Discovering the Mentor Within

Introduction
Organizations worldwide are realizing the value of mentoring. They are investing time, money and resources into creating cultures that embrace these important developmental relationships. Mentoring partnerships vary based on the developmental needs of the employee. These relationships can be content focused (sharing knowledge or teaching skills that may be needed) or process focused (creating an environment to shift thinking and develop new ideas and behaviors).

Discovering the Mentor Within explores the skills necessary to help employees seize learning opportunities in the midst of everyday events. Volunteer mentors will learn how to position themselves with a mix of coaching skills: diagnostic listening, strategic questioning, gap planning, wisdom sharing and productive feedback. This foundational training serves as a basis for effective mentoring.

Benefits

Creates a supportive environment to transfer knowledge from one individual to another.
Enhances the culture of continuous learning and growth where people can live and work to their full potential.
Offers mentors the personal satisfaction of "giving back" to the organization and passing along their legacy.

Pre-Course Work
Each participant will receive a DISC assessment to be completed and returned to The Training Connection 10 days prior to the Discovering the Mentor Within workshop.

Building Strong Mentoring Relationships

Explore the difference between informal and formal mentoring.
Discuss productive mentoring relationships and how to keep them on track.
Learn how to respect and value the natural DISC behavioral styles of others and how to blend styles for improved interpersonal relationships.

The Keys to Mentoring Success

Clarify the four key mentoring roles.
Learn how to engage others in their own process of self-discovery.
Build skills in diagnostic listening, strategic questioning, gap planning, sharing wisdom and productive feedback.
Learn how and when to involve the supervisor in the mentoring process.

Designing Developmental Experiences

Help mentorees set learning goals, priorities and milestones.
Discuss examples of developmental activities including: classroom courses, shadowing, developmental assignments or projects, insightful feedback (self and 360), detail assignments/job rotations, networking, self-study and research.
Learn how to develop a Mentoring Action Plan and a Mentoring Agreement based on the individual needs of the mentoree.

Sustaining Momentum and Renewing Commitment

Learn how to evaluate progress and renew commitment.
Identify momentum-blockers and what can cause a plateau in a mentoring relationship.
Develop strategies for renewing commitment and sustaining momentum.

Closing Down the Mentoring Relationship

Learn how to reflect on learning outcomes and lessons learned.
Explore strategies for closing down the mentoring relationship.
Discuss ideas for celebrating success and sharing acknowledgements and gratitude.

Experiential Based Learning Sessions
Discovering the Mentor Within is an experiential-based training program. Experiential learning offers participants an opportunity to learn by doing. Mentors will be asked to "contract" with another participant in the training program to be mentored on a particular issue or skill that is relevant to them. This will ensure 1) the skills they are learning are immediately reinforced by being put to use and 2) the experience being on the "other side of the table," which also enhances their ability to mentor.

Materials
Participants will receive a Discovering the Mentor Within workbook for use during the training program and for on-going mentoring. Through personalized information generated from the TTI Success Insights^® software, participants have the opportunity to immediately increase their knowledge of self and others. TTI Success Insights® reports clarify individual work styles, how those styles effect job performance and how the mentoring partnership can build on strengths and overcome weaknesses