Mentoring Program

No. This is a completely free service offered by The Transitions. In fact, we consider this an “open source” project that is fully transparent and available for other use. If your organization would like to customize this program for their own use, please contact us at TheTransitionsWorkComp@gmail.com.

Yes. Nobody gets paid anything by anybody. That does not preclude in-person meetings where someone might pick up the tab or maybe a “thank you” gift, but this program is not a financial transaction.

Anybody willing to transparently and non-judgmentally share their professional and personal experience for the benefit of someone else. A Mentor can be of any age or other demographic, with any corporate role or core competencies. The primary qualifying condition is a desire to help others with lessons learned. Note: the Mentor Candidate Committee has a documented process by which applicants are reviewed before being accepted into the program.

Anybody that would like to learn from someone else. A Mentee can be of any age or other demographic, with any corporate role or core competencies. The primary qualifying condition is a desire to become better personally and professionally.

Whatever is mutually agreed upon between the Mentor and Mentee.

However much time you have to volunteer.

Yes if your time and schedule allow. Just be aware that becoming a Mentor is a commitment, so be careful not to dilute your focus by over-committing. Focus on relationships with Mentees most suited to learn from your expertise.

Yes, but time and focus should not be diluted. Keep in mind the commitment made by a Mentor to invest in the Mentee — that is not to be taken lightly. Focus on relationships with Mentors most suited to your mentoring needs.

Absolutely. It’s never too late to learn. In fact, people interested in becoming Mentors are likely high achieving life-long learners and will have questions and areas of growth for themselves.

Whatever is mutually agreed upon between the Mentor and Mentee. It could be for a single meeting, for a month, during a period of transition, or a lifetime. It could be that a Mentee changes Mentors over time — for example, a first Mentor for claims best practices, a second for sales best practices, a third for “how to get to the C-Suite” advice.

That really is up to the two individuals involved. However, the goal is for the discussion to go beyond technical skills and include life skills such as work/life balance, problem solving, decision-making, listening, creativity and collaboration. While this is a networking opportunity, it is less about meeting new people and more about fostering growth in both parties. The Mentor is providing their insights to help the Mentee become a better employee and a better human being — and usually the same happens for the Mentor because of the relationship.

Sometimes there is not a fit. That should not be perceived as a negative for either the Mentor or Mentee. It is important to have an honest conversation about whether each feels comfortable with the other, because a good mentoring relationship involves transparency and honesty. It is best to decide that early — preferably during the initial meeting — so the search can resume.

The Transitions will assign an Executive Sponsor for each relationship. They will be responsible for contacting the Mentor and Mentee periodically to confirm all is well and to solicit feedback on the program so it can be refined over time. If the relationship ends, the Mentor and/or Mentee should let their Executive Sponsor know so the database can be updated.