Applying a Strategy of Learning by Example
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Formal Mentoring or Apprenticeship
Formal mentoring or apprenticeship allows for much greater organizational control on both what is being taught and who is doing the teaching. Apprenticeship has not really changed greatly over the years. Whether the learner has chosen their mentor or had one assigned to them, the process is the same. A person does a series of tasks to support the master and over time learns by observing them. This is very common in professional services firms where an associate does much of the work while the partner concentrates on the big picture. The idea is that by working with a partner for an extended period, the associate will learn the important aspects of the job thus enabling them to eventually become a partner.
There is another simple word for formal mentoring and apprenticeship – parenting. Apprenticeship and parenting are the same process. As any parent knows (and countless books will tell you), there are several ways to create a successful mentor:
It matters what you do, not what you say!
How many times have we heard the line, “Do what I say, not what I do.”? As everybody knows, actions speak louder than words. We emulate people’s behavior, not what they say.
Harvard professor Howard Gardner speaks of a potential 9th learning style that is actually an important component of mentoring. It is the spiritual learner. The spin on this is that the learner will follow the example of what the teacher does. One rule that I have for every train-the-trainer program that I create is that it has to be applied by any potential facilitator before they are allowed to stand in front of the classroom. They then have to use their own stories as examples of how to apply what is being taught.
You really have to think about the type of person you want to be a mentor. The person with the best technical skills may not make the best mentor, especially if they are threatened by the success of others or their ego makes an empty room seem crowded.
Clear boundaries and communication
What are the expectations of both the mentor and the protégé? This really goes to the core of what you want the person to learn. Are they just technical skills or both technical skills and organizational values? There needs to be a clear understanding of the relationship between the mentor and the apprentice. The apprentice, by their very nature, is in a weaker position than the mentor (just as children are in a weaker position than their parents). Without clear boundaries, there lies the potential for abuse in the relationship.
You also need to clearly define your measurements. What does success look like and how will you know when you get there? What is the beginning, middle and end? All of these need to be clearly communicated and defined.
Sufficient resources
Mentoring takes resources. Not just financial but time and training. What resources are needed to help the mentor? The mentor may need additional skill training in order to be an effective role model. For instance, if the mentor addresses the protégé by saying ‘Hey, if we wanted you to think around here we would be paying you real money’, then the mentor may need some type of soft skill training.
What are the implications for both the mentor and the organization in terms of time and productivity? Are you asking a top sales person to help mentor somebody and then increasing their quota or having some of their key accounts taken away from them by the protégé? You need to understand the effects on both performance and compensation for the mentor and provide them with the resources necessary to succeed.