Canadian HR Strategy

CANADIAN HR STRATEGY/23 A t some point in your career, you're going to be asked to be a mentor — it goes with the territory as people climb the corporate ladder. It's a role many executives cherish, that abil- ity to pass knowledge on to the next generation of leaders just like their mentors did for them. Mentorship programs continue to evolve and can be a big part of work culture. As organizations increasingly recognize the value of educating future leaders, informal programs — which used to be the norm — are giving way to more formal, structured programs that go beyond simply coaching. Norma Tombari, RBC's director of global diversity in Toron- to, says mentoring is all about building organizational aware- ness; in other words, helping everyone involved understand how the organization operates and what opportunities are avail- able. Sponsorship takes the relationship to the next level, with the mentor taking on the role of advocate for the individual. Regardless of the level of formality of the mentorship pro- gram, a solid path for a mentor to take is to address the ABCDEs of the mentor-mentee relationship. – ASSOCIATE Helping your mentee to network is fundamental to her success, especially at the beginning of her career path. As a leader with many years of experience, it may be diffi cult to remember the daily grind and all the elements that go into carving out that perfect professional persona. Making introductions and opening doors to specifi c industry social events can be a career maker for many, said Tombari. "One of the roles that they play is defi nitely to be a con- nector or to help with the networking, help the mentees get to know the rest of the organization, to get to know their own network, to build their own network and coach them on how to make contacts," said Tombari. It is often a good idea to connect the mentee with other in- dustry professionals during monthly or bi-weekly meetings rather than simply meeting for a chat and a coffee. For exam- ple, Tombari will often bring a mentee along to a presentation at the chamber of commerce. Attending such events is an ideal way to introduce the mentee to an industry convention, as well as a few industry fellows, she said. "There is a skill to effective networking and it is something that is important throughout your career." – BUILD Rosie Parnass, executive director, organization and leader- ship development and work life at the University of Toronto, said the danger in informal programs is the momentum can easily fi zzle. "That's certainly not the case (with the university's mentorship programs)," she said. "At the end of the program, we celebrate the fact that the individuals have been together for a year." That doesn't mean information relationships don't have their place, she said. Regardless of whether you have a formal mentoring relation- ship 12 months in duration or a less formal ar- rangement that lasts longer, it is essential to structure the partnership in a uniform way. "We typically defi ne what the roles and re- sponsibilities are for mentors and mentees," said Tombari. Goals and objectives must be set out from the start. The mentor and mentee must defi ne their roles in the relation- FEATURE/MENTORSHIP "ONE OF THE ROLES THEY PLAY IS DEFINITELY TO BE A CONNECTOR." PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK

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