For many organizations, teleworking has become the norm. As
a matter of fact, a recent Gallop poll found that the number of employees that
telework (at least a few days a week) has climbed to 37%. This trend however, should not deter anyone
from engaging in a mentoring relationship with a teleworker. There are actually
a couple of benefits. For one, many teleworkers are assigned to the same site
as their mentoring partner and are often on-site a few times a week therefore
creating an opportunity to meet face-to-face. In addition, teleworking
partnerships save over 2 hours commuting to and from work which allows them
more time to devote to the mentoring relationship and associated learning activities.
Mentoring in a teleworking environment, takes careful
coordination and a strong commitment to the program. The following are a few tips
for making the most of your teleworking mentoring partnership:
§
Find a local place to meet. If you
happen to be located in close proximity to your mentoring partner, plan to meet
for lunch at a local café or after hours at a nearby coffee shop. Make it a
point to schedule in advance set times to meet.
§
Connect with social media. There
are a number of social media outlets that can keep you updated with your
mentoring partner. LinkedIn, Meetup and Data.com Connect are just a few. These
sites also allow you to connect with others in your industry to share ideas and
get feedback.
§
Take advantage of phone apps. FaceTime,
Skype and ooVoo are free apps to help you meet face-to-face. Virtual meetings —
even over lunch are a great way to stay connected.
§
Set shared expectations of when and how
often you will connect. Take special care when outlining your
mentoring agreement. Carefully assess commitments and schedules ahead of time
to avoid conflicting expectations.
§
Come to meetings prepared. Both
partners should be prepared with a list of items, questions and topics to be
discussed. This will help to preclude any awkward lapses in the conversation.
§
Take part in all of the mentoring events. Encourage your mentoring partner to attend all
events (Forums, Mid-point Energizer and End of Program Celebration) either
in-person or virtually when available. This will promote a sense of inclusion
with not only your mentoring partner but the entire cohort.
§ Explore ways in which you can collaborate.Perhaps you both share a similar area of expertise. You may want to consider co-authoring a white paper. Or if your mentee has planned to give a briefing or presentation, you may want to provide to preview it and offer feedback.
§
Be mindful of schedules and time zones. Use
the appropriate methods of communication for the time of day you are
communicating. For example, if you have a question for your mentoring partner who
is three hours behind in their time zone, wait to send that text or email until
later that day.
§
Make an effort to consistently communicate
with other participants in the cohort. This will allow for feeling
more included in the program. It will also serve to expand networks which can
be critical for teleworkers.
§
Keep supervisor informed of mentoring meetings
and activities. This is particularity important for the remote
worker. Keeping the supervisor in the
loop about all program aspects will help alleviate conflicts with deadlines and
mistaken perceptions.
ASK A MENTOR
In many ways, mentoring virtually in a teleworking
environment is quite similar to a long distance mentoring partnership. Both
mentoring partners will need to plan ahead and be creative with the wide array
of technology available to them to get and stay connected. The next time you
meet with your mentoring partner, plan to discuss how you will plan for a
successful teleworking mentoring relationship:
o
What
will be the best times of day to connect?
§
Are there any time zone issues?
o
What
technology is easiest for both of us to use to connect?
o
Are we
both local?
§
Where are some places we can meet up either
during lunch or after hours?
o
Do we
have similar expertise in any area that would allow us to collaborate?
o
Will we
be able to attend all of the workshops and forums?
§
If not, how can we brief each other on
these events?
