MentoringWorks' Conceptual Model places the Core of the relationship firmly at the centre. The three components of Mentor, Mentee and Organisation reflect evidence that mentoring programs are more effective/successful if the employer organisation is fully committed to the process and is itself engaged in developing a culture of mentoring and/or becoming a learning organisation.

The Components

Benefits for the mentor include:

• Gaining new skills and knowledge.
• Being at the cutting edge.
• Contributing to the health care capacity of your community.
• Developing your own leadership skills and capacity.
• Learning how to use Appreciative Inquiry.

Benefits for the mentee include:

• Provision of a trained and experienced mentor.
• Receiving telephone and web based resources.
• Being connected to a mentoring circle.

Benefits for the organisation include:

• Creating a learning culture.
• Building the organisational skill base.
• Living the organisation’s values and beliefs.
• Aligning organisational and staff values and directions.

Building a Mentoring Culture

The research tends to indicate that mentoring is more effective when it is located within an organisational plan to achieve the organisation’s mission and vision and to build service excellence. Mentoring can be a critical part of building a learning organisation. In his seminal work on learning organisations, Peter Sengé (1990) identified five disciplines which need to be nurtured: systems thinking, mental model, building shared visions, team learning and personal mastery. Gordon Sullivan identified leadership development as a core function of learning organisations and as critical to their survival. Mentoring doesn’t work in some organisations because it:

• Is not embedded in a supportive environment that values learning and development
• Has to compete for resources – funding and personnel
• Becomes expendable
• Is not supported by management
• Only receives lip service as a solution to past problems rather than a well considered, strategic intervention.

What is required according to Zachary (2005) is:

• Organisational congruence in a culture of learning and infrastructure which is supported by leadership.
• Clusters of mentoring practice such as accountability, communication, commitment to training, multiple opportunities for development.

Organisational Benefits

All of the research indicates that organisations can benefit from well organised and effective mentoring programs which can either be internal or external. Large organisations are able to make arrangements internally for mentoring which ensures that the program meets organisational objectives. It is not necessary however, for the mentoring to be conducted by a member of the organisation’s staff. External mentors bring a different perspective to the task. For small organisations an external mentoring program can avoid line-management issues which can blur the relationship.

• Although the evidence is limited, mentoring is more effective as an ‘all round’ approach than off site training.
• Most organisations in the various studies and evaluations reported predominately positive outcomes including higher retention rates, improved productivity, improved cohesion and loyalty, increased skill leading to better client outcomes.

In a paper titled ‘Mentoring for the New Millennium’, Walker et al (2002) propose that the traditional dyad model of mentoring has not achieved its potential due to its lack of alignment with organisational culture and priorities. They argue that the potential of mentoring will only be realised by a ‘triad model’ which includes the mentor, mentee and organisation. This model acknowledges the importance of the organisational priorities, directions and culture to the mentoring outcomes as well as the value of mentoring to the learning and growth of the organisation itself.

They further suggest that in this model the mentoring process 'is both … a noun and a verb, as a definition and as an approach…’ that is outcome based and built on the goals and investments of the three partners – mentor, mentee and organisation (p8). For the organisation the outcome will be an individual who is acculturated to the organisation for the mentor and mentee it is the attainment of professional skills and attributes.

The Inputs

The inputs of resources, training, linkages, training and alignment are provided by MentoringWorks to build mentor and organisational capacity to engage in the mentoring program.

Support: Support through regular contact, bulletins and other resources.

Training: All mentors undertake a two day training workshop which ensures understanding of the concepts and skill development in the processes.

Linkages: Over time mentors and mentees alike will be linked to others dealing with similar issues and/or to resources.

Alignment: The commitment to partner organisations is to align the mentoring provided to the broad directions and priorities of the health and community sectors.

The Core

At the core of the mentoring relationship is Appreciative Inquiry and Reflective Practice.

Appreciative Inquiry is based on applying the “appreciate eye”; it takes a strengths based, solutions focused approach. In 1985, David Cooperrider first identified the very different reactions from people when asked what is good or right about their organisation compared with those asked what were the problems. Appreciative Inquiry shares with strengths based models of intervention a commitment to what happens for individuals and organisations when they function at their best.

The traditional approach to change is to look for the problem, do a diagnosis and find a solution. The primary focus is on what is wrong or broken, since we look for problems, we find them. By paying attention to problems, we emphasise and amplify them.

Appreciative Inquiry suggests that we look for what works in a situation. The tangible result of the inquiry process is a series of statements that describe where the person wants to be, based on the high moments of where they have been.

In the mid-eighties, Cooperrider and his associates at Case Western Reserve University discovered that applying an ‘appreciative eye’ to organisations changed the approach to building the capacity of organisations and individuals.If we have achieved these moments of success and energy in the past then we know how to do it – we just need to do it more often.

Appreciative Inquiry is consistent with a strengths based approach where the future is based on tangible descriptions of high points.

Focusing on assets, potential and possibilities in our current situation (what works rather than what doesn’t) can identify the options for future success and development. An underpinning assumption in Appreciative Inquiry is that we each (personally and organisationally) have the information and resources we need to move ourselves and our organisations forward.

Focusing on assets, potential and possibilities in our current situation (what works rather than what doesn’t) can identify the options for future success and development. Reflective practice occurs by doing with an ‘eye’ towards picking up something more from the experience than just the achievement of the task. It allows people to look rigorously at the ways in which they approach their work.

Structured reflection can either be focused on individual or team practice with a ‘formal’ approach through journaling, mentoring, use of a critical friend, and/or team meetings.

Systematic reflection (Hall, 1996) is more sustained and utilises action learning, action research and program reviews.

Reflective practice gives us tools to:

• look beneath our assumptions;
• question conventional knowledge;
• see the world from a different perspective;
• revise the ways we interpret our workplace;
• create new theories and methods;
• identify new approaches.

Susan Hall (1996) identified an interesting range of tools which can be used to enhance reflective practice:

• Action Learning: is a continuous process of learning and reflection designed to improve practice.
• Action Research: involves inquiring into one’s own practice through a cyclical process which involves planning, acting, observing and reflecting.
• “Clinical Supervision”: is the process of a supervisor observing a subordinate at work and providing feedback which reviews and enhances practice.
• Critical Incident Analysis: involves the documentation and analysis of an incident in order to learn from it and enhance practice.
• Drama/Role Play: can be used to act out crucial issues and situations either by those involved and/or through “Play Back Theatre”.
• Journal Keeping: involves writing experiences and then reflecting on them to inform future action.
• Mind/Concept Mapping: connects ideas around a particular concept or issue to create a picture of the ‘total’ and the influences that each aspect brings to bear.
• Peer Observation: involves colleagues observing each other in practice and providing constructive comment about what was observed.

The Outcomes

Short, medium and long term outcomes have been identified and evaluation and monitoring strategies put in place.

The short term outcomes for the mentoring program include:

• Professional development of staff.
• Learning for mentors, mentees and organisations.
• Change and growth for all involved in the program.
• Increased connectedness for mentees establishing themselves in a new career and community.

In the medium term we believe mentoring will contribute to:

• Increased mentoring skills and processes.
• Increased levels of organisational support to mentees and mentors.
• The development of mentoring cultures amongst and across organisations.

In the longer term mentoring will contribute to:

• Increased retention rates
• Improved recruitment
• Improved organisational capacity.

Click the below image to open a PDF version of the model.