Focus Magazine - Summer 2016 - (Page 28)

FEATURESTORY Creating the Value Proposition for Mentoring ■ By Valerie Smith Pease A value proposition for a development initiative is not a brilliantly craed statement that so eloquently grabs the attention of senior leaders that they hand over thousands of dollars with a pat on the back and a shout of, "Go for It!" Instead, the value proposition comes alive over time as both the need and the results unfold and are reiterated throughout the organization. Showing a value chain from Activity A to Result A continues to be a challenge. erefore, a value proposition involves creating the initial business case and engaging stakeholders in such a way that they are willing to take that leap of faith that value will occur. 1. Do Your Homework Begin with the end in mind. Imagine what the organization would be doing and achieving if you were seeing valuable outcomes from a mentoring program. Outline and prioritize the key development needs that might be met eﬀectively via mentoring. en, note other organizational challenges or dysfunctions that can be ameliorated via mentoring such as silos, a glass ceiling, absence of succession pipelines, etc. Research mentoring programs, especially in organizations such as your own. Assess your organization's 28 development culture, development fatigue and appetite for change. Understand whether other development initiatives have been successful and why or why not. Put together a dra framework for a mentoring process based on the learning from the preparation stage to use during stakeholder engagement discussions to show that you have done significant legwork, understand the issues and have focused on the business interests of the organization. e dra is not your proposal; it is a straw dog to be used as a conversation starter and to pique interest. 2. Engage Your Stakeholders Building engagement for any development initiative begins before the oﬃcial plan is created and sent up the chain of command for approval. Do not embark on the stakeholder engagement phase as if you are presenting a fait accompli for which you seek approval. Stakeholder engagement begins with learning about others' experience and preconceived opinions with mentoring and sharing ideas about which they can opine. You want to engage them in conversations that not only solicit input but cause them to begin to think that mentoring is a key development process that will benefit the organization and make their work lives more eﬀective. Determine who in senior leadership or outside human resources might be a champion for mentoring such as those who have personally benefited from having a mentor. You can leverage the benefits they have gained from mentoring to build your business case as well as engage them as influencers when it comes time to sell the process in the organization. FOCUS | SUMMER 2016 | www.L-TEN.org http://www.L-TEN.org

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Focus Magazine - Summer 2016

Focus Magazine
From the President: Training, Leaders & Collaboration
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Guest Editor: LTEN: What's in a Legacy?
Directions: Celebrating 45 Years of Enthusiasm
Front of the Room: Calling Audibles
Neuroscience: The Science of User Experience
LTEN at 45: Community, Clarity and Careers
How to Train the 'Creepy' Out of Closing
Creating the Value Proposition for Mentoring
Creating the Next Generation of Life Sciences Learning
The Power of Quiet: Debunking the Myths
Mobile-Friendly vs. Mobile-First
What Kid's Soccer Teaches You About Selling
Virtual How: Instructor-Led Virtual Classrooms
Ad Index
Focus Contacts
5 Questions with DJ Mitsch

Focus Magazine - Summer 2016