Notes and Podcast info from the PMlessonsLearned.com Conference Call:
Topic: Mentoring Strategies (PMBestPractices)
PMlessonsLearned.com founder and PM Best Practices host: Henry Will, PMP
Presenter: Ron Hadley, Head Talent Management, Novartis Development
Date of Conference Call: 20May2010
Podcast Number: 0100
MP3 / Podcast:Download MP3 or Listen on Internet Archive or Listen on OurMedia or subscribe to our podcast on itunes
If you're studying for the PMP Exam, you may want to listen to the MP3s of past PMP Exam Study Group conference calls. They're located in our Archive (see the link on our website).
PRESENTATION:
Prior to the call, the presentation materials will be made available (note: it may not be posted until just before the call). The directions to obtain the presentation are at PMlessonsLearned.com - on the left hand side of the webpage follow the link titled ""Files and Presentations"" to see directions for obtaining the presentation.
NOTES FROM THE CALL:
- With Mentoring, go slow before you go fast
- Many people concentrate on ""Who"" to be mentored by before they concentrate on ""What"" to be mentored about. Take the time to plan the ""What"" first. Start with the goal in mind.
- Mentoring is a way to develop, so what are you trying to develop?
- Discuss strategies that are outside your comfort zone to be put into practice before the next meeting. This will push you to grow.
- An important value of mentoring: Mentoring builds relationships which works at the need to build ""purpose at work"" which builds retention of your best people.
- Start with a one year commitment, you can always keep going if it works well. This will set a goal and it isn't too long to commit to.
- Ron suggests that it's best to find someone in your company/organization but from another department. This will help you to learn to navigate your organization.
- Ron recommends that you make an agreement at the start of the mentoring.
- Types of mentoring: one on one or group mentoring. Group mentoring is starting to grow in use. The group presents and issue, brainstorms solutions and then at the meeting the following month they discuss how they handled it.
- It is best to have written goals for mentoring
- What should your mentoring work on? Try to get a 360 degree assessment. If you can't get one at work, then ask people what you should work on.
- Ron said one of the best lessons he learned from his mentor was that he was always bringing his lunch and eating alone, but the mentor told him he should never eat lunch alone. (note: I (Henry) suggest the book ""Never Eat Alone"" by Keith Ferrazzi)
- When asked what the best format is for a meeting with your mentor, Ron suggested: Review the progress of the last meeting's action items and discuss what needs to be done to move forward (discuss next steps and action items) for the next meeting. Ron suggests that mentoring meetings should be once a month and should last about 1 to 1.5 hours.
- Where to find a mentor? Ask at work (ask your manager first), church, and/or other organizations you belong to (PMlessonsLearned.com or your local PMI Chapter for example)
PRESENTERS BIO:
Ron Hadley is Head Talent Management, Novartis Development in East Hanover, NJ and has broad HR experience in Talent Management, Leadership Development, Talent Acquisition, and Business Partnering. Prior positions include Executive Director of Talent Management at Wyeth and Head of US Staffing at BASF Corp.
Ron serves on the Board of Directions for Beyond the Wall, a non-profit serving the needs of the poor in the developing world. He has also provided leadership consulting for a variety of non-profits and taught at Caldwell College.
Ron received his BA in Psychology from the University of Connecticut. In addition, he has an MA in Education from Michigan State University and an MA in HR Management from the University of New Haven.
PRESENTERS CONTACT INFO:
http://www.linkedin.com/pub/ronald-hadley/1/590/a2b
====================================
Please join us for a future conference call (they're all free and open to all). We currently have several calls a month. See our calendar of future calls via the link on our website.
If you're looking for a PM job, we invite you to join our FREE PM JOB SHOP conference calls.
Join the Yahoo Group here: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/pmjobshop
We highly recommend that you join the free PM Lessons Learned Yahoo group in order to get announcements of our calls and other information to further your PM career.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/pmLessonsLearned
Join our Yahoo group for details, reminders of the calls, and information to help you in your PM Career. Visit the website for details.
PMLessonsLearned.com - Project Managers helping Project Managers. Open to all.
