Shea, G. F. (1994). Mentoring: Helping Employees Reach their Full Potential,, American Management Association.

1 Why Renewed Interest in Mentoring?

Mentoring is" a developmental, caring, sharing, and helping relationshop where one person invests time, know-how, and effort in enhancing another person's growth, knowledge, and skills, and responds to critical needs in the life of that person in ways that prepare the individual for greater productivity or achievement in the future". p. 13

Mentoring is voluntary action. It's been used to achieve:

1. Advance interests of specific group (women, minorities)

2. Conserve and Transfer know-how (technical mentoring)

3. To encourage mentee contribution and performance

4. To bring employees together in a new social environment (liberates altruism in people)

5. To help individuals reach full potential (by addressing personal needs that are slowing development).

6. To enhance competitive position

7. To devlop a more civil society

2. What makes it so different and special?

Three types of learning

1. Model and response

2. Interpersonal (one-on-one)

3. Group learning (schooling)

Shes sees a continutity between teacher, tutor, coach, counselor, and mentor.

Mentors help, but mentees do.

Mentoring is measured by effect on mentee. It is not a straight function of time invested.

Types of Mentoring (p. 36)

1. Situational Mentoring (short bursts at the right time). short, random, causual, creative

2. Informal mentoring -- voluntary, personal, responsive, loose, flexible

3. Formal Mentoring -- productive, long-term, institutionalized, needs driven

Effective mentor

Avoid:

* giving advice

* criticizing

* rescuing

* sponsoring

* building barriers

* ignoring the why

* discounting

Do:

* Listening

* Feedback

* Providing information and ideas

* context shifting (from previous role to new role)

* confrontation (without damaging mentees feeling)

* permission and encouragement

* exploring options