Mentors and Coaches
Mentor programmes and coaching are management development methods that have become increasingly prevalent in recent years. Such methods can be easily adapted to the needs both of the organisation and of the individual. Used correctly, mentoring is an excellent way of increasing the number of women at higher levels of management, since it enables them to identify strategies for advancing in their careers. They become visible potential candidates for higher posts, and have access to the their mentor’s network. The organisation can use mentoring as an effective and economical tool for management development and management supply.

Mentor, coach, and "supporter".
Should the programme be internal or external?
Joint or individual?
What is a gender perspective on mentoring?
Selection of mentee
Choice of mentor
Matching and contracts
The most common talking points
Checklist for the mentor/mentee relationship
Examples of mentor programmes

Personal counselling for managers is growing in popularity, and comes in a variety of forms. Here, we will spotlight four specific roles.

Mentor
Mentoring is a dialogue in which the mentor, who is traditionally the more experienced person, shares her or his experiences and advice with the mentee. The mentor is not an expert or problem-solver, but helps the mentee find solutions of her/his own. The relationship is voluntary and mutual. Mentoring has traditionally been free of charge but there are now a number of companies organising programmes at a fee. This often involves more extensive mentoring with coaching included.

Coach
Coaching and counselling are often synonymous, except where a therapy situation is involved. Perhaps the most important difference between a mentor and a coach is that the coach is specially trained in the role of professional counsellor and works to stimulate and encourage a group in a structured way. This often involves focused and delimited assignments where the goal is to change behaviour or achieve a given result. A coach assumes that the solution is to be found within the individual or group, and this solution is achieved by listening and asking questions. You can download a checklist for the quality control of coaches here.

Helper or "supporter"
In daily speech, we often talk about using people as sounding boards. The person concerned might be a colleague, someone in the person's network or someone else they have confidence in. The relationship is informal and equal, i.e. the two people support each other as necessary.

There is another role that is not as well known, namely the helper or "supporter". Studies show that men help each other onward and upward in their careers through informal processes that create bridges between levels of the hierarchy. This might involve an exchange of favours between an older and a younger member of staff. When a new manager is to be appointed, the younger man is recommended by the older one. Similar support systems usually do not exist between women. One reason is that there have been few women in positions of power, while another could be that women tend not to use social networks in this way.

"Supporters" can be used actively to support women in their career paths, for example to encourage individuals who achieve good results. The "supporter" uses his or her own influence to promote the person in various contexts. This unselfish role of sponsor can be informal and is best exercised when the parties are not dependent on each other. Sometimes the roles need to be more formalised, to avoid uncertainty in the in the organisation that can sometimes arise, especially if the parties are of different sexes.

Points to keep in mind when planning mentoring programmes. The following advice is mainly about mentoring but most of it also applies to coaching.

Internal/external programme?
The choice of an external or internal mentoring programme depends on the size of the organisation and what is to be achieved.

In an internal programme, both mentor and mentee come from within the organisation.
The advantage is that the programme can be adapted to existing needs. It can be linked to change processes within the company and internal examples can be cited. Also, current problems can be discussed, making the programme reality-based and cost-effective. An added bonus is that this strengthens the organisational culture.

In an internal programme, the dialogue that occurs between mentor and mentee concerning actual management as compared to the official policy documents gives a more realistic picture of what management is like in practice. However, mentor and mentee should always avoid any kind of interdependent relationship so that they can feel free to talk about personal matters.

In external programmes, the mentee has a mentor from another organisation. This is a good alternative for small businesses, since the mentee and mentor will not become dependent on each other. Another advantage is that outside sources can introduce fresh impetus. Many companies and organisations choose to cooperate in programmes where they exchange mentors. This gives everyone access to the skills that both mentors and mentees develop. The disadvantage is that it is harder to adapt the teaching to the specific goals and problems of one particular organisation.

Mentees might find it an advantage to join a network outside their own operation, although they will then miss out on the opportunity of networking with leading staff in their own company.

Joint or individual programmes?

Which is best? Programmes that have a joint training course and start-up, or programmes tailored to the individual?

The advantage of joint programmes is that both mentors and mentees attend the same raining sessions and meetings. Both are then able to access new networks and have the chance to discuss their thoughts and experiences with other people.

In an individual programme, the mentee can look for a mentor in a mentor bank or use a consultant to find a mentor. The difference between mentoring and coaching can be quite small. The advantage is the considerable scope for meeting individual needs. The mentee can have a mentor with a certain profile and the relationship can begin as soon as the need arises. Training takes place through self-study. The disadvantage is that you will not have the same access to networks and exchanges of experience with other mentees and mentors.

Gender perspective
Both mentees and mentors need training in how gender affects leadership and the conditions of working life. There should be scope for mentees to reflect on their own situation and the management ideals of the organisation from a gender perspective, and to engage in a dialogue with the mentor about this.

Both the mentee and the person responsible for the programme should think about whether the mentor should be a woman or a man. Having a mentor of the opposite sex can afford greater insight into how gender affects leadership. However, since mentors usually have a more senior position than mentees, and we are trained to relate to each other in hierarchies, there is always a risk that the mentee will adapt to the mentor unnecessarily. If a woman has a male mentor, there is a risk that male ways of thinking and acting will be cemented. Another risk is that the woman will learn behaviour that will not work in practice since she cannot copy male behaviour. Women must find their own way, based on their own personalities and their own gender.

The ideal would perhaps be to have two mentors. A female mentor early on in a woman's career can recognise her ways of thinking and acting, and function as a role model. Later in her career, the mentee might prefer to have a male mentor in order to learn more about men’s ways of thinking and acting.

Selection of mentee
Management is responsible for selecting mentees according to criteria that are in line withthe organisation’s management philosophy. There are differing views as to whether employees should be able to apply for mentoring programmes themselves. If the time and resources are available, there is more chance of finding the best management candidates if a lot of people have gone through the programme. Also, by applying without being asked, women can actively demonstrate their interest in getting ahead.

Keep in mind that:
- The mentee should be well-grounded in the organisation and have the potential to develop   as a leader.
- The mentee must want to move on, and be prepared to take responsibility for her own   development.

Demands on the mentee:
- The mentee must formulate her development needs...
- …and thus express in words her programme goals.
- The mentee must be able to bring her skills and network to the table.
- The mentee must be able to devote sufficient time to regular meetings with the mentor.
- The mentee must ensure that her boss is kept informed of progress.

Choice of mentor
Choice of mentor is important, since mentors are seen as spokesmen/women for senior management. A mentor who exercises leadership in line with the organisation’s objectives, therefore, can strongly influence how the operation develops.

Tips to those responsible for the programme
- Management appoints mentors according to criteria that correspond to management   philosophy.
- The mentor should be an experienced and respected leader, interested in the   development of colleagues and have a wide network of contacts and being prepared to   use it in the interests of the mentee.
- The mentor should see opportunities for his/her own growth in the mentor relationship.
- The mentor should be personally mature and be prepared to share both successes and   failures and be prepared to offer honest feedback.
- The mentor must be able to devote sufficient time to regular meetings with the mentee.

Tips to the mentee about choice of mentor
- Make sure the mentor meets the above requirements
- Identify a type of individual with the knowledge, experience, gender and personal qualities   that you want in your mentor.
- Should it be a person who is like or unlike you? Don't choose a mentor simply on the   strength of personal chemistry. Someone who is a mirror image of yourself may not be   the kind of person who can help you develop in the way you need to.
- If the relationship does not feel right from the start, give it a little time. Talk about your   expectations and agree on what can be realistically achieved.

We often talk about mutual mentoring. Mentors also have plenty of opportunity for reflecting on and developing their own leadership. They receive outside stimulation and can learn from the younger employee’s views on the organisation and on leadership. Older managers sometimes have young mentors.

The most common talking points between mentor and mentee
1. Relationship with one’s immediate superior
2. Getting one’s ideas accepted
3. Finding time for different activities in life
4. What it is like to be the boss of older colleagues
5. The next step

Matching and contracts
The mentee’s immediate superior has an important role in supporting and helping her/himmove on after the programme. This person should therefore be present when the mentee is chosen, be invited to training sessions and be regularly informed about the programme and how the mentee is doing. After the programme ends, time should be found for a discussion about what is to happen next.

Both mentor and mentee fill in a description of themselves and their background. Mentees also describe their development goals and wishes regarding the mentor.

In some programmes, mentees are allowed to choose from a pool of mentors. In others, those responsible for the programme do the matching. The mentee must feel that (s)he can learn something from the mentor, that good co-operation is possible.

Mentoring begins with the parties drawing up a contract in which they specify what rules are to apply in the relationship.

The following should be included in the contract:
- goal and purpose
- confidentiality
- how often they are to meet
- how long each meeting is to last
- the mentee’s superior is to be aware of and confirm the mentoring
- how to terminate the contract