AWA YWP QLD Mentoring Program - Why, what, do and dont Dr. Brian S. - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

AWA YWP QLD Mentoring Program - Why, what, do and don’t Dr. Brian S. McIntosh Senior Lecturer and Education Program Manager

International WaterCentre (IWC)  www.watercentre.org/education  admin@watercentre.org The International WaterCentre (IWC) is dedicated to providing the most advanced education, training, applied research and knowledge services to develop capacity and promote whole-of-water cycle approaches to integrated water management around the world.

Mentoring – why, what, do and don’t From slides prepared for IWC by: Prof. Victor Callan, Research Dean, University of Queensland

Some quick questions to start … • Who has been in a mentoring relationship before? – As a mentor … ? – As a mentee … ? • What did you get out of that relationship?

What is mentoring? • An intentional developmental relationship where a more experienced and knowledgeable person nurtures the professional and personal life of a less experienced and less knowledgeable person. • Can be formal or more informal relationship. • Unlike coaching, there is much less focus upon enhancing current job performance, but more about a focus upon careers and career path. But mentors can engage in a coaching especially with a more junior person.

Mentoring as a support tool • In leadership development, mentoring is commonly used as a “learning element” or “support tool”, in combination with elements of “challenge” (e.g. challenging job assignments) and “assessment” (e.g. regular 360 ° feedback on leadership behaviours). • There is a positive correlation between support from mentors and effective leadership development, greater recognition in the workplace, greater career opportunities and promotions for mentees. Also mentees are more likely to volunteer to be mentors in the future.

Types of mentoring 1. One-to-one mentoring with a more senior mentor who is usually outside of the mentee‟s direct reporting line in their organisation. 2. Peer mentoring involves a mentor at the same organisational level as the mentee. 3. Group mentoring typically involves four to six people (mentees) in a learning group who interact with a senior mentor to collectively benefit from the relationship.

Workshop 1: your mentor / mentee relationship In groups of four or five, discuss the following question: • What do you want the process to achieve? Write your response on a piece of butchers paper, ready to be displayed on the wall

What mentors can help mentees with

Mentees can expect to talk about • Triggers – e.g. What is happening to me at work at present (e.g. organisational change, poor performers, stress)? • Life experiences – e.g. What is the nature of the assignments that I am taking on? Where do I feel I am succeeding or failing? • Talents and capacities – e.g. What skills and talents do I have that are helping me perform these challenges? What do I seem to lack? • Self-awareness – e.g. Is my assessment of my performance accurate? Who else can give me feedback on my current performance? • Self-regulation – e.g. Am I trying new behaviours? How willing am I to explore new ways to manage and to lead? Am I sticking just to my comfort zone? • Self-development – e.g. How am I developing myself as a leader through on-the-job and off-the job activities?

Mentors can be expected to be involved in • Accompanying – making a commitment that involves taking part in the learning process side-by-side with the learner • Sowing – mentors are often confronted with the difficulty of preparing the learner to be ready to change. Sowing is necessary when you know that what you say may not be understood or even acceptable to learners at first, but it will make sense and have value to the mentee when the situation requires it • Catalysing – this is the stage where the mentor chooses to plunge the learner right into change, provoking them to engage in a different way of thinking about themselves, others or situation, with a possible challenge to their attitude and values • Modelling – the mentor presents themselves (e.g. what are their values, how they behave) as an example to demonstrate a skill or activity • Harvesting – the mentor works with the individual to remind them of what they have learned through the new experiences they have explored with the mentor‟s support, asking „what have you learned?‟, „how useful is it?‟

The mentor should help the mentee … Progress through different stages of learning … • Unconscious incompetence – I don‟t know that I don‟t know how to do this • Conscious incompetence – I know that I don‟t know how to do this, yet • Conscious competence – I know that I know how to do this • Unconscious competence – What, you say I did something well?

Workshop 2: your mentor / mentee relationship In groups of four or five, discuss the following questions: • What might stop the relationship from working? • How will you make the relationship work? Write your responses on a piece of butchers paper, ready to be displayed on the wall

Returning mentoring pair presentation

Mentoring wrap-up - top tips From slides prepared for IWC by: Prof. Victor Callan, Research Dean, University of Queensland

Key issue 1: Begin with a “getting -to-know you session” to establish t rust Advice around trust building includes: • Begin the relationship with a getting-to-know-you session. • Meet your mentor or mentee warmly. • Be open to help identify your professional needs and goals. • Be willing to talk about your educational background and personal experience.

Key issue 2: Define roles and responsibilities You can manage your relationship by: • Scheduling your mentoring meetings well in advance and proposing an agenda before each one. • Checking with your mentor on his or her satisfaction with the pacing, focus, and content of your relationship as well as any relationship issues the two of you should address. • Analysing the status of your relationship and determining where to go next with it.

Key issue 3: Establish short and longer term goals Mentors report being highly motivated by mentees who learn quickly and well. You can demonstrate this skill by: • Asking appropriate questions to clarify what your mentor is suggesting. • Applying the information and strategies he or she offers and reporting back on how you made the applications. • Pursuing useful learning opportunities and resources on your own. • Going beyond what your mentor suggests - taking his or her idea and showing creative or ambitious ways of using them.

Key issue 4: Listen and collaborate to solve problems Examples include the following: • Show interest in what your mentor and mentee are saying and reflect back important aspects of what he or she has said to show that you‟ve understood. • Use body language (such as making eye contact) that shows you are listening. • If you are talking by phone, reduce background noise and limit interruptions.

Key issue 5: Brainstorm You can help each other by: • Being open in identifying your specific concerns. • Be imaginative in brainstorming possible solutions. • Select a plan to try, and discuss the desired outcome. • Implement the plan and assess the outcome together. The mentor and mentee should be reflective and discuss the effectiveness of the activity and make adjustments as needed. • Try another solution, if needed. It is important for mentees to remember that there are many different ways to address an issue and that the mentor's way may not be the most effective solution for the mentee. • Celebrate together successful results.

Two useful references to pursue … 1. Hart, E. (2009). Seven keys to successful mentoring . CCL. Riddle, D. (2008). Leadership coaching: When it’s 2. right, and when you’re ready . CCL.

International WaterCentre (IWC)  www.watercentre.org/education  admin@watercentre.org The International WaterCentre (IWC) is dedicated to providing the most advanced education, training, applied research and knowledge services to develop capacity and promote whole-of-water cycle approaches to integrated water management around the world.