Speed Mentoring

The potential for cross-generational conflict in today’s workplace is universal. We’re experiencing for the first time ever, four generations sharing the same workspace; from Traditionalists, Boomers, and Xers to Millennials, each with their own values and preferences – irritations are a given, frustrations unchecked run high.

All industries need help and one solution is mentoring. Older workers have the expertise and loyalty most organizations are looking for yet these folks will be the first out the door in retirement taking a lifetime of talent with them. The challenge? How to capture the depth of knowledge and workplace acumen these folks have been accumulating through the years and transfer a good amount of that wisdom to the remaining generations.

Enter the Concept of Mentoring

While workplace mentoring isn’t a new, it’s been around in some form since the 70s, the ways that mentoring works are starting to look different as we see a greater generational mix in businesses.

Some mentoring relationships develop naturally as In the film The Intern, where Retired Boomer Robert DeNiro inadvertently becomes a role model for a couple male coworkers in their 20s. This style of informal mentoring can work when the chemistry between the mentor and mentee is right. In this case it requires that the mentee have good self-esteem and adequate communication skills.

Career mentoring in the 70s and 80s followed a more natural path, however assigned mentoring relationships have taken on a new life in recent decades. These assigned relationships focus more on task completion, activities and protege skill learning, they may also include valuable counseling, coaching and role modeling. According to Raymond A. Noe, Professor of Management & Human Resources at Ohio State University, “No emirical studies have attempted to identify the benefits proteges receive from participating in assigned mentoring relationships.” The assigned mentoring method comes it’s own liabilities. Mismatched Participants –  what if the two don’t hit it off, or the mentor feels he doesn’t have the time to fulfill the role while still carrying out his normal job duties? The strained relationship can be counterproductive and even make the mentee feel he is not a welcome addition to the company.

Frustration – Another possible disadvantage is that in some instances, the mentor may feel that the mentee is not progressing quickly enough or doesn’t seem able or willing to follow her direction, leading to frustration. The mentee may also become frustrated if she feels that she is not getting the guidance she needs. In either situation, it may be necessary for the mentee to find a new mentor if practical before the situation erodes further.

For companies cringing from the fallout of mentoring relationships gone wrong the question remains, Can effective mentoring actually work with less percieved collateral damage?

Enter Speed Mentoring

If you haven’t heard the term before, speed mentoring may sound like just another hot trend, designed to take up time and energy while never addressing the real issues at hand. But the advantages of speed mentoring are accumulating. Used as an icebreaker, speed mentoring can help break down existing social and generational barriers. Here’s how it works. Mentors and mentees will be paired up for 10 minutes at a time giving mentees an opportunity to ask questions that are meaningful to them. Stuck for good questions to ask a mentor? Try giving mentees a short list of sample questions to pique their imagination.

• What has been the most valuable lesson you’ve learned while working here?
• What advice would you give me to help establish great relationships in the workplace?
• How have you found your career personally fulfilling?
• What advice would you offer someone who wants to balance their personal with their professional life.

It’s best to coach mentors in advance how to answer mentees’ questions briefly yet meaningfully. Mentor should have a list of the sample questions in advance to think over viable answers or get a feel for the kinds of questions their 10 minute mentees might ask.

Within an hour’s meeting, each mentee could be potentially make five ten minute connections, with two minutes between, moving from one mentor to another. If the goal is to make this a fun activity for everyone, the energy that speed mentoring creates is phenomenal! Another big payoff is that speed mentoring can open the door to more meaningful relationships with individuals indifferent generations as social barriers come down. Speed mentoring could be a possible precursor to more formal mentoring assignments once a felt connection has been made.

Just facing the perceived fear of working through issues dealing with “that other generation” can yield a high percentage of understanding and camaraderie. After all don’t we all want the same things? If you think about it we all want respect, a chance to earn a living and to improve ourselves along the way.