GEI1.3.1 Mentoring Programs

Training and development
Establish and maintain effective mentoring programs

1 J anuary 2013

Workplace Gender Equality Agency | Training and development 2

Contents
Introduction 3
Steps to establishing a
mentoring program 3
The key to making a difference 4
What do mentoring programs
look like 5
Why does mentoring matter 7
What is the current level of
mentoring? 8
Creative enablers 9
Phase 1: Program development 9
Step 3: Determine the form of
the program 9
Step 4: Co-ordination/resources
and budget 10
Phase 2: Establishing the
program 10
Phase 3: Sustaining the
mentoring program 12
Phase 4: Monitoring and
evaluating the program 12
Measurement and evaluation 15
Mentoring Links 16
Roles and responsibilities of the
mentee, mentor, and the
organisation 18
Resources and readings 20

Workplace Gender Equality Agency | Training and development | www.wgea.gov.au 3

Introduction
When asked what strategies or programs could help them progress and contribute fully to
organisations, many women say mentoring.
Mentoring can occur on an informal basis in an organisation or as part of a formal program.
A formal mentoring program needs forethought and careful planning, it must be visibly supported
by senior management and be consistent with the surrounding culture of the organisation.
Mentoring should be one of a number of learning and development tools that assist to gain
better outcomes for women in organisations.
Steps to establishing a mentoring program

1. The Key to Making a Difference
2. What Do Mentoring Programs Look Like?
3. Why Does Mentoring Matter?
4. What Is The Current Level Of Mentoring?
5. Creative Enablers
6. Measurement and Evaluation


The key to making a difference
Look for evidence of effective mentoring at three levels:
benefits to the mentee
benefits to the mentor
benefits to the organisation
Direct your energy for change at:
mentors
mentees
developing a supportive environment for the mentoring relationship within your
organisation
Ensure there is visible senior management support for mentoring senior management
support is vital to its acceptance and success.
Ensure mentoring is integrated into a wider program of learning and development.
Use a range of creative enablers to implement and sustain mentoring programs.
For employees, mentoring can offer:
developmental outcomes: knowledge, technical competence
career outcomes: achievement in whole or in part of career goals
enabling outcomes: eg having a career plan, wider networks
emotional outcomes: increased confidence, altruistic satisfaction
Implement your own strategy using the five factors model:
Determine your own vision of mentoring and a mentoring program, and ensure that all
participants share this vision.
Articulate your business case for a mentoring program.
Identify the current level of mentoring within the organisation.
Determine the creative enablers that will make the difference in your organisation.
Build measurement and evaluation into your mentoring program.


What do mentoring programs look like
Mentoring can be defined in various ways. Two commonly used definitions are:
a learning and or counselling relationship between an experienced person who shares his or
her professional expertise with a less experienced person in order to develop the skills and
abilities of the less experienced party (Treasury Board of Canada)

typically a one-to-one relationship between a more experienced and a less experienced
employee which is based upon encouragement, constructive comments, openness, mutual
trust, respect and a willingness to learn and share (New South Wales Public Service
Commission).
A first step is to select or establish the definition of mentoring which will be used in your
organisation and clearly define the purpose of your mentoring program. While this will vary from
one organisation to another, there are some similarities.
Not all organisations implement a formal mentoring program with the sole intention of supporting
workplace gender equality. Research suggests in fact that some formal mentoring programs may
have had limited effectiveness in changing employment outcomes for women. Informal
mentoring or networking may be a more effective way supporting women in particular.
Based on our knowledge from other organisations, mentoring programs typically have a number
of characteristics. They:
have a clearly defined purpose. Successful mentoring programs have:
a clear definition of mentoring
a clearly defined purpose or set of expectations
commitment to these being universally understood by all decision-makers and participants
in the mentoring program
require management commitment, including the visible support and endorsement of senior
management. This ensures the mentoring program is perceived as credible and valued, and
therefore attracts a high level of participation from employees. The support of managers and
widespread organisational support is facilitated by:
managers playing an active role in promoting the program and taking part in activities
such as information sessions and the evaluation process
explaining the program to all employees. This is especially important for programs that
target women only
are consistent with and supported by the existing culture of the organisation. If a program is
specifically designed to support gender equality it is important to gain acceptance of this
within the wider organisation. It is also essential to determine that this is what employees who
are likely to be affected want
are designed with an understanding of the gender effects on mentoring
are voluntary. This ensures that participants are committed to the mentoring process. Each
party should feel free to withdraw from the program at any time
involve training. A program which specifically targets gender equality should aim to achieve:
understanding of mentoring
understanding of the gender equality issues in the organisation. Analysing the impact of
stereotyping and prejudice is an important part of this process (Ragins in Clutterbuck and
Ragins)
involve off-line relationships
Supervision and mentoring should remain distinct - a persons immediate supervisor
should not be their mentor.
Mentoring differs from supervision. Mentors should be aware that mentoring demands an
investment and commitment beyond day to day supervision.
Supervision emphasises immediate tasks and short term needs, while mentoring is
concerned with the professional and long term needs of an employee are concerned with
developing the whole individual rather than just one or two performance aspects


Are part of a wider learning and development tool and diversity strategy. While mentoring is
essentially a partnership between two people, it is important to remember that this operates
within the context of an organisation.
Mentoring needs to be integrated into a broader learning and development plan,
employment equity/diversity policies or training programs.
Skills required for mentoring need to be developed through other learning and
development tools such as training courses in diversity issues, gender equity and
management skills
require mentors and mentees need to be chosen and matched appropriately
have clear resourcing commitments: a coordinator or administrator is needed to provide on-
going support
have a time limit to the process. This can vary, but is best for about 12 months
are designed from the outset with evaluation plans. Demonstrating the effectiveness and
efficiency of the program is important to obtain the continuing support of senior management
so measurement criteria are defined in advance.


Why does mentoring matter
Mentoring can have positive effects and benefits for: mentors, mentees and the organisation.
Mentoring is one possible tool with which an organisation can make the most of its workforce
diversity. It can also strengthen existing approaches to advancing women in the organisation.
Mentoring can assist in changing the culture of an organisation by increasing the
understanding of gender differences in experiences in the organisation, thereby catalysing a
change of perspectives on organisational policies and practices (eg. to understand better that
the most talented people are not currently being effectively recruited, developed and
retained). Increased diversity awareness can also lead to better understanding of customers
and increased market-share.
Mentoring programs that address the specific needs of women may result in:
more women as mentors in the future
cross-gender mentoring relationships becoming more acceptable which then may
encourage more effective informal cross- gender mentoring relationships (Ragins in
Clutterbuck and Ragins).
Mentoring can also improve the self-confidence and the job-competitiveness of the women
and men involved, resulting in an increase in number of women in key positions in an
organisation.
Mentoring is an effective method for the transfer of professional, technical and management
skills.
Mentoring increases the skills, flexibility and knowledge of participating employees. This
results in many benefits to the organisation, mentees, mentors and other employees.
Mentoring can make a positive contribution to the career development of those involved.
Mentoring can add value to already existing relationships and skills of employees.


What is the current level of mentoring?
This is the first step in the measurement and evaluation process. Having decided on your own
vision of mentoring, you can design an initial measurement strategy.
Measurement should include the three key components of mentoring:
its availability
the skills of mentors/mentees
the supportiveness of the organisation.
Measurement should be conducted at three levels:
existing mentoring relationships
the proposed target audience of the mentoring program
the organisational context, including:
the existing culture
perceptions of existing mentoring
managers views on mentoring and its impact.
Depending on your organisation this may involve some or all of the following questions:
1. How effective is your current formal mentoring program? Measurement and evaluation will
be critical.
2. What informal mentoring is currently operating in your organisation?
a. Who is receiving informal mentoring?
b. Who are the mentors?
c. Are these relationships effective?
3. Is your organisations culture currently supportive or potentially supportive of gender equality
in its mentoring program?
a. If the program does or will focus solely on women, does this fit with the current
organisational culture? Is there support for this focus from women across all levels?
b. Are there other learning and development tools such as performance reviews and
networks established within the organisation that will help to ensure mentoring is
effective? Are diversity and gender equity issues understood?
c. What are the current perceptions of mentoring in the organisation?
d. What are the views of managers?
4. Do your employees have the skills to participate or support a mentoring program?
a. Do they have good management and communication skills?
b. Do they understand the potential benefits of mentoring?


Creative enablers
So how does one implement a formal mentoring program? While this will vary from one
organisation to another, typically the following steps would need to be undertaken:
Phase 1: Program development
It may be appropriate initially for a pilot program to be developed. This program should then be
evaluated and modified in consultation with women in the organisation. This increases the
likelihood that the final form of the program is not only effective, but has credibility amongst the
target audience.
Step 1: Determine your vision of your mentoring program.
Decide on what mentoring will mean in your organisation and determine the purpose and
objectives of your mentoring program.
Key questions when determining purpose are:
What is going to change as a result of mentoring?
Is this objective truly deliverable?
Is it what the target audience wants?
What is the intended time scale?
Whose purpose are you considering? You need to separate individual from organisational
objectives.
Potential outcomes of mentoring need to be clearly defined.
This process should be a participative activity that recognises and values cultural diversity
across the organisation as an important element in gaining support for the program and making
it work.
If there are multiple purposes or aims of the program, it may be useful to determine an overall
objective with the other objectives listed as enablers to achieving this key objective. \
An example: Our mentoring program is aimed at retaining talented women within our business.
Our aim is to increase women in senior management by 20 per cent.
To achieve this goal we expect the mentoring relationship to:
provide a safe environment for women and men to plan a fulfilling career within the business
reinforce the value we place on talent from all backgrounds and cultures
challenge mentors so they develop personally and become better managers
Decide and consult with the target group
If the program is to target women specifically, ensure that this is what the broad group of women
in the organisation want. If there is not underlying support from women, it will be difficult to
attract participants and the program will not succeed. Some organisations have found that
designating a mentoring program for specific groups can decrease the value of mentoring for the
specified group.
If the program is to be open to everyone you should be sensitive to gender effects. Ensure that it
caters for womens needs and is flexible enough to allow for effective mentoring relationships for
all employees.
Step 2: Management commitment
Ensure you have commitment to the program from senior management and identify a
champion of the program.
Ensure continued commitment by linking the mentoring program into the business goals of
the organisation.
Step 3: Determine the form of the program
Mentoring can take place on an informal or formal basis, or can be somewhere on the continuum
between the two. There are positives and negatives associated with each (see informal and
formal mentoring). The program can involve small group mentoring or one-on-one pairs.
Other things to decide on at this stage are:


the time frame
a communication strategy
how participants be recruited, selected and matched
the type of initial training will be provided
the nature and experience of mentors and mentees will influence the type of training
required
the type of ongoing support is needed as the relationship develops
performance indicators
monitoring and evaluation.
Step 4: Co-ordination/resources and budget
Determine who will facilitate and co-ordinate the program
The Facilitator, who can be internal or external to the organisation, should be involved from the
outset. His or her role is to ensure that the needs of the mentors, mentees and the organisation
are met. The job of facilitator includes:
advising on the form of the program
presenting general information sessions
conducting training sessions for mentees and mentors
advising and counselling mentees and mentors during the program
conducting an evaluation of the program
reporting on the progress and success of the program to senior management.
Appoint an Internal coordinator or administrator of the program. This person should have a good
knowledge of the organisation and understand employee development and adult learning. He or
she should provide a link between the facilitator and the organisation. Their tasks involve
organising budget and obtaining approvals, promoting the program, supporting participants and
the facilitator.
Once you have established a plan for the program the costs of running the program and
additional resources should be established and approved by senior management. The budget
for the program should consider the following:
the time involved for senior people to plan and promote the program
sources of further information
the time and energy of program co-ordinator
the cost of any external consultant
the provision of training
the time of the participants.
Phase 2: Establishing the program
Step 5: Publicising the program
For a mentoring program to succeed, senior management commitment is essential, and should
be a central part of the publicity.
A senior staff member should be chosen to be the program champion and should talk about
their own mentoring experiences;
Use existing communication channels within the organisation. Potential participants as well as
the organisation as a whole should be made aware of the program, the reason for its
implementation, its aims, the benefits to mentees, mentors and the organisation and the
eligibility criteria for the program.
Step 6: Information sessions
Following the initial publicity, information sessions should be held for all interested employees.
Involvement or attendance of senior management in these sessions is important.
The purpose of the sessions should be to:
outline the aims and benefits of the program and the role of the coordinator and/or facilitator
include information about the duration of the program and the training and support to be
given


explain the roles and responsibilities of the mentee, mentor, and the organisation more
generally
explain how mentoring fits in with the value of the organisation, in particular that it is learning
and development tool and does not conflict with the merit principle
describe how the program will fit in within the supervision/management of employees and the
broader learning and development and performance management programs in place.
Step 7: Recruit and match participants
Selecting mentees.
Key questions to be considered in this process are:
What are the selection criteria for mentees?
What are mentees characteristics, and what are their expectations from a mentor? Are these
realistic and if not, how can they be managed?
How will we persuade mentees to commit to the program?
How effective will mentees be in their role? Pro-active mentees get more from mentoring.
Selecting mentors.
The following tools can be used to determine mentors characteristics:
A questionnaire could be used to establish background information and to seek self-ratings
on competencies.
Mentors could be asked to write a few paragraphs on their own learning journey.
Performance assessments could take mentoring skills as one focus.
Matching mentors and mentees
One key initial issue to consider is that the experience or status gap has to be one in which both
parties feel comfortable. Chances of success of the relationship increase if both parties:
appreciate and complement each other in that the mentors experience fits well with the skills
that the mentee wishes to develop
are prepared to invest in the relationship and wish to create an effective relationship
have a good understanding of their reciprocal responsibilities and do not have unrealistic
expectations
the mentor
should be a person with greater experience and knowledge. It is important to have a gap
in status/experience which both parties are comfortable with
should be someone other than the mentees immediate manager. This is important to
avoid conflict in the two roles. Mentoring is more than supervision and it is also important
to ensure that the mentee expands their networks (keeping the mentees manager
informed and involved in the process is important as the manager can make valuable
contributions)
the mentee
must have the ability to trust the mentor and know that their confidence will be kept
must have geographic accessibility to the mentor
must have a level of comfort with respect to the language, culture and gender of the
relationship.
There are various ways in which people can be paired:
The program coordinator makes the decisions on the basis of his or her knowledge of the
candidates and their preferences.
The coordinator may review the evaluation of mentors and mentees and then propose one or
more choices to the mentee. The mentee may then be invited to meet the mentor in a social
meeting after which a final decision is made by the mentee.
There may be s social meeting of mentors and mentees where choice is solely made by
mentees. This would need to be an informed choice; mentees should be aware of the
variables which will affect the success of the relationship.
There may be a highly structured and formal selection of mentors and mentees similar to a
job interview, and then a pairing on the basis of skills.
The mentee identifies and selects their mentor.


Key elements of the mentoring relationship
Trust and respect: the mentoring relationship is based on mutual trust and the guarantee of
confidentiality is essential.
Mutual benefit: the relationship should benefit both mentor and mentee.
Reciprocity: mentoring is based on a mutual undertaking and reciprocal exchange. Both
parties are responsible for the success of their relationship (each has 100% responsibility for
50% of the relationship). It is important to clarify the roles and responsibilities of each party
from the beginning. Research has shown greater benefits result the more pro-active the
mentee is.
A gradual approach: mentoring is dynamic and the content of the relationship changes.
Step 8: Provide training
The most successful training approach is one that has both separate and combined training
sessions for mentors and mentees.
Training should focus on:
understanding the key elements of the mentoring relationship and process
establishing clarity of purpose and the role of the mentor and mentee
developing confidence in the mentor and mentee that they can fulfil their respective roles
providing an introduction to mentoring skills
addressing cross gender pairings and the issues associated with them
gaining clarity as to what occurs in the mentoring relationship and mentoring meetings, this
may include the drawing up of a mentoring agreement and discussion of potential activities
reaching an understanding of the issues facing women in the organisation, and
understanding how the experiences of women may differ from those of men in the
organisation
developing an understanding of and respect for the other persons perspective. One way of
achieving this is to encourage both the mentor and the mentee to define what success means
for them and what they think it means for the other partner.
The type of training required in an organisation will depend on the participants and their existing
level of skills.
Phase 3: Sustaining the mentoring program
Continuing support is essential so the program does not run out of steam. An important step in
this process, which is also a means of reinforcing the roles and obligations of each party in the
mentoring relationship, is to encourage the mentors and mentees to draw up a mentoring
agreement. The purpose of the agreement is to:
Clarify the respective roles and expectations of mentors and mentees
Set ground rules for discussion of diversity issues, in particular gender effects
Provide a framework for how the relationship will work, for example, frequency of meetings,
length of meetings and duration of the program, mentoring activities
Provide for a no-fault dissolution of the relationship by either party
It will also be important to:
provide support to participants by giving them the opportunity to meet as a group to discuss
their concerns and successes twice a year
consider appointing a senior mentor to coach the mentors.
Phase 4: Monitoring and evaluating the program
How do you sustain a mentoring relationship?
A mentoring relationship is more likely to be sustained if it is perceived as being successful.
Successful mentoring is one where both parties:
experience significant learning as a result of the relationship
feel that the quality of the relationship is high, particularly in terms of supportiveness and
thoughtfulness.
For a mentoring relationship to be sustained each party needs to approach the mentoring
relationship with a willingness to learn from each other and to develop a professional friendship.


A professional friendship is mutual respect and acceptance, built around mutual commitment to
a set of goals.
A mentoring relationship evolves. There are usually four stages to the mentoring relationship.
These are important in understanding how to sustain the relationship.
5. rapport building
6. direction setting
7. making progress
8. winding down.
Rapport building
Mentor and mentee need to develop a high level of rapport. Rapport enables the mentee to open
up about their deeper concerns and the mentor to provide constructive criticism.
Stereotyping can be a major barrier to rapport building. It is important to have diversity training
either as part of mentoring or part of an overall organisational strategy. If there are significant
cultural differences between mentor and mentee it is important that they both accept that:
they do have stereotypes
even benevolent stereotypes can limit potential to achieve (eg women are better at soft
management tasks)
being open about stereotypes is the most effective way of dealing with them.
Direction setting
Greatest value arises when the mentor helps the mentee identify clear long-term career and
personal development goals, and short-term steps that will take the mentee towards those
goals.
Time allocation and frequency of meetings should be clarified along with basic ground rules.
It is important to focus on realistic goals. Mentors can guide mentees towards this outcome
by setting up questions about the goals.
As mentoring is to enable the mentee to manage their own self-development more effectively,
the mentor should understand the influences on the mentees future choices. Choices involve
the interaction of:
self-development: discussion of mentees willingness and desire to be proactive is
important in setting direction
values: values drive the mentees definition of success
culture: mentee will have assumptions about how the organisation and promotions within
it work
mentees own personal goals and ambitions.
Making progress
At this stage various diversity issues may have to be dealt with in the mentoring relationship.
These issues could include:
how the mentor reacts if the mentee perceives they are being discriminated against
follow established procedures if it is structural
develop a strategy for mentees to deal with discrimination
how does the mentor react if they perceive that the mentees inner stereotypes appear to limit
their capability
what occurs if either party perceives that negative or overly positive stereotypes are occurring
within the relationship.
Winding down
As the problem of dependency can arise in the mentoring process it is important to manage this
process.
If there is a clear time period at which the relationship ends winding down is easier to manage .
If there is no set time-frame, it may be time for the relationship to end if:
the goals set have been achieved
no new topics or objectives are arising
the mentee can confidently tackle situations without help from the mentor


the mentee has reached self-sufficiency
there is a danger of dependency: for example, the mentee only makes decisions after
consulting the mentor.
What tools can you use to assist the sustaining of mentoring relationships
through the four phases?
Help mentees to empower themselves
Separate out factors that hinder and help career progress and work together to develop
strategies of tackling each area.
An analytical approach takes much of the anger out of mentees perceptions of
disenfranchisement or unfair treatment.
Encourage the sharing of values between mentor and mentee.
Have a checklist which opens up discussion with questions such as:
Whats important to your future career?
What are you most proud of achieving?
What do you value most in a friend/work colleague?
What gives you status?
Who do you admire/who are your role models?
How do you manage work/life balance?
Encourage/facilitate informal mentoring and networking
Participation in a formal mentoring program should not be seen as a substitute for informal
mentoring. Organisations with a formal program should also encourage participants to seek out
informal mentors.
Informal mentoring should be encouraged within the organisation and skills which are likely to
lead to it being more effective should be developed.
Informal mentoring has been seen to be an important factor for women in breaking through the
glass ceiling. However, women have traditionally had less access to such relationships. This
has led to organisations establishing formal mentoring programs to ensure women are
mentored.
Many recent studies have found that there are limitations to the effectiveness of formal
mentoring programs in achieving better outcomes for women. On average, the outcomes of
women who receive informal mentoring are better than those who participate in formal mentoring
programs.
Formal mentoring programs appear to concentrate on jobs rather than the entire picture. The
holistic approach should be encouraged in the programs aims. If your organisation has a
work/life policy this should also be linked to the mentoring program.


Measurement and evaluation
It is important to determine what purpose the results of the measurement of the program will
have from the outset. The potential outcomes give a guide to how measurement and evaluation
of the mentoring relationship should take place.
Examples of the purpose of measurement are to:
determine whether there are any problems in the mentoring pairs
assist in determining future participants in the program
demonstrate to management that the investment is having an effect on particular business
goals in the organisation.
There are four levels of evaluation:
mentees and mentors evaluation
supervisors evaluation
peers/colleagues evaluation
organisational evaluation.
The first step in measurement is to establish benchmarks before the program begins. For
example:
How do people feel about their potential to progress in the organisation?
How much do they know about the organisation?
What are the current retention rates for women and employees with family or caring
responsibilities?
The measurement criteria should be directly linked to the objectives of the program. Short,
medium and long term criteria should be established.
Short term measurements could include:
Whether training has had an impact on their understanding of the objectives their role and
on their confidence to progress with the relationship.
Developmental outcomes such as feelings of satisfaction at work of both the mentor and
mentee, improvement by the mentor in specific abilities, better understanding of the
organisation.
Medium to long term measurements can focus on business value to the organisation by
measuring changes in informal mentoring, changes in attitudes towards cross-gender
mentoring, increased numbers of women in senior positions, changes in attitudes of senior
management towards the need for women in management positions, and the strategies
needed to achieve gender equality in management positions.
When evaluating a mentoring relationship you should seek to answer the following questions:
Do the mentor and mentee understand the purpose of their mentoring relationship?
Do the mentor and mentee have clear and achievable objectives?
Is the mentee confident about raising issues for discussion?
Is the mentor able to give honest feedback?
Are there mutual expectations between the mentor and mentee and are these fulfilled?
Is there a mentoring agreement?
Are there regular purposeful meetings?
Is there a sense of continuing progress and development?
Should the relationship continue?
Do others notice a positive change in the mentee and mentor?
The important issue here is how to monitor the relationship and get the information required for
the measurement and evaluation without intruding on the relationship. Potential methods can
include:
a survey- which is properly constructed and piloted
structured interviews/focus groups
a review conducted between mentor/mentee (and line manager)
performance reviews.


Mentoring Links
Informal and formal mentoring (Treasury Board of Canada)
There is broad range of mentoring relationships. It can be viewed as a continuum ranging from
informal or spontaneous mentoring to highly structure and planned mentoring.
Informal mentoring
This is defined as a relationship that is created spontaneously or informally without any
assistance from the organisation. The relationship may just happen, or be initiated by special
interest being taken in the mentee by the mentor, perhaps as a result of the mentee being
identified as a high potential employee in a succession planning initiative. The relationship could
also arise if initiative for the relationship is taken by a mentee who approaches a mentor and
explains her or his intentions.
Advantages of Informal mentoring
A relationship of trust and respect is present from the outset.
A high degree of compatibility and co-operation exists between the individuals concerned.
The relationship is flexible and personalised.
Disadvantages of informal mentoring
This type of relationship with members of designated groups is rare.
There is a risk of ambiguity in the relationship if it becomes too intense.
There is a risk of tension when changes occur in the relationship.
Formal mentoring
Formal mentoring occurs when the relationship is facilitated and supported by the organisation
so that more participants can benefit. The degree of structure varies from one organisation to
another but the organisation makes tools available to participants to facilitate the creation and
maintenance of the relationship: program coordinator, orientation session for participants, pool of
mentors, mentees, etc.
Advantages of formal mentoring
Mentees have access to more people.
There is support and recognition from the organisation.
It is easier to clarify roles and responsibilities.
Possibility of establishing made-to-order mentoring to meet the needs of specific groups.
Disadvantages of formal mentoring
Pairing may be difficult, especially if the number of mentors is low.
The relationship and process may be less flexible.
There is a risk of poor pairing.
What type of mentoring is appropriate?
The type of mentoring appropriate to an organisation depends on its needs. Informal mentoring
that is openly encouraged and supported by an organisation may be desirable where there are
few participants and employee turnover is low.
The ability for informal mentoring to be successful within an organisation will depend on whether
the parties involved have the skills required and whether the organisation is supportive, eg
offering training in broader management skills, diversity training and career development
programs.
As informal mentoring is not often available for some groups within the organisation (eg women)
or when informal mentoring does occur for these groups there is little success, a formal
mentoring program which specifically addresses women or an organisation wide program which
addresses issues such as gender may be appropriate. A formal or structured program can also
be flexible.
In a recent review of the literature, a leading author in the area of mentoring (Ragins) concluded
that in terms of outcomes, it did not matter whether the mentoring was informal or formal. It was
the quality of the mentoring which was important. Establishing effective formal programs can be
a way of trying to ensure higher quality mentoring for a majority of relationships. However,


promoting both formal and informal mentoring and mentoring skills in an organisation which has
a culture that supports mentoring may also result in high quality mentoring.
Small group mentoring (Treasury Board of Canada)
What is it and when would you use it?
While most mentoring is based on pairs, small group mentoring can be effective in some
circumstances.
It can be structured in various ways, 2 mentors and 3 mentees, or 1 mentor and 2-3 mentees.
Small group mentoring can be useful if there is a limited number of suitable mentors, as it makes
mentoring available to a larger number of mentees.
The advantages of small group mentoring are that it:
facilitates pairing and reduces problems resulting from poor pairing
avoids the risk of an overly intense or over-protective relationship
encourages the recruitment and retention of mentors
participants are enriched from the experiences of all members of the group
facilitates regular meetings
provides for a diversity of experience, opinions and expertise
enables mentees to support to each other and tap into other mentees networks.
Examples of activities or subjects which can be given at small group training sessions:
discussion and exercises relating to management and/or learning styles
discussion of organisational culture, government priorities, strategic approaches,
management of change
problem solving and case studies
critical analysis and discussion of a policy, article or book
sharing of professional experience and analysis of career paths
preparing and giving a presentation
developing abilities relating to synthesis, analysis and critical skills
developing communication abilities
developing a career plan.
Gender effects
How does gender affect a mentoring relationship? The research (ONeill in Clutterbuck and
Ragins) indicates that:
The gender of a junior person does not influence the persons likelihood of becoming a
mentee.
While the results vary, some studies indicate that female mentees receive less instrumental
or career mentoring as opposed to psycho-social mentoring -- which is role modelling or
counselling. (It is difficult to determine whether this is related to gender, or to the fact that
male mentees are more likely than female mentees to have older male mentors, who are in
turn more likely to give career mentoring)
While the gender of the mentee has no impact on the outcomes of mentoring, the gender of
the mentor does. There are better outcomes for the mentee when their mentor is a white
male.
How do cross-gender mentoring pairings work? The research (ONeill in Clutterbuck and Ragins)
indicates that:
Men are more likely than women to have a mentor of their own sex, which is not surprising as
men are much more likely to identify men as role models.
When a woman has a male mentor, she is likely to avoid socialising with him due to the
perception of a sexual involvement. This means that women will generally have less access
than men to information gained from informal gatherings.
Male mentors needs to be aware that usually women have less power in an organisation,
face gender barriers to advancement and need to develop different strategies for
advancement than male colleagues. A male mentor who considers himself gender blind may


be doing the mentoring relationship a disservice as he may recommend advancement
strategies which will work well for men, but less well for women (for example, showcasing
talent may be viewed as assertive and confident for men but immodest and bragging for
women).
Some research also indicates the prevalence of sexual or romantic feelings in cross gender
mentoring pairings. To overcome this it has been suggested that other forms of mentoring be
established such as mentoring circles or small group mentoring in which several people
mentor a group of mentees.
Strategies for addressing the gender effects of mentoring
Parties need to understand that mentoring is embedded in the larger context of inter-group
dynamics and diversity within an organisation. They need to understand how women and men
may differ in power and privilege in their organisation before they can understand how diversity
impacts on their own mentoring relationships. This can be done through:
understanding how the organisation can be different for different people and how strategies
which can be used for one group may not be appropriate for others
accepting diversity in the mentoring relationship, eg group difference such as gender as well
as individual differences should be acknowledged but they should not overshadow the
relationship
managing perceptions within the organisation: avoiding perceptions of favouritism and also
(importantly with women) perceptions of romantic involvement with male mentors
remaining open to and supportive of organisational diversity, in particular diversity in
management.
Roles and responsibilities of the mentee, mentor, and the
organisation
Mentor - roles and responsibilities
Roles and Responsibilities (Clutterbuck in Clutterbuck and Ragins)
experienced and trusted adviser
gives information about career development, the organisation
facilitates the mentees professional growth
guide and confidante
trustworthy person who supports, advises and encourages, constructive comments
helps find solutions
model of competence
reflects what is expected and valued in the organisation
example or role model.
Characteristics
must be a volunteer who is interested in the program and what it is intended to accomplish
should be an effective one-on-one communicator who is able to express ideas
is aware of diversity issues and has a willingness to accept and value alternative cultures and
perspectives
is self-aware and understanding others
possesses business or professional shrewdness and a good sense of proportion
is committed to their own learning and has a strong interest in developing others
has relationship management skills (especially rapport building) and the ability to set and
pursue clear goals
has extensive experience, recognised know-how and a broad view and understanding of the
organisation
is respected by others, has influence and is secure in their own position.
Benefits
personal satisfaction in sharing expertise and experiences and in helping less experienced
persons
helping to train the leaders of tomorrow


enriches their own information and views of the organisation; opportunity to encounter new
ways of thinking and new perspectives and have their assumptions regarding the
organisation challenged
feeling of usefulness and chance to re-energise
development of own style of management and supervision
opportunities to test new ideas.
Potential problems (Treasury Board of Canada)
investment of time and energy
risk of poor pairing
risk of disappointment if mentor has idealised view of the mentee, his or her performance and
what should be achieved in the relationship
risk of breach of confidentiality or trust
risk of duplication of roles with mentees immediate superior
risk of relationship becoming too intense and engrossing.
Mentee - roles and responsibilities
Roles and responsibilities
sets out to achieve new skills and knowledge to apply to their career
seeks guidance and advice in professional development
is proactive in the relationship
shows ability and the desire to learn new skills
accepts responsibility for their own development, decisions and actions
takes on new challenges and carries out tasks and projects at agreed times
accepts advice and provides their mentor with feedback
remains available and open
demonstrates commitment in the relationship.
Characteristics
is interested in learning
is open and prepared to accept criticism and feedback
is prepared to invest time and effort in the relationship
has clear expectations and needs
is able to listen and communicate
performs well and is motivated
maintains a receptive and candid attitude
is interested in sharing professional concerns
possesses integrity and confidentiality.
Benefits
enlightened view, advice, encouragement and support
development of professional skills and confidence
new skills
an understanding of organisational culture and the unwritten rules
a chance to broaden professional networks
an exposure to styles of leadership and management
the sharing of experiences and know-how
easier integration into organisation
increased potential for career mobility and promotion
increased power over their own career;
a supportive environment where strengths and weakness, successes and failures can be
evaluated
potential for increased visibility within the organisation.


Potential problems
investment of time and energy
the risk that a dependent or over-protective relationship will result (avoid becoming a copy of
a mentor)
the risk of a poor pairing
the risk that the relationship will become too intense and engrossing
the risk of disappointment if the mentee has unrealistic expectations which are not clearly
defined
the risk of a breach of confidentiality or trust
the risk of penalisation if the relationship fails.
Organisations - role and responsibilities
Roles and responsibilities (source: Treasury Board of Canada)
supports, facilitates and encourages the development of human resources and mentoring
recognises the role of mentors
creates conditions favourable to the development of mentoring relationships
publicises its program to all employees concerned
ensures that the mentoring program is maintained and developed.
Characteristics
dynamic, open and learning
prepared to devote itself to developing its human resources.
Benefits
sharing of organisational culture and values
managers with enhanced people management skills
building of a pool of potential mentors and better managers
establishment of support networks for employees in times of organisational change
progress towards diversity and gender equality in the workplace
increase in employee motivation and work satisfaction
reduced employee turnover rate
improved communications within organisation
improved human resources planning and management.
Potential problems
investment of time and energy beyond day-to-day tasks
risk of creating unrealistic expectations among employees
risk of jealousy among or discrimination against employees not taking part in program
risk of creating two classes of managers: those who are mentors and those who are not.
Resources and readings
Clutterbuck, D and Ragins, B.R. (2001). Mentoring and diversity- An international perspective.
Butterworth-Heinemann
New Wales Public Service Commission. Mentoring
<http://www.eeo.nsw.gov.au/guides/diversity_delivers/developing_staff_in_a_diverse_workplace
/mentoring>
Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat, Official Languages and Employment Equity Branch
(1995). Guidelines for he development of a mentoring program.

GEI1.3.1 Mentoring Programs

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Training and development

Establish and maintain effective mentoring programs

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