SAN ANTONIO-Participants in the Installation Management Command Headquarters Centralized Mentoring Program came together in San Antonio for a three-day orientation Nov 16-18.

The IMCOM mentorship program consists of 30 pairs of employees who are GS-11 through GS-13, or equivalents, matched with senior leaders for a formal one-year mentoring partnership. Mentees complete a one-week shadow assignment, stretch assignments, eLearning courses and regular meetings with their mentors.

"At the very basic level, mentoring and coaching is the key to influencing behavior. Getting results at every level and basically communicating that leaders care about employees." said Karen Perkins, IMCOM director of personnel G-1.

IMCOM is the only command with such a program Perkins said. She hopes that this program will help develop a culture of positive mentorship at all levels.

"We have coined the phrase, each one, reach one." Perkins continued. "And it's really all about establishing a culture of mentoring within our command. There is no other command doing this. It's about planting the seed, giving it the opportunity to grow and hoping it's going to grown lots of roots."

One change to the program, in its sixth year, is to provide mentors with a senior level mentor. Usually this person is an SES within the enterprise who can provide guidance to mentor on how to help their mentees.

"It's really pulling the fabric of IMCOM together in a lot tighter fashion." said John Curry, the deputy garrison commander at Fort Gordon and senior mentor. "I think you are going to have better trained, better prepared employees, that are ready to move up into the more senior level positions and you are building a network that these people can reach back to throughout their careers to help them with certain challenges."

The pairs came to San Antonio to meet and to begin working on their projects.

"I am looking to develop as an individual, to increase my communication skills." Said Lia Abney, who is a management analyst at Fort Gordon. Abney is one of the 30 selected to be mentored in the program.

The pairs began working on their project that will support one of the six lines of effort.

"It's really, really important now that we are preparing Army Civilians for the roles that they are going to have to take in the future; to be adaptive multitalented, multifaceted leaders." Said Michael Martin, chief of the Department of Human Resources at Fort Leonard Wood.

"What I think will be the ultimate benefit to IMCOM," continued Martin, "is that the folks that go through this program will be prepared to take on the challenging roles they are going to have to take on in the future."

To learn more about the Installation Management Command Headquarters Centralized Mentoring Program please visit http://www.imcom.army.mil/hq/directorates/hr/workforce/civilian_mentoring_program/