2. A Paradigm Shift
-Mentor Mentee Relationship Alignment
Executive Summary
Executives and Top Management of the largest and most complex
global organizations are increasing their focus on cultivating talents
Table of Contents Across the firm. This emphasis on identifying and cultivating leadership
pipeline is driven both by the need to manage through current economic
Executive Summary 1 turbulence as well as the challenges of promoting long term corporate
growth. Hence, that Mentoring serves as the powerful source of Transfer
of Job Knowledge and aides Succession Planning.
Concept –Mentoring, Mentor 2
and Mentee Mentoring defined as developmental assistance offered to a junior
Employee by someone more senior and experienced in the organization.
Although mentoring, in practice, may stray from this definition, its
Various Roles Played by Mentor 2 application and intention remains the same—provide a tangible benefit
in terms of business results to the organization, Development of high
potential employees and Talent pipeline development/succession
planning .Mentoring is a protected relationship, in which learning and
Business Case 3 experimentation occur through analysis, examination, reexamination and
reflection on practice, situations, problems, mistakes and Successes (of
both the mentors and the mentees) to identify learning opportunities
Analyzing the Problem Areas 4 And gaps.
….Mentoring is about helping the learner/mentee to grow in self
Confidence and develop independence, autonomy and maturity.
Case Solution 4 The mentoring relationship is a special relationship where two people
make a real connection with each other. In other words they form a bond.
It is built on mutual trust and respect, openness and honesty where each
Conclusion 7 party can be itself. It is a powerful and emotional relationship. The
Mentoring relationship enables the mentee to learn and grow in a safe
and protected environment.
…The quality of the relationship is crucial to a successful outcome; If bonding
does not occur and one or both of the two parties are not comfortable within
The Relationship then neither learning nor Mentoring will be sustained.
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3. Concept-Mentoring, Mentor and Mentee
Mentoring: is defined as developmental assistance offered to a junior employee by someone more senior and
experienced in the organization. Although, mentoring, in practice, may stray from this definition, its application and
intention remains the same—provide a tangible benefit in terms of business results to the organization.
Mentor: The senior leader guiding the junior member on Leadership, Business and Emotional aspect is called
Mentor. Specific Benefits to a Mentor:
· Develops own Leadership skills
· Understands Leadership Bench strength
Mentee: The Professional being mentored is called a Mentee.
Specific Benefits that a Mentor can provide are as follows:
· Receives Instructions in specific skills and knowledge critical to successful job performance
· Receives Help in understanding the unwritten rules in the organization
· Receives Answers to questions and offers important insights
· Offer Emotional Support
· Serve as a Role Model
Create an environment in which mistakes can be made without losing self confidence.
Various Roles Played by a Mentor
The Mentor’s role requires wearing hats of a Counselor, Coach and a Mentor. However, it is essential to understand
the key difference between these terms which are often used interchangeable:
Particulars Coaching Counseling Mentoring
Deals with organizational,
Deals with performance problems Deals with emotional career or personal
Scope and Limitations and specific challenges problems transitions
Central Focus Task Centered Problem Centered Possibility Centered
Works on the interface
Works for developing and selecting between the individual's
options for behavior in specific Work's on clients identity and the big
What is worked on? Situations embodiment of the problem picture
Time Frame Short to medium term Past and present Past present and future
The client's thoughts,
Areas for discussion How the client acts How the client feels feelings and actions
Professional unconnected
Line manager or professional to day-to-day life
Who does it? personal coach Professional third party (off-line)
Areas for potential Knowledge, skills and
benefit Knowledge & skills Insights insights
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4. Business Case
Compulsory Executive Mentoring Program (CEMP) Failed Miserable
Situation: In January 2005, with roughly a major chunk of employees in a XYZ Company nearing Retirements, it is
essential to devise a mechanism to transfer Job Knowledge and build the Talent Bench of *High Potentials in the
Company. In order to address the concern, the Head HR along with the Business Vertical Heads diagnosed the
threats looming on the organization. He devised an Action Plan. The Plan would take 3 years time in order to
provide results and the key elements of the plan are as follows:
a) To devise the **DNA of the Future leader.
b) The DNA provides a roadmap on the key characteristics of the future Leaders
c) The Assessment was administered in the team which is considered from a High Potential Set of
Employees and currently in a Managerial profile.
d) Business Vertical Heads were asked to mentor and provide guidance to these Hi Potential set of group
that would be allocated to them
e) A Compulsory Executive Mentoring Program (CEMP) was launched as a Process wherein every Business
Vertical Head was given a Manager to be trained in January 2008.
f) After giving basic information about Mentoring Concept, follows, the mentor and mentee were asked to
spent time with each other.
After completion of first year of the program, the HR Head was anticipating a positive outcome. However,
survey findings from these mentors and mentees to gauge their feedback on the training revealed major
mismatch in the expectations of Business Vertical Heads from their Managers and vice versa which is as
follows:
· Mismatch of mentor/mentee
· Mismatch of expectations
· Reluctant mentor/mentee
· Overzealous mentee
· Gender mismatch
· Cultural mismatch
· Emotional involvement
· Broken confidentiality
· Conflicting Managers and Mentees
· Obstructions from conflicts of others, e.g. mentees line manager, colleagues, partners
· Parameters/boundaries not agreed in advance
The HR Head is in a predicament since a well devised program had reflected poor results. The current issue
was to find where did they go wrong and accordingly take corrective actions.
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*A High Potential criteria is different for different organizations, however, in the above case is a professional who is
a Team Manager (Manages self and others i.e. subordinates) and is able to achieve two promotions in four years
time.
**DNA of Future Leader- The knowledge, skill and behavioral attributes that he/she should possess as designed for
a future leader
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5. Analyzing the Problem Areas
The Program was devised over a period of three years and efforts by various Business Vertical Heads and Human
Resource Team were invested to bring out a structured succession planning Initiative called Compulsory Executive
Mentoring Program (CEMP).However, after going through the case, the following elements were not seen
· There was no involvement of Head‘s /CXO’s of Company i.e. Steering Committee or Apex Committee (which
consists of representatives from each business unit) for providing solutions and guidance.
· There was no assessment conducted to understand the Business Vertical Head’s comfort level towards playing
a mentor’s role
· Each Business Vertical Head was allocated a manager; it was a forced decision thrusted on Managers.
· HR had only provided general information on mentoring to Participants.
· No Ice Breaker session or initial orientation program between mentor and mentee was conducted.
· No Agreement to formalize the association or goals was set.
· No Guidelines was set regarding meetings.
· A survey needs to be conducted after every twelve months to assess the satisfaction rate wherein 100%
participation response should be measured. The frequency for gauging the feedback is very low.
This resulted in high pressure regarding results, no sense of direction and ambiguity without setting any goals or
expectations.
Case Solution
The above diagnosis reflects that the Mentor and Mentee were following the “Ritualistic Relationship” that is
followed in a Corporate rather than participating in the real spirit. Some of solutions like Defining ‘Responsibilities of
Menter and Mentee’ and ‘Mentor Mentee Agreement ‘can be implemented to bring about seriousness in this
association.
Responsibilities of Mentor and Mentee
Employee job descriptions are written statements describe the duties, responsibilities, required qualifications, and
reporting relationships of a particular job. Similarly, defining Responsibilities of a Mentor and Mentee would create
awareness of their deliverables; this would further help them align towards their goals or purpose in a smooth and
structured manner. Broad areas of responsibilities are mentioned in the below Figure:
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6. Mentor Mentee
Responsibilities
· Clear Objectives of Involvement Responsibilities
· Clear Objectives of
· Mentor’s should know his Involvement
/her Strength and weakness
should complement mentee’s · Should know Self’s strengths
development needs. and weakness and the
expectations from Mentor
· Executive Coaching should should be cleared
be assigned to Mentor communicated
· Should be a Active Listener · Choice to select a mentor
should be a decision of self
· Should exercise a thought
provoking conversations and help · Mentee‘s Expectations with
arrive at solutions respect to future career
aspirations should be clear
· Should never go out of his way
to help a Mentee · Should not develop a
Dependency on mentor or
become indecisive in absence
of Mentor
Figure1. Responsibilities of Mentor & Mentee
Mentor Mentee Agreement
The objective of bringing about an Agreement and getting the same signed by all the parties –Mentor, Mentee and
Organization is to bring about an element of seriousness which would benefit all of them. The Premises stated below
are to bring about a discipline rather than to regulate the relationship. The following are the broad premises:
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7. Premises in Mentor Mentee
the Agreement
Criteria Heading a Business Vertical and Identified as a High Potential in the organization
willing voluntarily to be a Mentor
Kick Off Meeting The meeting is a one day off site The meeting is a one day off site meeting wherein
meeting wherein all the mentors all the mentors and mentee meet and know each
and mentee meet and know each other better
other better
Selection It will depend on Mentee’s decision. They are given free will to select the mentor who is
Parameter a Participant. The process of selection would be
following the same is following the First In First Out
Basis (FIFO) Principle .i.e. Total Number of Mentors
are from A to D If the mentor A is selected by
Mentee 1 first ,then for Mentee 2 -three options
are available viz. B, C and D
Expectations Should be responsible for imbibe Should be able to place trust in mentor i.e. able to
the confidence in the mentee for accept that the mentor would be able to provide
shouldering responsibilities direction to his career and groom him in his area’s
independently and as per the improvement.
Mentee’s needs.
Frequency and The meeting should conducted in The meeting should conducted in informal setting
location of informal setting and once every and once every month for 2 hours minimum and
Meetings month for 2 hours minimum and maximum time as per choice
maximum time as per choice
External Influence A common Executive Coach would A common Executive Coach would be assigned to
be assigned to both –Mentor and both –Mentor and Mentee. He can be
Mentee. He can be approachable by approachable by either of the parties-Organization,
either of the parties-Organization, Mentor or Mentee
Mentor or Mentee
Responsibility of The mentee will be responsible for The mentee will be responsible for calling the
initiating the calling the mentor and arrange a mentor and arrange a meeting
meetings meeting
Duration The contract would be for 1 year The contract would be for 1 year.
Goals & The goal & expectation of mentee The goal & expectation of mentee should be
Expectations should be mentioned in the contract mentioned in the contract
Assessment Every Quarter, an online survey Every Quarter, an online survey would be
/Feedback would be conducted conducted
Feedback Review A common Executive Coach would A common Executive Coach would be reviewing
by Executive be reviewing the and discuss ding the and discuss ding the same with all the parties
Coach the same with all the parties
Exit It should be a mutual decision of It should be a mutual decision of Mentor and
Mentor and Mentee if they would Mentee if they would wish to continue or would
wish to continue or would like to like to party with this association
party with this association
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8. Conclusion
Mentoring is a voluntary relationship between two individual-the mentor and the mentee which will result in a
positive, facilitative and mutual developmental activity which is not related to nor form part of organizational systems,
of assessment, appraisal or performance review. It is imperative that the end result of the Program should not mar the
objective of the process of building relationship. There are many Mentoring programs that match Mentors and
Mentees through a variety of means that require different level of resources. However, the above process is a
mechanism to find the most appropriate match while still overseeing the process enough to ensure effective
knowledge transfer and Mentor Mentee’s participant development.
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