The Human Touch: Why We Match Our Mentoring Pairs by Hand
The mentor-mentee relationship is the most essential aspect of a successful mentoring program. A mentee needs the right mentor to help him or her open up and engage in vulnerable, productive dialogue throughout the program. Mentors should challenge and encourage their mentees in ways that aid the mentees’ growth and development while helping them learn to overcome obstacles and navigate success. At Menttium, we know how valuable this relationship truly is—that’s why we developed a unique way of matching mentors with mentees to create the most successful matches every time.
Our Industry-Leading Match Process
Computers can do a lot of things more efficiently than people can, like complex calculations and tedious, manual labor. But what they’re missing is the all-important human touch. At Menttium, our team of trained, skilled interviewers works to match mentees with the best mentors, not just the most similar ones. In fact, two people with vastly different life experiences often have quite a lot to learn from one another. That’s why a key tenant of our philosophy is the power of the point of difference. Through the interview process, our interviewers get to know each program participant deeply, which enables us to understand that participant’s goals, aspirations, and potential road-blocks. Armed with a unique understanding of a mentee’s nuances, we’re then in the perfect position to match him or her with the ideal mentor.
Why exactly does an in-person interview yield better match results than a computer? Mentoring programs are all about giving your employees the support and tools they need in order to evolve, grow, and enhance their leadership capacity within your organization. This doesn’t necessarily mean matching two people who have identical backgrounds or similar goals. Our interviewers look for mentors who would be most effective at helping the mentee reach his or her goals. Ultimately, we are enabling deep human connection that will lead to personal and professional growth through the mentoring partnership experience. A mentor who has a completely different background than a mentee provides unique perspectives and insights from their life and career experiences. This encourages open-minded, innovative thinking and positions mentees to explore outside their comfort zones in various ways, whether that means applying for an internal promotion or navigating a challenging situation with a coworker.
The Pre-Mentoring Assessment
Before our newly matched program participants begin working together, incoming mentees complete Menttium’s comprehensive pre-mentoring assessment. We’ve identified 31 Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) correlated to six Performance Capabilities found in high-performing organizations. The results of the assessment help mentees identify development opportunities and recognize their current strengths, providing critical input to set development goals. Managers of the mentees are also invited to complete assessments for these individuals, as their input can provide another strong data point for the mentees to set their goals.
What Type of Program Is Right for Your Company?
While the mentor-mentee relationship is certainly vital, finding the right program for your company is important, as well. Would your company benefit from an internal approach, or would a cross-company program be better suited to your current needs? Or perhaps you even want to explore both programs at the same time! The opportunities with mentoring are endless, but it’s imperative to find the right fit in order to provide the most benefit to your employees.
An internal mentoring program focuses on matching a mentee with a mentor within their own company. This is a great option if your organization wants to focus on internal knowledge transfer and utilize its own resources. Internal mentoring programs work to create a mentoring culture within your organization. This type of program can also help to alleviate stress placed on high-potential employees by conveying helpful experiences directly from their more seasoned peers.
Cross-company mentoring is another excellent option. This type of program matches mentees with a mentor from a different company. Remember when we mentioned the power of the point of difference? A cross-company program leverages the benefits of diverse perspectives on a grander scale. This type of mentoring program provides an external point of view, bringing the outside in and exposing employees to significantly different practices and ways of thinking that they may not have encountered at their own company. The result? A valuable, unique opportunity for mentees to talk openly and vulnerably about their aspirations and setbacks alike. Ultimately, cross-company mentoring aims to create that place of emotional safety that helps mentees grow and develop, with the added element of an outside perspective.
Business Mentoring Programs from Menttium
With the right mentor, your employees can unlock their full potential. Our 95% match satisfaction rate speaks for itself, proving that we are committed to ensuring that each mentee is matched with a mentor perfectly suited for them. Encouraging mentees to seek a mentor with a different background than their own allows them to think differently and learn from someone else’s unique experiences.
Helping your employees thrive and succeed through a beneficial mentoring program is a great way to show your organization is committed to their growth and development. With 28 years of success under our belt, we are eager to help you increase engagement, improve job satisfaction, and promote growth by designing, facilitating, and administering internal or cross-company mentoring programs. Contact us today to learn more about how your company could benefit from our services.