10 Steps to Successful Mentoring

Step 4

Leverage Experience for Development

“Nothing ever becomes real ‘til it is experienced.”

—John Keats

Overview

• Examine the possibilities.

• Experiment with new approaches.

• Enlist others for insight and feedback.

• Extract the learning.

A couple years ago, I worked with managers from a large global business to help them become more developmental. The approach was an action-learning series with one learning cycle per month over a several-month period. To complete the program each month, managers were required to participate in a short, interactive workshop with 17 colleagues; read reinforcement material after the workshop; plan and take action with employees to apply what they learned about this developmental practice; and then attend ...