Mentoring Program Handbook If You Want People to Follow You, Show Them Your Map

Mentoring Program Handbook If you want people to follow you, show them your map

CalHR | 2017

A Message from the Director

The California Department of Human Resources (CalHR) is proud to launch the pilot of the Executive Leadership Preparation Program (ELPP) in accordance with CalHR’s Strategic Plan 2014-2018 goal number two: Team of Experts: “Make workforce planning an operational norm.” The ELPP will assist us in modeling the way for state departments to equip participants (mentees) with the knowledge, skills, and competencies that will enable them to become qualified competitors for future CalHR executive leadership positions. There are many components to the ELPP, but one of the key components is the mentoring program.

Implementing a mentorship program encourages employees to create and foster effective working relationships. This program can help CalHR retain a dedicated workforce while increasing professional and leadership development. A mentor can help provide employees with professional growth opportunities so that they can contribute to accomplishing CalHR’s goals.

CalHR will benefit with the development of employees who are geared towards accomplishing the department’s mission. The program will increase employee satisfaction and engagement, improve work performance, transfer knowledge, and foster a supportive work environment.

I am honored to be a part of an organization that has an impact on all state departments that encourages collaboration, diversity, excellence/quality, integrity, and leadership. Thank you to the mentors as well as those employees investing in not only their future, but the future of this organization.

Sincerely,

Richard Gillihan

Table of Contents

Introduction

Key Terms………………………………………………………………………………………… 1

Goals………………………………………………………………………………………… 1

Core Values…………………………………………………………………………………… 2

Benefits of Mentoring …………………………………………………………………………… 3

Characteristics of Successful Mentoring Relationships……………………………………… 4

Requirements for Participation………………………………………………………………… 5

Roles and Responsibilities……………………………………………………………………… 6

Mentor

What is a Mentor ………………………………………………………………………………… 9

Getting Started as a Mentor …………………………………………………………………… 10

Discussion ………………………………………………………………………………………… 11

Mentee

Tips for the Mentee ………………………………………………………………………… 13

Discussion………………………………………………………………………………………… 13

Supplement Documents – Also available on SharePoint

ELPP: Participant, Mentor, and Manager Expectations…………………………………… 14

Mentoring, Coaching, and Managing…………………………………………………………. 15

Mentoring Program Agreement ………………………………………………………………… 16

Career Development Plan Worksheet…………………………………………………………. 17

Personal Action Plan…………………………………………………………………………….. 18

Personal Action Plan-Role at CalHR…………………………………………………………… 19

References and Resources…………………………….………………………………………20 Introduction

The California Department of Human Resources (CalHR) created the Mentorship Model (Model) to provide guidance and tools to organizations interested in developing a mentorship program. CalHR is now applying that model and has developed their own internal mentorship program. Mentorship is an employee development strategy. A strong mentoring relationship occurs organically. However, there are numerous challenges that may get in the way of an opportunity to establish a mentorship. Implementing a mentorship program encourages employees to create and foster effective working relationships.

Key Terms

The following key terms are used in the Model:

Mentorship: Relationship with the goal of professional and personal development. Informal Mentorship Program: Loosely structured program, with little to no participant selection criteria. Initiatives and development activities are often open to all employees.

Formal Mentorship Program: Structured program with formal participant selection criteria and focused pre and post evaluation methods.

Mentor: Experienced individual willing to share knowledge, advice, and insight. Mentors may be formally selected based on set criteria, or informally invited to fulfill a mentor role for the purposes of an activity, event or brief time period.

Mentee: Individual who agrees to be advised, trained, or counseled by a mentor. Mentees may be formally selected based on set criteria, or the term may loosely apply to a larger audience.

Goals…

 Provide a program employees will find useful to connect the importance of institutional knowledge and experience with professional development  Retain highly qualified and experienced employees  Create a culture of learning, sharing, and networking within the CalHR and state government  Guide CalHR employees in achieving their career goals  Develop mentees into future mentors

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Core Values…

 Collaboration o We value partnerships. We foster the public’s trust through open communication and work in a cooperative, respectful, and courteous manner.  Customer Service o We acknowledge our stakeholders as customers, listen to them, and take their needs into account.  Diversity o We value and support the power and creativity brought about by a diverse workforce, inclusive of all individuals and reflective of the state we serve.  Excellence/Quality o We have a passion for quality and strive for continuous improvement of our programs, services, and processes through employee empowerment and professional development.  Integrity o We are committed to honesty, ethical conduct, and responsibility.  Leadership o We strive to set the standard for professional regulation by creating, communicating, and implementing inspirational guidance.

“It’s not hard to make decisions

when you know what your values are.” – Roy Disney

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Benefits of Mentoring

Benefits to Mentees

Enables smoother transition into the workforce

Further professional development

Increase the capacity to translate values and strategies into productive actions

Support ongoing formal study and/or training and development activities

Gain career development opportunities

Develop new and/or different perspectives

Demonstrate strengths and explore potential

Expand career networks

Benefits to Mentors Renew enthusiasm for leadership roles

Obtain a greater knowledge of barriers experienced at lower levels of the organization

Enhance skills in coaching, counseling, listening, and modeling

Develop and practice a more personal style of leadership

Demonstrate expertise and knowledge sharing

Potential to increase generational awareness

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Benefits to CalHR

Support succession planning through transferring knowledge.

Build bench strength.

Develop a pipeline of future leaders.

Encourage a global perspective.

Strengthen appreciation for diversity.

Increase employee engagement and productivity.

Promote a culture of growth and support.

Foster trust, respect, and openness.

Characteristics of Successful Mentoring Relationships

If a mentoring pair can work through conflicts by valuing diversity, the richness of their different viewpoints, background, and experience, then they can learn a great deal more from each other, precisely because they are not thinking the same way. Seen from this perspective, difference can be a strength, not a weakness of any relationship. A successful mentoring relationship will lead to increased confidence in abilities, improved job-specific knowledge, skills and abilities, and improved performance of division/program area.

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Requirements for Participation

Mentor Requirements

 Strong interpersonal skills  Knowledge about the organization and their professional field  Technical competency  Strong leadership skills  Confidence  Resourcefulness  Ability to maintain confidentiality  Willingness to be supportive and patient  Ability to be a positive role model

Mentee Requirements

 Open to feedback and coaching  Ability to maintain confidentiality  Awareness of developmental goals  Ability to assess and maintain appropriate boundaries  Organized and honor time commitments  Support program improvements

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Roles and Responsibilities

Mentor

The mentor’s role entails

 Be a positive role model. Demonstrate the highest level of professionalism and interpersonal skills. Foster trust, respect, and openness.  Guide without giving advice. Guide the mentee toward his/her goals using established techniques and a thought-provoking and creative process rather than giving advice.  Be open to reciprocal learning. Make mentoring a mutually beneficial experience by recognizing that your mentee brings a wealth of unique knowledge and experiences.  Be engaged. Actively listen, question and offer productive feedback. Identify underlying messages and take the time to fully understand what your mentee is communicating before formulating responses.  Be supportive. Fully support your mentee’s professional development and provide encouragement and guidance.  Be patient. Demonstrate patience throughout your mentee’s self-discovery process as your mentee may require significant assistance while exploring career directions.  Honor commitments. Honor the time and goal commitments of the mentorship program and those you develop with your mentee.  Maintain confidentiality. Respect the mentorship relationship by keeping private any personal or sensitive topics your mentee shares with you. Maintain your reporting responsibility in cases of bullying, harassment, discrimination, or other reportable situations.  Support continuous program improvement. Evaluate the mentorship program and your experience as a mentor as honestly as possible. Share ideas for improving the mentorship program with Human Resources.

Mentee

The mentee is responsible for driving the mentoring relationship, which entails

 Be active. Take full advantage of the mentoring experience by being active and engaged in the experience. Avoid being a passive listener by asking questions and sharing your own experiences and knowledge with your mentor.  Be Prepared. Optimize results of your mentor session by preparing for each session beforehand. Understand your goals for each session. Reflect on the following types of questions:

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o What have I accomplished since our last session? o What did I not get done, but intended to? What got in the way? What could I have done differently? o What challenges and problems am I facing now? o What opportunities are available to me right now? o What support do I want from my mentor during this meeting?  Establish developmental goals. Assess your current situation and think about short and long term professional goals. Your mentor may assist in helping you explore and define your goals.  Find the right fit. Reflect on what characteristics and knowledge are personally important to you in a mentorship. Gain deeper insight into the compatibility of the mentorship through asking additional probing questions to your mentor, such as: o What can you, as a mentor, bring to a mentoring relationship? o What positions have you held in the past? o Which organizations or organizations within the government have you worked for? o What parts of your education have contributed to your career choices? o How much time do you anticipate being able to spend working with me?  Be open to feedback and coaching. Expect continuous feedback and coaching from your mentor related to your professional growth and goals. The opportunity to receive confidential one-to-one guidance, feedback, and coaching can support the achievement of professional goals. Use regular feedback to help transfer newly acquired knowledge and skills to the workplace.  Assess your own boundaries. Remember mentors are not expected to have definitive answers or be available 24/7. Try to imagine yourself in your mentor’s place before making additional requests or changes. Assess your own boundaries and avoid unhealthy dependencies.  Honor commitments. Honor the time and goal commitments of the mentorship program and those you develop with your mentor.  Maintain confidentiality. Respect the mentorship relationship by keeping private any personal or sensitive topics that may arise in your conversations with your mentor.  Support continuous program improvement. Evaluate the mentorship program and your experience as a mentee as honestly as possible. Share ideas for improving the mentorship program with the mentorship program owner(s).

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Supervisor

The supervisor’s role entails

 Develop mentorship program strategies.  Implement action plans in own operational area.  Support program goals through encouraging employee participation and/or actively participating as a mentor or mentee in the mentorship program.  Provide program feedback. Human Resources

Human Resources’ role entails

 Provide necessary workforce data.  Partner with Frontline Supervisors and Mentorship Program Manager to identify training needs and help develop solutions.  Offer input and expertise about human resource processes.

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Mentor

What is a Mentor?

An experienced individual willing to share knowledge, advice and insight. Mentors may be formally selected based on set criteria, or informally invited to fulfill a mentor role for the purposes of an activity, event or brief time period.

Six roles of a mentor

Guide: The mentor guides the mentee by providing specialized knowledge that leads the mentee through skill enhancement and development. The mentor listens actively to the mentee to demonstrate respect and encourages the mentee to develop problem- solving skills by having the mentee demonstrate how she or he would attempt to solve the problem. The mentor offers guidance by demonstrating or sharing an approach to solve the problem.

Motivator: The mentor will motivate the mentee through encouragement and support.

Sponsor: As a sponsor, the mentor may present and create opportunities to assist the mentee with developing networks and establishing resources. This can be done by making recommendations of relevant resources and introducing the mentee to the knowledge required within their department as well as introducing the mentee to other CalHR employees, as appropriate.

Coach: the mentor provides positive and constructive feedback. Positive feedback increases self-esteem and provides a sense of accomplishment. It is important that feedback be frequent and directly linked to an observation made by the mentor.

Advisor: The mentor advises and assists with setting realistic career goals that have a reasonable time frame and relevant outcome based on the mentee’s promotional pattern interest.

Role Model: The mentor acts as a role model for the mentee by demonstrating behaviors that can be emulated by the mentee. The mentee’s sessions should be kept confidential, to ensure trust and communication. The mentor displays interactions with others, advises how to handle certain situations, and provides an example of values, ethics and professional practices considered important for self-development.

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Getting started as a Mentor “The actions of a leader are often Focus on getting to know each other at the inseparable from the person themselves beginning of the mentoring relationship. This will – what works for one person in a given help establish the foundation for your working situation may not work for everyone else.” relationship. – Richard Gillihan, Director Department of Human Resources The kick-off meeting will be the first time you will meet with your mentee in your mentor roles spend some time getting to know each other and discuss scheduling your first mentoring meeting.

First meeting steps

 Establish expectations  Discuss roles and responsibilities, frequency of meetings and communication styles and boundaries  Define confidentiality  Identify additional terms  Sign and date agreement  Help assess current situations  Define future career plans  Identify actionable steps to fulfill goals Tips on being a Good Mentor

There is no specific “correct” way to be a good mentor. Every mentoring relationship is different, and the goals and expectations will vary depending on the individuals.

Here are tips to help guide you

 Be yourself  Listen to your mentee and then share your knowledge that relates to his/her wants and needs  Learn what is important to your mentee by asking questions  Understand his/her expectations  Focus on your mentoring approach to meet the needs of your mentee. If your mentee is not clear on his/her career goals, assist in exploring options and developing a career path. Encourage him/her to make a plan, put it into action, and follow through  If your mentee needs help with self-confidence, then that could be an area that you assist in developing

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 Reflect on your experiences. Were there mentors that helped develop your career? If so, what methods did they use, and were they successful?  Understand that good relations take time to develop  Ask powerful questions and provide insight, if needed  Be empathic to any issues that your mentee may be addressing, but stay neutral and do not get caught up in the issues  Understand your own personal vision and goals  Maintain and respect privacy, honesty, and integrity  Ask the mentee to express thoughts, ideas, and concerns  Remember to be positive

Discussion

Questions to ask

 What is your professional/academic background?  Do you have someone you admire and/or look up to? How has he/she influenced you?  What do you do to mitigate burnout?  What do you love most about your job? Least?  What are your future career goals?

Activities to engage in

 Share career stories. How careers started, changes made along the way, high and low points. What experiences were helpful?  Discuss mentee's personal vision: What would the mentee like to be remembered for in the next few years?  Talk about topics not pertaining to work such as current events, family history, hobbies or entertainment.  Discuss mentee’s strengths and how to enhance growth. The mentee should find information from personal observations, comments in performance reviews, informal feedback from supervisors or coworkers (by email, for example), educational grade(s). What do people say the mentee does best? Feel free to add your own observations.

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 Discuss mentee's growth areas and tentative plans for working on them. Discuss how feedback will be given and received and anything the mentee would like to avoid doing.  Have the mentee describe a perfect week including what the mentee does, lives, and how people talk about them. Discuss these discoveries with your mentee and what can be learned/applied from them.  Identify/refine one to three objectives to work on together -- preferably skills pertaining to growth areas and leveraging strengths.  Consider choosing a book or article to read together, or that the mentee can read independently, that is related to the mentee’s developmental goals. Discuss the book together and brainstorm ways the mentee can apply the information.  Discuss any generational differences that may come into play in the workplace.  Review and discuss mentee’s resume or a written work assignment.  Discuss an inspirational quote and brainstorm ways the mentee can apply the quote. Discuss any cultural values that each of you hold onto. Has culture come into play at all in adjusting to the work setting?  Discuss some of the "unwritten rules" each of you had observed or learned about what success looks like in your organization. How has this differed from other organizations? What other lessons have been learned?  Communicate what you have appreciated about your mentoring relationship with one another and about the mentoring program.  Have the mentee research a career path of interest within the organization. Provide feedback and act as a sounding board for the mentee.  Discuss your learning styles and preferences.  Each of you discuss how competitors or critics describe you and what you can learn from their perspective.  Discuss a role model that has been influential in each of your lives. How has s/he impacted your decisions or beliefs?  Have the mentee research learning opportunities (training courses, books, on- the-job activities) and align discussion based on the mentee’s developmental goals.  Have the mentee identify risks, difficulties or stress he/she is facing in the next few months (deadline, conflicts was premises, fears, etc.), and plan ways to minimize the impact of these stressors.  Discuss balancing work and life.  Discuss a situation of interpersonal conflict the mentee experienced and what was learned from the situation.

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Mentee

Tips for the Mentee “A boss has the title. The leader has the people.” – Simon Sinek It is a common misconception that the mentor provides advice and tells the mentee what to do. Actually, the mentee is an active participant, and defines the needed knowledge, skills, and abilities. It is essential that the mentee has a clear understanding of the goals and expectations so the mentor can assist the mentee with meeting them. In setting and defining these goals, it will help the mentoring relationship to stay on course.

To ensure success the mentee must

 Set out to achieve new skills and knowledge  Seek guidance and advice for professional development  Accept responsibility for decisions and actions  Maintain trust and respect  Attend all scheduled meetings  Establish goals, objectives, and milestones required to achieve them  Identify training to help meet goals

Discussion

Questions to ask

 What should I do to better prepare for a successful transition to this field?  What is your teaching/counseling philosophy?  For supplemental learning, what books do you recommend?  What are your expectations of me as a mentee?  What does your typical day look like?  If you could go back in time and give yourself advice, what would that be?

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ELPP: Participant, Mentor, and Manager Expectations

Participant (Mentee) Mentor Participant’s Manager Participate in assessment and Assist in strengthening a Assist in the development of developmental activities to participant’s leadership a participant’s leadership strengthen leadership competencies. Teach, guide and competencies. Focus on competencies for future executive help shape the professional performance, merit, and leadership opportunities. Seek growth and learning of the development of participant. guidance and constructive participant and to serve as a feedback on their professional positive role model.  Help establish development and career goals. developmental  Be a positive role goals  Be active model  Support program Expectations  Be prepared  Guide without giving goals through  Establish developmental advice encouraging goals  Be open to reciprocal employee  Be open to feedback and learning participation coaching  Be engaged  Be a positive role  Assess your own  Be supportive model boundaries  Be patient  Be engaged  Honor commitments  Honor commitments  Be supportive  Maintain confidentiality  Maintain confidentiality  Be patient  Estimated 6 to 10 hours  Four hours SMART  Four hours to complete assessment goals training SMART goals activities  One hour training  Four hours SMART goals developmental meeting  Two 1-hour training with manager and developmental  One hour meeting with participant meeting with manager and mentor to  Minimum one hour per mentor and finalize development plan month to coach participant to  Monthly one hour participant on develop and meetings with mentor development goals finalize action plan  Two 8-hour full day off-  One hour Expectations  1.5 hours kick-off Time meeting with Director meeting Commitment site workshops  As much work as  1.5 hours orientation  Any additional time required to accomplish  1.5 hours kick-off needed to support developmental goal(s) meeting participant and improve leadership competencies via 360° evaluation results

1.5 hours kick-off  meeting

Minimum 50 hours per program Minimum 15-20 hours per Minimum 5-10 hours per cycle program cycle program cycle

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Mentoring, Coaching, and Managing

Mentoring Coaching Managing Career and personal development Job focused (job related skills) Job and development focused Focus on mentee’s potential and Focus on performance Focus on performance and merit performance Mentor is usually more Coach does not need to have Manager does not need to have experienced/qualified direct experience direct experience Agenda is often set by the mentee Agenda focused on achieving Agenda is focused on achieving specific goals unit goal Deep involvement (reciprocal Not such a deep involvement Varies relationship) Mentoring is a working relational Coaching is a process that The job of overseeing the work of experience through which one enables learning and others person empowers and enables development to occur and thus another by sharing their wisdom performance to improve and resources Imparting wisdom to less Strengthen the client’s wisdom, Achieving specific organizational experienced individuals thought processes, and directed results through their direct reports action toward the future, based on the client’s self-identified agenda Improving skills in translating values Challenge and stimulate critical Direct and support their and strategies into productive thinking and new ways of being, subordinates and develop them actions and taking an active interest thinking, and acting, often through performance feedback in the development of the individual resulting in new behaviors where coaching skills may be applicable to the individual’s used whole life

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Mentoring Program Agreement

This document serves as an agreement between [Insert Mentor’s Name] and [Insert Mentee Name] that appropriate mentoring will take place over the next [Insert Number of Months] months. Both parties agree to fulfill the roles of the mentor and mentee, and uphold to the following terms and conditions.

The mentor and mentee identified in the Mentoring Agreement mutually agree to adhere to the following responsibilities:

Mentor’s Responsibilities Mentee’s Responsibility

 Be a positive role model  Be active  Guide without giving advice  Be prepared  Be open to reciprocal learning  Establish developmental goals  Be engaged  Be open to feedback and coaching

 Be supportive  Assess your own boundaries  Be patient  Be proactive in accomplishing goals  Honor commitments and objectives

 Maintain confidentiality  Honor commitments  Support continuous program  Maintain confidentiality improvement  Support continuous program improvement

The mentor and mentee identified in the Mentoring Agreement mutually agree to adhere to the following confidentiality terms:

 Respect the mentorship relationship by keeping private any personal or sensitive topics shared by mentor or mentee

 Maintain reporting responsibility in cases of bullying, harassment, discrimination, or other reportable situations

Mentor Signature: Date:

Mentee Signature: Date:

Note: Please submit this to HR after your first mentoring meeting.

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Career Development Plan Worksheet

Section 1: Goals and Objectives

Short-term Goals (Time length): Long-term Goals (Time length):

Section 1: Month -to-Month Action Plan Month Date Objectives/Goals Developmental Needs Month 1 Jan. 1  Identify top three Review completed Career (example) short-term and long Assessment Questionnaire term goals Mentor and Mentee: Take the  Identify Jung Typology Test and professional discuss individual results strengths and together opportunities for growth Month 2

Month 3

Month 4

Areas of development mentee would Elements of the mentee’s development like to model and practice: plan to be worked on:

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Personal Action Plan

Based on: . Your LPI results . Leadership Development in-class conversations . Your coaching session . Your personal assessment of (dept. or agency) Leadership Competencies

Use the chart below to create a Personal Action Plan My leadership development goal is: ______What action steps will I take to be a What is my How will I measure my How will I celebrate my better leader? time frame? success? accomplishment?

Items to consider with your mentor: 1) Action – What you did. What you are still planning to do. How it went. How people reacted. 2) Reflection – What you learned. 3) Question – Given the challenges you are still facing, any question(s) you might have for your mentor to assist you in moving forward.

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Personal Action Plan-Role at CalHR

Issues that I commit to Management/Leadership Measure What input or What input Timeframe working on over the Strengths Needed of support do or support to next 3 to 6 months – Success you do they need Complete Example: A strategic need/from from me? goal, a team goal, a whom? personal goal, or resolving a long- standing issue

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References and Resources

The following resources were used in the development of the CalHR Mentorship Model:

California Department of Human Resources, 2016 Workforce Plan 2016-2021. http://calhr.ca.gov/Documents/calhr-workforce-plan-2016-to-2021.pdf

California State Board of Equalization, 2015 Mentoring Program Handbook.

California State Compensation Insurance Fund, 2012 Emerging Leader Mentoring Program.

California Franchise Tax Board, 2012 Executive Assessment and Development Program.

California Department of Human Resources, Statewide Workforce Planning and Recruitment, 2017 CalHR Mentorship Model.

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