One of the big initiatives within the Logistics and Readiness Center (LRC) is to train and develop the members of the workforce. Mr. Lane Collie, LRC director, has been committed to developing the LRC since taking over leadership within the Center. The LRC senior leaders have also taken an interest and are very involved in the implementation of this program.
The Mentoring Program quickly became a main concern to ensure the success of the organization for the future. Mentorship is a powerful tool for personal and professional development. The relationship can improve technical competence, leadership skills, self awareness and morale for the employee. Both parties in the mentoring relationship have significant responsibilities to make sure the process is effective. The mentors dedicate their time and energy to build a relationship with their mentees. They come prepared to listen actively and intently and making themselves available when needed by the mentee either by email or phone.
They also provide open and honest feedback to the mentees. The mentee has the benefit of working with a senior leader to improve upon any skill gaps or challenges they have in their career. At times the mentee may just want to bounce ideas off the mentor. The mentee should be prepared for the mentor to provide candid feedback in the sessions to assist with development. A mentee should also be open and honest with the mentor and have a willingness to try new things. The mentee must be receptive to the mentors feedback and suggestions in order to make some changes. If either individual is not committed to the relationship, it will never work out effectively.
The LRC has rolled out a Mentoring Program for supervisors. The overall goal of the program is to guide and coach the leaders of the future. Mentoring promotes a working relationship in which a more experienced professional guides and coaches a less experienced employee. The act of mentoring is a flexible and fluid face-to-face process that requires commitment and dedication from both the mentor and mentee. The relationship is based on trusting one another. Mentoring builds confidence and encourages the individual to grow beyond the usual expectations.
A team of senior leaders were brought together to define the Mentoring Program, scope and set the expectations for the program. The roles and responsibilities of both the mentor and the mentee were clearly defined by the team to avoid any confusion that may exist with the chain of command. Each senior leader made a commitment to mentor a supervisor outside of the chain of command. The group continues to meet on a bimonthly basis to discuss the status of the program and make enhancements for the program going forward.
LRC senior leaders attended vendor training sessions to gain insight on how to be a successful mentor. Following the training, the mentors began reaching out to their mentees to begin the process. Mentoring training and coaching was required for all the mentors in the program. In addition to the vendor training, a select team of supervisors conducted roundtable sessions to provide tools to assist with training new mentors due to the expansion of the program to the junior workforce.
The sessions were beneficial to everyone in attendance as each person has different experiences and ideas to bring to the table. All of the mentors were trained to assist with the process being standardized across the center. The mentors and mentees set their expectations for the relationship during their initial meeting. The initial meeting will allow both individuals time to get to know one another and break the ice. The mentor will ask questions to develop an Individual Development Action Plan and Mentorship Agreements.
After these documents have been created and the initial dialogue has occurred, monthly meetings will occur going forward. The mentor will also be available by phone or email anytime the mentee feels the need to reach out. The mentor will continue to monitor the progress and make adjustments of both the Individual Development Action plan and the Mentorship Agreement going forward. The LRC currently has approximately 45 mentors in the program and 105 mentees. A survey will be going out to the workforce soon to seek out additional candidates with interest in the program.
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