It’s the most wonderful time of the year… the time when 10,000 talent development professionals descend on one US city (hope you’re ready for us Atlanta) and create the most energetic and engaging three days of the year. It’s ATD ICE. This year we’re more excited than ever as we plan to attend, speak, and […]
National Mentoring Month: Find (and Keep) Amazing Mentors
January is winding to a close, and with it, National Mentoring Month. During the first month of the year, we humans are prone to seek a “fresh start” and renew commitments to our own growth. So, this is a great time to try and find a mentor who can help keep you accountable to your […]
Mentoring is About Connection
There is a classic exercise often done at a mentoring program launch where participants are asked to think of the best mentor they have had and think about why that person was the best. Go ahead, do that now, I’ll wait. The reason this exercise can be powerful is because it helps participants uncover the […]
Seeking Yoda
What do Yoda, Mr. Miyagi, and Doc Brown have in common? They are iconic mentors. Characters who show us how the best of mentors help us; take us from wherever we are to wherever we need to be. They push and challenge us. They share their wisdom, experience, and expertise, by often making us think […]
Why It’s Important to Develop a Mentoring Contingency Plan
In my previous post, I discussed how typical mentoring programs often lack support and guidance for mentors. Mentors can be the linchpin in an employee’s development. Neglecting them risks everything mentoring programs are trying to accomplish. But what happens when, despite all your best efforts, you need to let your mentors go from the program? […]