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Wyoming Mentoring Program

The Wyoming NRCS Mentor Program was developed by the Wyoming EO/CR committee and adopted by Wyoming leadership in 1995.

The attached Wyoming Mentoring Handbook provides employees with information on the objectives of the mentor program as well as guidance on how to build a successful mentoring relationship. Employees should refer to GM-360, Part 410, Subpart B for further guidance on the mentor program.

All employees are encouraged to use this program as a method for training and for career development. Those interested in being mentored as well as those interested in becoming mentors are encouraged to submit their applications to the Human Resources Department. Questions concerning the mentor program should be directed to Mike Swanson, Human Resources Manager at 307-233-6794.

J. Xavier Montoya
State Conservationist

SUBPART B -RESPONSIBILITIES

WY410.10 Employees WY410.10

Framework for the Wyoming Mentoring Program

Mentoring is a potentially valuable tool in employee development. Mentoring is a one-to-one confidential
relationship between the employee and a more experienced agency official. A mentor provides an
employee guidance and advice based on his or her own operating experience in the agency, as well as an
opportunity to raise questions and get things off his or her mind in a non-threatening setting.

Informal mentoring has always been active in NRCS and mentoring outside the auspices of the mentoring
program is encouraged. The mentoring program is a framework by which to provide employees with a
greater opportunity to utilize the benefits of a mentoring relationship. This program also provides a greater
opportunity for employees to become mentors and share their valuable knowledge and experiences.

OBJECTIVE

To offer NRCS employees in Wyoming opportunities for career development, and personal and professional growth. Also to increase communication between and among employees, improve morale, and foster commitment to the agency.

ELIGIBILITY

All NRCS employees in Wyoming, both permanent and temporary, are eligible to participate as a mentor or to be mentored.

DEFINITIONS

Mentor: Trusted and experienced counselor and guide, may be other than the employee's supervisor. Typically, a more experienced or higher graded NRCS employee.

Equal Opportunity and Civil Rights Committee (EOC): Committee that oversees the Wyoming Mentoring Program.

RESPONSIBILITIES

The Equal Opportunity and Civil Rights Committee's responsibilities:

Implement, evaluate, and modify the mentor program
Publicize the mentor program
Develop a model for training employees to be mentors
Monitor the effectiveness of the mentor program
Prepare annual reports for the State Conservationist

The Human Resources Office's responsibilities:

Establish a list of employees willing to serve as mentors
Provide lists of prospective mentors to employees seeking mentors
Develop training material for mentors

Mentor’s responsibilities to the employee

Provide advice and guidance about career development and upward mobility
Provide information on NRCS organization structure, politics, policies, and players
Serve as a role model
Promote the employee’s aspirations and encourage their realization
Provide a vision to the employee
Boost the employee's self-esteem
Recognize situations that should be dealt with through the supervisor, Employee Assistance Program, or other channels and refer accordingly.
Provide feedback to the EOCR Committee

Mentored Employee’s responsibilities:

Make regular contact with their mentor
Respect the advice and guidance of the mentor
Share experiences with the mentor to build the mentoring relationship
Periodically inform the mentor of progress towards goals
Provide feedback to the EOCR Committee

MENTORING PROCESS:

Employees interested in serving as mentors may complete the "Application for Mentors" form (Subpart F, Exhibits) and return the completed form to the Human Resources Office for record-keeping. Potential mentors will be contacted for concurrence before their application is forwarded to employees seeking a mentor.

Employees may choose any employee from the list of mentors. Factors the employee should consider are: geographic proximity, supervisory relationships, and compatibility of mentor and employee career tracks. The employee should initiate the contact with the prospective mentor, who may either accept or decline the pairing.

It is preferable that supervisors not serve as a mentor for employees they supervise. The mentor should be someone outside the chain of command. This provides the employee with an outside point of view -unencumbered by internal work situations.

Employees may also request the assistance of the Human Resources Office in identifying potential mentors. The Human Resources Office will provide copies to the interested employee of completed mentor applications. The employee is expected to initiate the contact with the mentor.

Mentor - employee pairings are made for a period of one (1) year, and may be renewed in following years. Either the mentor or the employee may terminate the relationship at any time.

To provide for evaluation of the mentor program, the employee should notify the Human Resources Office of the name of their mentor. The EOCR will distribute an evaluation form for both mentors and employees to use in evaluating the effectiveness of the program. Comments will be used to improve the mentor program.

CONTACTS:

Mentoring works best through personal contacts. The employee should feel free to contact their mentor at any time. The mentor and employee may meet on official time. Under most circumstances, official time should not exceed, on average, 4 hours per month. Effective communication methods may also include written communication, telephone conversations, emails, and meetings at field sites or other work locations. Mentor -employee contact may involve onsite visits when it coincides with official NRCS business, and does not inhibit NRCS business. Mentors are encouraged to hold their meetings with employees in private, and in a relaxed atmosphere.

Mentoring relationships are confidential. Trust and confidence are vital to the relationship. If the relationship is to succeed, both mentors and employees must be at ease with one another to the point where they are willing to freely share information. For both parties, the subjects discussed are confidential and not to be shared outside the mentoring relationship.

The mentor program does not abrogate an NRCS employee's responsibility to report waste, fraud, abuse, misconduct, or breech of ethics to his/her supervisor.

Mentors are to provide employees with confidential guidance, to correct misunderstandings and wrong impressions; and to provide encouragement and guidance in career development. They also assist employees in the development of meaningful, comprehensive career development plans, and review progress as needed. Employees are to make periodic contact with their mentors to update them on their progress.

ROLE OF THE SUPERVISOR:

Providing employee development and employee guidance are the primary duties of the supervisor. The mentor program does not absolve supervisors of this role. The supervisor remains the primary source of guidance for employees. The mentor program supplements and reinforces these roles of the supervisor.

SUBPART E - EXHIBITS

WYOMING NATURAL RESOURCES CONSERVATION SERVICE

MENTORING PROGRAM

APPLICATION FOR EMPLOYEES WHO WISH TO BECOME MENTORS

All information is optional. However, information in this application will assist an employee with selecting a mentor. The more complete your response -the more effective the match will be.

BASIC INFORMATION

Name _______________________________ Title ________________________________
Address Work ___________________________________________________________

Home ___________________________________________________________

3. Telephone Work_________________________ Home_______________________

EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND

4. Schools Attended
____________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________

5. Other Training
______________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________

6. Degree/Majors
______________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

OCCUPATIONAL INFORMATION

7. How long have you worked for NRCS and other federal agencies? __________________________________________________________________________________

8. At what locations have you served and in what capacities? __________________________________________________________________________________

9. Other Pertinent Employment _________________________________________________________________________________

10. Career Aspirations and Goals
______________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

PERSONAL INFORMATION (OPTIONAL)

11. Skills or knowledge you have to offer?

______________________________________________________________________________________

12. Are you willing to commit some of your time and resources to the success of the program?

Yes ______No ______

13. How many employees can you assist? ____________________________________

14. Why do you want to be a mentor? _________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

15. Hobbies and Interests
__________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

16. Other information you wish to provide

____________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

(PLEASE COMPLETE AND RETURN TO PERSONNEL OFFICE)

WYOMING NRCS

MENTORING PROGRAM HANDBOOK

BUILDING A SUCCESSFUL MENTORING PROGRAM

I INTRODUCTION

"No man is an island unto himself" -John Donne, 1571-1631

That is true today-- over 350 years later--as it was when John Donne wrote the line. We have all, at times, felt isolated and lost in an unfamiliar situation. This usually occurs when we are out of our normal and familiar environment. And, for new employees, this can be a shattering experience, particularly if the employee is a minority.

Each person, to be productive and stimulated in a job, must "feel at ease" and feel accepted. If the environment is quite different from that which we are familiar or if we feel we are being judged on the basis of cultural stereotyping people cannot function effectively. One way to overcome such situations is for managers to develop an effective mentoring system.

This handbook provides a reference and a guide to how the mentoring process works. For operating procedures, refer to the General Manual, 360-410.

II WHAT IS MENTORING?

"Mentoring" is an active process involving personal guidance to a person striving to grow in knowledge, skill, and experience. It requires a firm and sincere commitment by mentor and employee, and active support on the part of management. A mentor is a wise and trusted teacher and counselor, an experienced individual who helps an employee grow, avoid pitfalls, and succeed. Mentoring is more than providing occasional advice to an employee.

Mentoring is not new. It has functioned since the beginning of man. Older warriors advised and guided the young and inexperienced. Leaders of today, as in the past, are taught, advised, and groomed, not only during the early years of their careers, but throughout their careers. All of us have benefited from mentoring relationships--though few called it that. Had we not received this guidance and counseling we might not be in the positions of responsibility we are in today.

Informal mentoring has always been active in NRCS. Informal mentoring outside the auspices of the mentoring program is encouraged. The mentor program is a framework to provide employees with a greater opportunity to the benefits of a mentor/employee relationship. The mentor program provides a greater opportunity for employees to become mentors and share their valuable knowledge and experiences.

III THREE COMPONENTS OF A MENTORING PROGRAM

Three key players have specific responsibilities in building effective and successful mentoring. They are the employee, the mentor, and the employee's supervisor. For a mentoring program to be successful, all three must have clear understandings of the purpose of a mentoring relationship and their personal responsibilities to it.

A. THE QUALITIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF A MENTOR

1. A mentor must have the ability to build a strong and effective relationship based on honesty, trust, and sincerity.
    These traits are essential if an employee is to feel comfortable and trusting in sharing personal and confidential
    leads,
    feelings, needs, and career ambitions.

2. A mentor must be willing to take time to know the individual being mentored. This includes learning the individual's
    general character, background, career goals, career accomplishments and professional strengths and weaknesses.
    To do this, the mentor must (1) be accessible on a reasonably frequent basis and (2) needs to communicate
    sincerely, and openly with the employee.

3. A mentor has to have the ability to listen attentively, with understanding, and without passing judgement.

4. Mentors must be knowledgeable about the importance of cultural values in a diverse workforce and appreciate the
    different cultural values as assets rather than seeing them as liabilities. The mentor must also be sensitive to and
    knowledgeable about employment issues and how they relate to career opportunities.

5. A mentor should feel comfortable in providing advice and guidance when requested or when it appears needed. A
    mentor should accept the philosophy that people are responsible for their own actions. Mentors need to allow
    employees to accept or reject advice without affecting the mentoring relationship, and the employee should be
    permitted to make his own mistakes provided the mentor assists the employee to learn from mistakes.

6. A mentor should be willing to provide support in the following ways:

a. Provide advice on, and keep the employee informed of career and personal development needs and opportunities for the present and future opportunities.

b Tell others of the employee's career goals and potentials.

c. Be honest with the employee. When the employee lacks knowledge or skills, provide assistance or suggest who might be able to assist them.

d. Recognize situations better dealt with through the supervisor, Employee Assistance
    Program, or other channels and refer accordingly.

B. RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE MENTORED EMPLOYEE

The success of mentoring is dependent, to a great extent, on the employee. The employee should:

1. Identify and assign priorities for needs and mentoring expectations. For example, a new employee's most pressing
    need might be understanding the new job. In another situation, where someone has been employed for a while,
    they
    may need career advancement support.

2. Remain open and receptive to guidance, suggestions, and advice.

3. Keep the mentor informed by:

a. Being honest and up front with the mentor .

b. Sharing with the mentor his or her needs and expectations for both his/her career and
    the mentoring relationship .

c. Informing the mentor of changes in needs, expectations, or career goals.

d. Asking questions so that a clear understanding is reached.

4. The employee must accept the reality that needs and expectations change as one grows. And, as a person
    advances in the organization, sometimes it will be necessary to change mentors.

5. The employee must accept decision-making responsibilities and the consequences of these decisions. At no time
    should the mentor be blamed when desired results are not achieved, nor should the mentor be asked to make the
    decisions.

C. RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE EMPLOYEE’S SUPERVISOR

Supervisors are key players in an effective mentoring program. It is both essential and critical that a supervisor recommends, promotes, and supports a mentoring program within his or her unit. The supervisor's role is to create an environment of trust and credibility. It is suggested all supervisors help to foster the growth of mentoring as part of their management style.

Mentoring is different from the usual supervisor-employee relationship. Mentoring should be encouraged as a form of increasing employee productivity, growth, and retention. It is recommended that supervisors not become mentors for the employees they directly supervise. Instead they should work to become good role models and build a healthy supervisor-employee relationship. Later, when the supervisor and the employee become separated as the result of a job change they may remain close friends. Chances are, the employee will ask the ex-supervisor to be a mentor.

Four suggestions for supervisors who want to promote successful mentoring programs are:

I. Promote and support mentoring through trust and creditability in the workplace.

2. Encourage and expect the best, and you will probably receive it.

3. Concentrate on building a strong and productive supervisor-employee relationship,
    rather than confusing the roles of work supervisor and mentor.

4. Increase the effectiveness of the mentoring program by never violating or prying into the
    confidentiality of the employee-mentor relationship.

Guidelines for mentor selection are found in the General Manual 360-410. Sometimes a rapport with a certain individual develops more quickly. More often it requires a person to seek out a mentor. The selection of a mentor should not be made at random, but planned with specific questions and objectives. Some suggestions for personal guidelines for selecting a mentor are:

1. How accessible is this individual?

2. Is this individual honest and forthright?

3. What kind of credibility does the individual have with his/her peers and management?

4. What kind of listening skills does this individual possess?

5. How well does the individual understand the organization's functions, procedures, and
    goals?

6. How well does this individual understand my career needs? Or the strengths in cultural
    diversity?

GUIDELINES FOR SELECTING A MENTOR

It is best to select someone other than your boss. Some of us have conflicts with our boss from time-to-time, and we need a senior person with whom we can discuss problems. Do not have a mentor in your chain of command. Mentors should not be ones who gain or lose by your decisions or work performance or whether or not you get promoted or transferred, etc.

Examine your feelings. Select someone for whom you feel admiration, respect, and trust. By definition, the mentor relationship is a traditional one. By nature, it is designed to help you get from one point to another in your career. If you are fortunate enough to have a good mentor, you will agree that it is only fair you have your turn at being a mentor yourself.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

References:

Baker-Miller, Towards a New Psychology of Women. Boston: Beacon Press, 1976.
Bunker, B, and Seashore, E. W. "Power, Collusion: Intimacy-Sexuality Support" by Alice Sargent, in Beyond Sex Roles, St. Paul: West, 1987, 356-370.
Deal, T .E., and Kennedy, A. A. Comparable Cultures: The Rites and Rituals of Corporate Life. Reading, MA: Addison-Healy, 1982.
Henning, M, and Jardin, A. The Managerial Woman. Garden City , N .y .Doubleday, 1977
Kanter, R.M. Men and Women of the Corporation. New York: Basic Books, 1977.
Kram, K.E, and Isabella, L. "Mentoring Alternatives: The Role of Peer Relationships in Career Development", Academy of Management Journal, March 1985.
Kram,.K.E., Mentoring Processes at Work: Developmental Relationships in Managerial Careers, Yale University Doctoral Dissertation, 1980.
Phillips-Jones, L. Mentors and Proteges. New York: Arbor House, 1982.