Mentoring Our Members A Human Resources Directorate Program

Commodore Robert SmektaDeputy Director

Commodore Sigurd MurphyAssistant National Commodore, FORCECOM

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What is Mentoring?

Mentoring is a traditional method for orienting and training those new to the Coast Guard Auxiliary and a valuable means for supporting the development of all members to keep them involved.

Individuals who share knowledge, experiences, and skills to benefit someone else provide valuable service to all involved.

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A person within an organization who has the knowledge and skill to provide counsel and guidance.

A mentor relationship is one where the outcome of the relationship is expected to benefit all parties in the relationship for personal growth and goal achievement.

A Mentor extends a helpinghand to those that want andneed assistance.

Who is a Mentor ?

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The role that a less experienced Auxiliary Member assumes when working with a mentor.

The role requires and assumes a willingness to actively work with and to learn from the experience and wisdom of the Mentor.

Who is the Mentee?

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A developmental process in which a more experienced Auxiliary member commits to working and learning together with a less experienced member for the purpose of professional development.

The mentoring process includes a series of phases in which the Mentor's leadership of the process is adapted to the developing strengths and changing needs of thementee.

How Does the Mentoring Process Work?

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The developmental relationship of a Mentor and Mentee that is characterized by confidentiality, trust, caring, and mutual support and challenge for growth.

The mentoring relationship creates the necessary context of safety and confidence for the Mentor and Mentee to take the risks of trying new work strategies and of learningin front of each other.

This context is necessary for accelerated professional growth.

Mentoring Relationship

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An agreed to beginning and end.

A method for no fault termination.

A formal matching of the Mentor(s) and Mentee; and,

Agreed to goals, objectives and/or checkpoints.

Formal Mentoring

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This partnership usually occurs when one Auxiliary member (the Mentee) seeks another for advice or to be their guide. It can also occur when a person (the Mentor) reaches out to someone they know could benefit from their experience. These relationships tend togrow over a long period of time and are effective and rewarding.

Informal Mentoring

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The Auxiliary uses the applicable portions of the Coast Guard Mentoring Program, COMDTINST 5350.2 (series).

The intent of the Program is to help all Auxiliary members become more Involved thus creating a cadre of future leaders, staff, and engagedmembers resulting in higher mission accomplishment and retention.

Auxiliary National Mentoring Program

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Mentoring is an inherent responsibility of leadership and the Coast Guard expects that Auxiliary leaders will ensure the Auxiliary National Mentoring Plan is in place for all members.

Every Mentor should work with their Mentee to create and use an Individual Development Plan that outlines expectations and feedback. Usually, most mentoring is informal, related to day-to-day guidance for current activities.

Leaders will ensure that members are mentoredto achieve the maximum benefit from the energy and time devoted by the Mentor(s).

Mentoring

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All Coast Guard active duty, reservists, Auxiliarists, andcivilian employees are highly encouraged to use the mentoring program as a method for increasing job satisfaction, professional development and advancement.

However, while leaders are responsible to utilize Mentoring, each member is ultimately responsible for his or her own professional developmentand advancement; participationin mentoring is voluntary.

Responsibilities

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Roles and ResponsibilityThe Role of the Mentee is that of:

The LearnerThe PlannerThe CommunicatorThe Driver

The Role of the Mentor is that of:The TeacherThe GuideThe CounselorThe Challenger

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Benefits of Mentoring

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Benefits of MentoringMentoring is a partnership where both partners learn and grow.For the Mentee it:

Helps show how to set and pursue goals more effectively Helps create plans to reduce distractions that interfere Helps understand the mission of Auxiliary program areas and why our work

mattersFor the Mentor it:

Can renew enthusiasm Demonstrates that mentoring helps retention and building on the future As the Mentee increases knowledge and the ability to improve professionally,

so does the MentorBoth learn there is more than one way to get something accomplished Increases vertical communication Increases cross-functional communication

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How Do I Get Started?

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Successful Mentoring PartnershipTo have a successful mentoring partnership, it has to have:Clarity of PurposeExplicit ExpectationsCommitmentRespect and Appreciation of DifferencesConfidentiality and Trust

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What Makes a Good Match Mentors and Mentees who are very similar in knowledge

and personality may not result in the best match.

The best matches are often where there are key differences between the participants.

Often the differences offer the greatest potential for learning for all participants.

Besides having the needed knowledge and skill, the Mentor must be patient and personable.

The Mentee must have the desire to learn, grow professionally and be responsive to the Mentor’s impute.

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How to find a mentor First: Mentee sets preliminary Mentoring Goals

Second: Mentee determines their ideal mentor

Third: Mentee creates a list of potential mentors

Fourth: Mentee select five potential candidates

Fifth: Mentee, with the concurrence of their unit leader,

arranges meetings with their top five choices

Sixth: Mentee selects one or more Mentors

Seventh: Mentoring process begins

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Mentor’s Initial contact with Mentee

First: Clarify your mentoring goals

Second: Explore time commitment

Third: Determine Mentee’s goals

Fourth: State your willingness to mentor

Fifth: Explore the candidate’s background

Sixth: Arrange an exploratory meeting

Seventh: If all agree that working together will produce a

good relationship, with unit leaders concurrence,

begin mentoring.

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Proceeding with the RelationshipOnce a Mentor and Mentee have agreed to work together, it is suggested that they dedicate time to planning. The reason is simple – it helps them stay focused and on track and clarifies expectations, defines roles, and establishes milestones by which they can measure progress.

Some find plans constraining and would rather keep things open-ended. While this has some benefits, the pitfall is that it become difficult to assess accomplishments when specific plans have not been defined and followed.

Good planning is your best tool in avoiding problems down the road.

Most effective plans have two major components:

A Mentoring Development Plan

A Mentoring Agreement 20

The Mentoring Development PlanWhat does a Mentoring Development Plan consist of:

Outlining the mentees learning goals and activities Document the goals of the mentoring relationship Mentor and Mentee review the plan to ensure the mentoring process

will address the goalsOnce the goals and plan have been agreed upon

Determine how to measure success. How will you know that the goal has been reached? Make a specific plan for learning activities and timeframe

What is the best way to learn? Classroom, Shadowing, Observation and Feedback, Detail Assignment or Self Study and Research?

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The Mentoring AgreementWhat does a Mentoring Agreement consist of:

Outlines how the Mentee and Mentor will work together. It should spell out: When you will meet or talk Roles and Responsibilities Back up plan for missed meetings Mentor’s availability between scheduled meetings Confidentiality, what if anything of the mentoring conversations can

be shared with others.

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The Mentoring MeetingsWhat needs to be considered for meetings:

How will you meet? In person Teleconference Video Conference E-Mail At a business meeting

Do you need an agenda Using an agenda will keep you on task

Periodically review how the mentoring conversations are going What is working What can be done better

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Staying on TrackSuccessful mentoring partnerships continually evaluate the mentoring process to see if the effort is working and make any adjustments when needed. Having regular discussions about the mentoring progress helps to maintain the momentum. Having periodic assessments does not need to be an overwhelming process. There are three areas the assessment should evaluate:

Time Commitment

Mentoring Relationship

Accomplishments

While the three areas help evaluate the mentoring relationship and its outcome, it is also a good idea for each partner to look at their own contribution to the mentoring process. 24

Trouble-Shooting ??Are there signs that the partnership is in trouble? Look for the following:

Conflicting goals or values

Confidentiality agreement violated

Lack of Interest

Lack of trust

Infrequent interaction

No longer learning and growing

If these symptoms crop-up, addressing them early can get the partnership back on track and revitalize the relationship

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Closing OutHow you finish your mentorship is just as important as how you

started it. The end marks a passage, a completion. If possible set up a face-to-face meeting. It can be formal or informal such as meeting for coffee or lunch. Some of the questions to explore:How have we benefited personally and professionally? What were our accomplishments? What did we learn?What did we like best about our mentoring partnership? What did we most appreciate about each other?How might we use what we learned about mentoring in the future?Do we plan on staying in contact? Provide your unit leader with a final written Mentoring Report.

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Additional Information

Additional information about the:

Mentoring Development PlanMentoring AgreementUnit Leader Mentoring Report

can be found on the H Directorate Website

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Questions?

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