Vision: Help develop leaders that transform our industry by creating coaching and mentoring relationships between WICT members.
“Mentoring is a privileged relationship between a more experienced person and a less experienced person where profound learning happens and a mutual responsibility grows. The mentee gains from the mentor’s tacit professional and organizational knowledge, and gets accelerated experience and insight. The mentor gains a sense of sponsorship and legacy, as well as fresh insights and renewal. Mentoring is less about competencies and more about wisdom.” – Personnel Decisions International
Program Basics:
Formal four-month program.
- Mentors are volunteering their leadership and time and there is no cost to be a Mentor.
- Mentees must be current WICT members to participate.
- $550 fee for mentees (who are also WICT members)
- Non-members must join WICT and pay appropriate WICT membership fee
- It is strongly recommended that mentors also be WICT members, however WICT membership is not required for mentors.
- Program facilitated by Mentor Leadership Team includes accompanying study materials.
- This is a wonderful way for senior leaders to contribute to WICT by helping to develop female leaders who change the industry.
Program Overview:
- The Program will consist of approximately 10 mentors and groups formed based upon a 2 mentee to 1 mentor team ratio.
- Mentoring teams will be formed based on identified developmental interests.
- Each team will meet every 4-6 weeks for a face-to-face session. The team will determine the topics to be addressed. The team may discuss any topics of interest for which the mentor feels qualified to give advice. The scheduling of these sessions is up to the team and their mentor, and is at their convenience.
- In addition to these periodic group meetings, the mentor will make herself/himself available throughout the four-month period for individual meetings and phone calls to provide guidance as requested by the mentee on an individual basis.
- Mentors will be asked to complete applications forms to help the steering committee most effectively match the mentors with the mentees
- Profiles of the mentors will be publicized and potential mentees will be asked to indicate preferences. Mentees will be asked a series of questions about their personal and professional goals as well as the qualities they are looking for in a mentor.
- The mentee application process will begin January 7, 2019.
- A full kick-off program will be provided for both mentors and mentees in late January. Participation in this session is mandatory. At this meeting mentors and mentees will have a chance to meet and begin developing their mentoring goals and expectations. In addition, the mentor/mentee groups collectively will determine which topics will be discussed at their group meetings and the schedule of those discussions. This session will be facilitated by the Mentor Leadership Team and focus on the development planning.
- Mentors will be required to sign confidentiality and non-solicitation agreements.
Defining the Mentor:
A mentor is someone who supports another individual and is concerned with his or her growth. A mentor is concerned for the individual as a person, not just as an employee. A mentor is concerned for the mentee’s development as a whole and not just in the job they do.
A mentor has an independent relationship with his/her mentee, not one based on authority or power. He or she will listen, question and only then advise. The advice will be given without judgment or criticism of the mentee as an individual.
A mentor is above all, person-focused. A mentor will have no stake in the relationship other than wanting to see the development of the individual, and will start with a bias in the mentee’s favor.
A mentor is a trusted friend, a teacher, a guide and a role model. He or she has knowledge that he or she is prepared to transfer to others, is expert or at least has advanced status in his/her field and is acknowledged as such by peers.
A mentor is nurturing by nature, non-competitive and supportive. He or she is patient, but prepared to challenge their mentee, shows enthusiasm while maintaining perspective, stays focused while being inspirational.
A mentor upholds the virtues of his/her chosen employment, trade or profession, and is loyal to his/her company or organization, while at the same time recognizing its weaknesses. The mentor constructively helps the mentee deal with those same weaknesses.
Your Role as a Mentor:
The success of the program is highly dependent upon your leadership and participation. More than any other component of the program, mentees’ perception of the program’s value is based upon the relationship they have with you as their mentor and the other group mentees. You are the program’s most valuable asset, which is why we have provided you with tools to assist in your education and the structure of your team. Specifically, your role is to:
- Attend all of the mandatory Mentoring Program meetings
- Instigate group meetings that will be held every 4-6 weeks. When these meetings are cancelled or not scheduled, the mentees’ perception of the program’s value goes down dramatically, so this is very important. Often times, mentors will suggest meetings to coincide with WICT events or other mentoring program events, making scheduling much easier.
- Be responsible for urging your mentoring group to attend all of the program offerings either through the Mentoring Program or WICT. A schedule of the WICT events can be accessed on the website www.wictrm.org.
- Be available for ad-hoc discussions/meetings one-on-one. Some of our best mentors put a tickler in their file to reach out individually to their mentees at least once every three weeks via email or a phone call. This gives the mentees a sense that you are thinking of them and also opens the door to conversations.
- Guide the mentees to the tools that the Mentor Program provides. This includes the development plans that your mentees will construct as a result of the Kickoff Training.
- Advise Mentoring Program co-chairs of any updates in contact information or the situation of your mentees.
Benefits to Mentors:
Mentoring offers many important benefits to the mentor. Through the WICT Mentoring program, you will have the opportunity to:
Build Your Mentoring Skills
As part of the WICT Mentoring Program, mentors will receive information on effective mentoring and coaching styles, active listening techniques, setting mentoring objectives, giving and receiving feedback and avoiding typical mentoring pitfalls. These skills are also relevant for the working environment.
Build Your Leadership Skills
In addition, mentors will also participate in discussions with key executives in other companies about effective and ineffective mentoring experiences and techniques. Through these networks, the mentors can build on their communication skills and obtain fresh perspectives from individuals who are outside of their organizations – individuals who can more freely communicate their insights, issues and concerns, because they are outside of the leaders’ organization.
Expand Your Network
Mentees may be able to refer qualified job candidates, introduce the mentor to other professionals in their field, provide access to key leaders in other companies and expand the mentor’s sphere of influence.
Build Your Communication Skills
As a mentor, you’ll gain experience listening, offering feedback and providing constructive criticism in a safe, risk-free environment. Although mentors are typically effective communicators, this program provides ample opportunities to continuously build on this skill.
Obtain a Fresh Perspective
You may find that your mentees offer a fresh perspective on the issues affecting your industry and your workplace. They can provide insight into how people at a lower level in the organization are feeling and the types of challenges they face. Awareness of these opinions can make you a more effective leader.
Feel Good About Yourself
Being asked to assume a mentoring role is a powerful compliment. It means other people admire your knowledge, expertise, talent and professionalism. You can take pride in this and gain personal satisfaction in helping your mentees further their professional careers.
Influence Others
Mentors are in an extremely influential position. Your mentees’ success in many ways will be a direct result of the tutelage you provide. They will seek out your advice in difficult situations. You will provide constructive criticism, encouragement, a sympathetic ear, handholding, and lots of options. You will draw on your past experiences and remember what it was like to be in similar situations. More effective leaders will emerge as a result of your guidance and wisdom.
Good Faith Efforts
If your company is a government contractor or sub-contractor with an Affirmative Action Plan, you must undertake and report on good faith efforts on an annual basis. (Please talk to your Human Resources department for details.) Good faith efforts are activities undertaken by a covered employer to overcome its under-utilization of females or minorities in certain job classifications. It is very likely that the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs would view participation in this program as a good faith effort.
If you would like to talk with one of this past year’s mentors to learn about the rewards of being a mentor, please let us know.
