An Eight-Step Guide to Creating and Sustaining a Mentoring Program |
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Authors: | Eric A Vance Amarjot Kaur Mark C Otto Richard Morris |
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Institution: | 1. Department of Applied Mathematics, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO;2. Merck Research Laboratories, Rahway, NJ;3. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Laurel, MD;4. Research Statistician/Senior Program Manager Social &5. Scientific Systems, Inc. (Retired) |
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Abstract: | Mentoring is an extremely valuable activity for both individuals and organizations. Mentoring within organizations can develop and integrate employees into their corporate culture. Mentoring outside the mentees’ work groups or through professional development organizations can give broader perspective and support, especially in times of transition. But mentoring programs require tremendous effort to start, organize, and maintain. Few last more than two years. This article provides a structured approach to starting and sustaining a successful program. The steps include understanding an organization’s particular needs, learning from small pilot programs, following up with mentoring pairs during a committed formal mentoring period, and evaluating results from each program’s cycle to learn and grow the program. Supplementary materials for this article are available online. |
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Keywords: | Communication Goals Leadership Problem solving Professional development Trust |
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