Communication Series: Mentoring as a Training Strategy

"Tell me and I forget, teach me and I may remember, involve me and I learn"      Benjamin Franklyn

In a recent comment on this blog, a colleague shared his thoughts on the complexity of mentoring.

" I find your description of Mentoring useful. I plan to use it in proposals and statement of works to help customers understand the deliverable. Often training is called for, but the audience is only one or two deep, so point training followed by mentoring is called for. Or sometimes mentoring is remdedial to plug gaps in productivity capability. Setting/defining "learning objectives" for mentoring is a challenge."

Utilizing mentoring as a purposeful training strategy can be both cost efficient and extremely effective.  Mentoring - by virtue of it's name - suggests an ongoing relationship with a learner.  No one would probably argue that the mentoring relationship is critical to it's effectiveness and the probablility that you will meet the desired outcome.  However, once we identify the content expert (mentor) and create an introduction/relationship with the learner (mentee) - we often put them together with only the hope that there will be knowledge transfer and understanding.  This situation promises to support one of the newest business mantras... Hope is not a strategy.

 

Creating a structure or framework for mentoring as a trainng strategy is critical.  As you are creating this learning opportunity I would urge you to consider the following:

 

1. Choosing the best Mentor:  Just because someone is an area expert or is an excellent salesperson/engineer/developer/chef doesn't mean he/she can be a mentor.  The qualities of a mentor are the same as most teachers: patient, understands the components of the whole, able to evaluate the learner etc.  Choosing the best mentor for the training is critical.
2. Clearly identifying the learning objectives:  As a result of the mentoring engagement, what will the mentee be able to know/do/apply?  The fewer opportunities to be engaged with each other - the less aggressive the objectives should be. 
3. Purposefully outlining and creating the Mentoring Engagement: As eluded to in the comment above, there may be need for 'spot training' followed by mentoring activites.  I would suggest the following outline as a minimum:

1. Do a Needs Assessment:  What does the learner already know?  What is his/her foundational understanding?  This can be done in a conversation, observing activities or in a more formal assessment format.
2. Identify specific 'Training' Opportunities:  What training is required...where is there a lack of knowledge/information?  Will the mentor train or will that be outsourced?  Will the mentor and mentee attend training together?
3. Clearly define the activities and expectations with the  Mentor: How will the mentor interact with the mentee?  Are there scheduled weekly appointments?  Will there be both in-person and virtual opportunities?  Can the mentee contact the mentor on demand or are there set criteria?  Will the mentee accompany the mentor on customer calls, implementation visits, other...and what will be the format of that interaction? 
4. Identify a clear timeline for the mentee to complete the Mentorship engagement:  A mentoring training engagement should have a beginning and an end.  How much time should it take for the mentee to achieve the learning objectives?
5. Create a performance type evaluation: We may learn and be able to talk to new knowlege, information or practices - but the test comes when the learner is required to 'apply' what was learned.  How will the learner's behavior or actions be different as a result of the training?  What will look different in his/her performance.

Taking even just a few minutes to consider these thoughts as you organize and schedule mentoring opportunities in your organization will increase the odds that your learner will walk away from this training opportunity with new skills and tools to apply in the future.

What I like most about using mentoring as a training strategy is the level of engagement of the learner.  In my research I found this quote:

"...  the most effective way to develop people is quite different from conventional skills training, which let's face it many employees regard quite negatively. They'll do it of course, but they won't enjoy it much because it's about work, not about themselves as people. The most effective way to develop people is instead to enable learning and personal development, with all that this implies." Business Balls

 
Effective learning opportunities that enable learning and allow for personal development often sit outside of the conventional skills trainig... I would highly recommend using 'purposeful & planned' mentoring as a training strategy in your business. 

Hot vs Not

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Fear & Success...

Top 10 Fears that Hold Us Back from Success

On the heels of my post yesterday about 'inaction'...I found it interesting that my entrepreneurial spouse came home from the gym (albeit his 'second home') and talked about a new word that he had coined.  As they were at the gym speculating the increase of attendance into the month of January (hmmm I was thinking about going myself...)... he mentioned that all of those that are creating their fitness New Years Resolutions would be called Resolutionists -

 One of my favorite websites being Addicted 2 Success - I happened to stumble upon the Top 10 Fears article referenced above.  This article takes our previous discussion to an even more thoughtful level - identifying and detailing the top fears as:

1. Failure
2. Death
3. Rejection
4. Ridicule
5. Loneliness
6. Misery
7. Disappointment
8. Pain
9. The 'Unknown'
10. Losing your Freedom

If you are a repeating 'resolutionist'...or are thinking about being a resolutionist for the very first time... this is worth the read.  If you have been a 'budding entrepreneur' ...but never able to make the move... perhaps you will gain some perspective on your 'inaction'...

Just do it...

Move Me Quotes

 “Inaction breeds doubt and fear.  Action breeds confidence and courage.  If you want to conquer fear, do not sit home and think about it.  Go out and get busy.” ~ Dale Carnegie

If you are inspired by quotes, I encourage you to visit this site.  I find that inspirational quotes tap into certain places that I either bury or struggle to tap into myself.  Possibly there are realities about myself that are difficult to face or that I feel that I am a failure or inadequate...but there is something about reading 'snippits' from those that I respect - have heard of - or even find questionable that makes me thoughtful.

I am a conundrum when it comes to action.  I am a woman/business person/employee/wife/mom of action - and will coach/counsel others to be likewise....but still I am haunted by those places in my life where I find myself practicing the most mundane 'avoidance behaviors'.  Reading Dale Carnegie's words tapped into the reality of my inaction - it is fear.

I live my life by faith but I can acknowledge that I have fear.  How polar opposite fear and faith truly are and how we swing with the pendulum between the two.  In the business world I would liken faith to confidence.  When I am confident I am in action - moving forward - making decisions and interacting with colleagues and clients.  I am not deterred by objection and can easily share my reasoning and perspective.  I enjoy what I am engaged in even if it is difficult and challenging.  When I am confident - I am an early adopter, a leader, a force...

On those days where I find myself procrastinating and avoiding, I am keenly aware of my situation and often acknowledge it... but more often than not  find myself at the end of the day still not having moved through it.  I will not have written that blog post, will not have worked on that project, will not have organized my office, will not have reached out to that client... not because of a laziness but because of the fear.

Our 'fears' are personal and my fear may be different from yours.  What if no one reads my blog posts?  Who am I to be giving advice and why would anyone care what I write or think?  Why bother working on that project - no one will move it forward and I won't get credit.  If I peer deeply into my finances will I be afraid of what I see?  All of those questions can cause me to stall - to avoid - to move and not be active.

So Carnegie says to 'Go and get busy...'. Nike says to 'Just do it!'...sounds like you and I are not the only ones that struggle with our fears.  My advice to you is to find your inner inspiration and 'inner talk'
that will get you through ...some that work for me are - I am not the only one who has fears - everyone has their own stuff to deal with - most people in both my personal and business life are so busy with their own agenda and they aren't focused on my faults and inadequacies - I don't need to be perfect, no one else is - this too will pass - and a favorite that I stole from my then 'teenage daughter' 'I am a good person and I do good things...'

The moral of the story is that we all have times of inaction and there is no magic bullet that will help us move through it.  If we plan on 'doing it tomorrow' I can guarantee that tomorrow will never come.  Inaction just gives you time to think about it... action gives you focus...

Find your inspiration - your inner coach- acknowledge and get past your fear... and Go out and get busy.” - 

Selling has changed...

"People don't resist change. They resist being changed!"

— Peter Senge

I had an interesting discussion today with a colleague on the 'adjustment' in the economy and how selling has changed over the last several years.  We talked in the context of a specific organization however there are certain realities that can be generalized across most businesses selling b2b - the traditional vendor pushing the 'product sell' is no longer effective and customers are looking to 'trusted advisors and consultants' to make their business purchases.  

As I sat in a room of seasoned 'sales veterans' recently they all nod their heads with the obligatory 'yes - of course I understand how to sell consultatively' but the reality is that although the methodology has been out there now for several years - very few people actually use it...and use it well.  Selling methodologies/strategies are clearly in a renaissance - not unlike the industrial revolution where change was imminent and in motion - and those that weren't ready for the innovation would continue to do things the way they had always been done...all the while wondering why others were being more successful.

The transition from 'leading with product' to 'uncovering business pains' is not a small task.  Traditionally sales professionals have been tooled with powerpoints and product 'info sheets' that tout the features and functionalities of the product.  The sales call was more of a presentation delivery with an order form or contract at the end.  Even selling complex hardware and software across large enterprises had a linear sales process that both the vendor and the customer 'stepped through' succinctly.  Deals were made in a single meeting, with a single handshake - followed by a cocktail and fine dinner.

Today budgets are much tighter and the accountability at every level of the organization requires multiple signatures for even the most seemingly 'mundane' purchases.  Getting a meeting to present a new product or technology is almost impossible as internal meetings establish 'budgeted projects' and vendors are 'invited' to the table.  Traditional marketing campaigns where the 'newest and the greatest' are advertised and highlighted are being replaced with webinars on 'thought leadership' and industry understanding in the attempt to gain credibility for the organization in the market.

So..as an internal trainer/training lead tasked with moving an organization from 'leading with product' to 'solution & consultative selling'... how do you influence change...?

At a minimum...

Understand Solution Selling and create clear curriculum & best practices

Know your audience... identify those that might  be 'early adopters' and work closely with them       
Gain the support of your frontline managers

Learn change methodology -  'leading change' & 'managing change' and know the difference           

Be cognizant that during change there is anxiety and chaos...and support your learners          
Be able to communicate the purpose, benefits and personal 'wins' as a result of the change

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