MENTORING RELATIONSHIP

Mentor is derived from the Greek word Mentor. He was a friend of Odysseus' who was entrusted with the education of his son Telemachus.

Social learning theory talks about how both environmental and cognitive factors interact to influence human learning and behaviour. It focuses on the learning that occurs within a social context. It considers that people learn from one another, including such concepts as observational learning, imitation, and modeling (Abbott, 2007).

FACETS OF SOCIAL LEARNING

Instrumental conditioning

Social comparison

Social learning

Modeling

FUNCTIONS & OUTCOMES

Career oriented

Social learning

Psychosocial

Organizational

CHARACTERISTICS OF GOOD MENTORS & ROLE MODELS

HRD practitioners must be able to identify the characteristics of effective mentors These characteristics fall into 2 categories:
Interpersonal Expertise

Skills

INTERPERSONAL SKILLS

The mentor-protg relationship is a key success factor Good Mentors- Friendly, Approachable, Understanding Effective Mentors-Honest, Respectable, Dedicated, Compassionate, Act with Integrity, Honest Feedback This relationship is particularly important to females

EXPERTISE

Expertise includes teaching, professional, organizational, communication skills and self confidence

Proteges rate effective mentors on Practical skills and modelling successful practices.

INFLUENCE UPON CAREER CHOICE

Role models and mentors- main influence behind career choices

Strive to serve proteges who are isolated due to minority status or disability.

Zunker(2002) presented two models that hold significant implications for impact of role models and mentors in career choice and exploration The Developmental Model Learning theory of career counselling

DEVELOPMENTAL MODEL

Career development occurs through the lifecycle and individuals may engage in career exploration at any point 4 Stages
1.

2. 3. 4.

Individuals interests, skills, traits, values, resources and aptitudes are evaluated Individual works to establish strategies to meet career objectives. Implementation of those strategies, with support from 3rd party Evaluation of degree to which goals have been met Sponsorship, coaching, challenging, exposure, confirmation and acceptance, counselling, friendship and role modelling

Functions of mentors:

LEARNING THEORY OF CAREER COUNSELLING

Professional career counsellor accepts the mantle of mentor. Helps to meet career development objectives and overcome personal and organizational obstacles Individual pursuing career development are encouraged to have a better understanding of self, career, workplace and reassess goals 7 stages 1. Establishment of counsellor-client relationship 2. Discovering client values, interests, traits, capabilities and aptitudes 3. Goal setting and career discovery activities 4. Learning about and accessing career information sources 5. Share results of career discovery exercises with counsellor 6. Begin to make tentative decisions regarding career progress 7. Formulate strategies that will allow them to meet career objectives

IMPLICATIONS FOR MENTORING

Individuals with disabilities Minorities Women

CRITICS
Positively skewed research Formal v/s Informal Length of mentoring relationship

CRITICS
Short Term vs Long Term goals Less commitment to individuals Mentoring and personal motivation

TALENT MANAGEMENT
Anticipating the need for human capital and then setting out a plan to meet it

Current Responses to this challenges are:

Do nothing  Rely on complex models from the 1950s


A new model of talent management Using operations and supply chain methods
Address the risks in demand  Address the uncertainty of supply


PRINCIPLE 1: MAKE AND BUY TO MANAGE RISK A deep bench of talent has become expensive inventory Combination of developing talent internally and hiring from outside Dont try to predict talent demand with certainty Risks of overshooting is far greater than risks of Undershooting

How long will you need the talent?

How accurate is the forecast of the length of time you will need the talent?

Is there a hierarchy of skills & jobs to learn the requisite competencies on the job?

How important is it to maintain the organization culture?

PRINCIPLE 2: ADAPT TO THE UNCERTAINTY IN TALENT DEMAND Break up functionally based internal development programs into general training and specialized training Teaching everyone the general skills together reduces redundancy in training investments Create an organization wide talent pool

PRINCIPLE 3: IMPROVE THE RETURN ON INVESTMENT IN DEVELOPING EMPLOYEES Todays talent pool are less loyal Get employees to share in the costs of training them Improve the payoff from their development investments by retaining employees longer Hang on to employees even after they leave making small investments in maintaining ties

PRINCIPLE 4: BALANCE EMPLOYEE EMPLOYER INTERESTS

Earlier managers and executives made career decisions for employees

Internal job boards Employers have much less control over their internal talent Increased internal conflict Find effective ways to preserve their management development investment