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| Home - Industry Article - Apr 07 Issue |
Mentoring Managers: Key to a Successful Enterprise |
By Pam Randhawa, Vice President of Marketing, Phase Forward Incorporated
It has always been tough to find great talent, and it seems to be getting more challenging as the job market continues to fluctuate. In specialized fields such as life sciences, where there is high demand, we sometimes find we can ‘grow our own’ star performers by working to develop promising employees early in their careers, or more experienced professionals who have made their mark in another field, but are looking for a change. And once you have built a star performer – or if you are really lucky, a high-performance team – it is more important than ever to retain those staffers.
A strong mentoring program is an often overlooked but incredibly valuable element in grooming and retaining star employees. It can be a powerful force in the professional development of staffers, and in turn, a key ingredient in an organization’s success. Employees who feel someone is looking out for their careers are more motivated to do their best work and to stick with the organization.
I have been extremely fortunate to learn from strong mentors throughout my career as well as bright, ambitious ‘mentees’. In my experience, mentoring is all about helping someone meet his or her individual potential, rather than transforming your mentees into what you want them to be.
As I have mentored employees over the years, I have learned a number of tips to a successful mentorship.
At the outset of a mentoring relationship, it is important to look at your mentee’s strengths and weaknesses. People with apparent strengths in certain areas often have counter-balancing weaknesses in others – the yin and yang of their skill-set. Based on first-hand observation, mentees fit into three basic groups, outlined below. Of course, people sometimes have blended characteristics, making them a hybrid of these groups. But if you find these characteristics in your protégé, here are some tips for mentoring that aspect of their skill-set.
Mentee Group 1: Innovative but Disorganized
We have all worked with incredibly smart people who cannot keep their workload or workplace organized. These people have lots of ideas, are creative thinkers and possess deep knowledge of their subject matter. But they often miss deadlines and fail to deliver results because the ideas keep flowing, often interfering with execution.
To mentor this type of professional, it is important to remember that they typically have a strong sense of self-esteem. As a result, they do not like to be told what to do. You will be most successful if you communicate that you respect their value and make them feel like they are in charge. But you then need to help them develop organizational strategies in order to reach their potential. To succeed, they must develop the ability to focus and deliver. These types of workers are well served by time management classes or a specialized coach who can help them focus on setting priorities.
Mentee Group 2: Executional Expert but Risk Averse
When assigned a project, executional experts can translate it into a series of action items. They are process-oriented and are good at collaboration and consensus building. These team members will build in-depth, detail-oriented spreadsheets for a product launch or a company event, and all will go according to plan. They will also give you a realistic assessment of a situation. Can this job be completed on schedule? Ask the executional expert. These types of employees are achievement-oriented, and feel the need to see a clear-cut end result from their efforts. And because they are focused on completing a task, they often hurry to conclusions without fully exploring all the options.
Exceptional experts offer invaluable skills, making them important team members. But for executional experts to be seen as strategic players as they move along in their careers, they need to set aside their über-practical tendencies and learn to ask, “What are the other possibilities?” In addition, since they are consensus-oriented, they may need to learn how to take charge and make hard decisions when there is no clear consensus.
To help this type of individual meet his or her potential, you must teach them to be more innovative and to take more risks. For example, in group brainstorming sessions, the executional expert will tend to record the ideas, or offer very literal suggestions. You need to encourage him or her to make even wild suggestions, to try to break away from the comfort zone. These types of workers will benefit from classes that teach them to think outside the box, helping to cultivate their creative side.
Mentee Group 3: Super Tactical but Initiation-Challenged
In every organization, we have tacticians – people who can complete a series of tasks, but who need to have those duties spelled out for them. These staffers can offload and complete operational projects from their more innovative team members, but they will need clear-cut instructions. People who are early in their careers often start as tacticians.
For the tactician to thrive, the patient mentor can begin by asking the mentee to propose how he or she might solve a particular problem or approach a task. Over time, the tactician will become more skilled at assessing the steps involved in a project, and with further mentoring, could eventually become an executional expert.
Other Tips for a Successful Mentorship
Once you have determined the strengths and weaknesses of your mentee, you will have a good sense of precisely which areas need work so that the individual can progress within the organization. Here are some general tips that will help make the mentee / mentor relationship a productive one:
Meet on a regular basis; the frequency can vary depending on the needs of the mentee. For young mentees, a weekly meeting may be ideal if schedules allow. But for a senior professional, a twice-monthly meeting might be more appropriate. At the end of each session, set a goal or topic for discussion at the next meeting so that both parties can prepare in advance and make good use of the time.
A mentor / mentee pairing need not be a long-term relationship. In some cases, a mentor can impart valuable advice or help to solve a specific problem in just one meeting. Do not hesitate to give clear, constructive criticism. So long as mentees see a balance in the feedback – positive and constructive – they will learn to be receptive and appreciate the input. This feedback loop also makes it easier to discuss a mistake.
Encourage your mentees to have multiple mentors. It is the rare manager who has top-notch skills in people management, operations, strategic thinking and domain expertise. Mentees can model the behavior of various professionals, depending on the relative strengths of each person.
You do not need to know a mentor! Mentees may select a public figure as a mentor. One friend has selected Warren Buffet as a model for investing. He has never met Buffet, but he has read everything about him and has studied his strategy. He has applied that to his personal financial investments, and has had tremendous success, even though he is not a financial professional in his day-to-day work life.
The best mentoring relationships are based on mutual respect and satisfaction. Mentors report that they find these associations rewarding, as they have a chance to share their wisdom and hard-earned professional experience. Mentees, in turn, gain invaluable access to a more senior resource who can help to inspire or direct them. In the best of worlds, a first-class mentor can have a profound influence on the mentee, helping to shape and accelerate his or her career.
Pam Randhawa is Vice President, Marketing at Phase Forward Incorporated, the leading provider of integrated data management solutions for clinical trials and drug safety. In this role, she is responsible for the planning and execution of the company’s global marketing strategy, including key partnerships, marketing communications and programs, sales support, industry analyst relations and public relations. Pam draws from more than 10 years of experience in the health care and pharmaceutical industries. Before joining Phase Forward, she served as director of product development at InfoMedics. Previously, Pam held several senior roles with McKesson Corporation, including Director of Analytical Development. For article feedback, contact Pam at
pam.randhawa@phaseforward.com.
 
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