Mentoring Handbook

Mentoring Handbook

Table of Contents

Mentoring 101 .............................................................................4
Roles and Expectations............................................................7
Mentoring Resources ..............................................................15
Appendix ...................................................................................22
References .................................................................................29

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Dear Mentors and Mentees,
Welcome to OC Inspire Mentoring Program, part of OC Public Libraries. On behalf of OC Inspire, I am
excited to have you participate.
OC Inspire Mentoring Program provides participants the opportunity to collaborate, empower, and
inspire each other. Partners will work together to discuss ambitions, encourage growth, and develop
relationships across OC Public Libraries. Thank you for joining us to work toward these goals.
As you work together over the next few months, use this handbook as a reference tool to help you
define expectations, establish talking points during your meetings, and find additional resources. You
are also welcome to reach out to Tami Martin, OC Inspire Chair, for any reason during your mentoring
partnership.
We very much look forward to working with you!
Warm Regards,

Helen Fried
County Librarian

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Mentoring 101

4

What is Mentoring?

Mentoring is a way for two people who share similar goals and interests to focus on developing
knowledge and skills for the future. Mentors inspire and teach their mentees with the intention of
helping them to prosper. It is a positive way for people to use their experience to guide others to
success.
It is different than other business relationships because it is voluntary and often focuses on areas of
development other than the mentee’s current job description. Mentors share their connections and
resources to help develop their mentees’ potential and achieve their ambitions. They are rewarded by
the gratification that comes from seeing someone succeed whom they have encouraged, challenged,
and believed in.
OC Public Libraries also benefits from mentoring because it provides a way for our organizational
culture to be shared across the system. Mentoring program participants develop a greater sense of
belonging and investment in their careers.
We are glad that you have chosen to become a part of the OC Inspire Mentoring Program, and whether
mentor or mentee, we hope the benefits will help you for many years to come.

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Goals

In 2017, OC Public Libraries decided to create a mentoring program as one of its internal customer
service strategic goals for year. Providing opportunities for our staff to grow and succeed helps to
accomplish our mission to empower and enrich our communities. A highly-trained and motivated staff
not only helps the internal workplace, but also allows us to better serve our communities.
OC Inspire aims to:

• Support staff members in understanding OC Public Libraries’ mission, vision, values, and goals.
• Provide support in locating and accessing organizational resources.
• Foster open communication and dialogue.
• Provide motivation for job performance, creativity, and innovation.
• Bring employees together to share skills, pass on knowledge, and establish a network of

professionals.

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Roles and Expectations

7

Meeting Expectations

Mentors and mentees are expected to meet twice a month for a six-month period.
 At least three of these meetings must be in person.
 All other meetings may be conducted over the phone, or by computer through chat or video.

Mentoring Logs will be used to record all meetings between Mentor and Mentee (Appendix A).

8

Mentor Roles and
Responsibilities

Development of your mentee depends on exploring strengths and weaknesses, collaborating on career
goals, implementing strategies, and evaluating along the way. You as the mentor provide guidance
for the mentee. Sharing your wisdom and past experiences is what the mentee looks for from you. Here
are a few roles and responsibilities to help you in the process:

 Support the mentee’s development of professional and interpersonal competencies
through strategic questioning, goal setting, and planning.

 Create a supportive and trusting environment.
 Agree to, and schedule uninterrupted time with your mentee.
 Stay accessible, committed, and engaged during the length of the program.
 Actively listen and ask questions.
 Give feedback to the mentee on his/her goals, situations, plans and ideas.
 Encourage your mentee by giving genuine positive reinforcement.
 Serve as a positive role model.
 Provide frank (and kind) corrective feedback, if necessary.
 Openly and honestly share “lessons learned” from your own experience.
 Keep discussions on track.
 Respect your mentee’s time and resources.
 Participate in the scheduled events for the program.
 Seek assistance if questions arise that you cannot answer.

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Mentee Roles and
Responsibilities

Your development depends on exploring strengths and weaknesses, collaborating on career goals,
implementing strategies, and evaluating along the way. Your mentor will provide guidance for you to
follow. Learning from the wisdom and past experiences of your mentor will serve you well and produce
great benefits. Here are a few roles and responsibilities to help you in the process:

 Commit to your development.
 Assume responsibility for acquiring or improving skills and knowledge.
 Be open and honest on your goals, expectations, challenges, and concerns.
 Actively listen and ask questions.
 Build a supportive and trusting environment.
 Seek advice, opinion, feedback, and direction from your mentor.
 Be open to constructive criticism/feedback and ask for it.
 Come to your meetings prepared with a clear idea of what topics or issues you want to address.
 Respect your mentor’s time and resources.
 Apply what you learn from your meetings back on the job.
 Keep your supervisor informed of the process and your progress.
 Give feedback to your mentor on what is working or not working in the mentoring relationship.
 Participate in the scheduled events for the program.

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Confidentiality

OC Inspire Mentoring Program is aimed at being a safe environment for mentees and mentors to freely
share information about one another. Open dialogue and communication helps build trust. OC Inspire
requires mentoring partners to sign a confidentiality agreement which outlines the "ground rules" for
partners (Appendix B). This establishes boundaries on how shared information is to be treated.

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Evaluations

Mentors and Mentees will be asked to complete two evaluations:
 The first evaluation will be assigned during the midway point of the Mentoring Program (Appendix
C & D).
 The second evaluation will be assigned at the end of the Mentoring Program (Appendix E & F).

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Disagreements and
Mismatches

OC Inspire attempts to pair mentors and mentees whose strengths and skills are aligned with one
another's goals. However, disagreements and/or mismatches may occur for various reasons at no fault
of the participants. If you feel that your mentor/mentee relationship is struggling or incompatible,
please reach out to program organizers for support.
Program organizers want to ensure support is provided to each pair of participants. We want to be
available to assist in any conflicts that may occur. Conflicts are not necessarily bad, as learning to
resolve and overcome conflicts is a valuable process in and of itself. Facilitating an environment of
professional growth, development, and learning is a key aspect of OC Inspire.

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Program End

The final mentoring session meeting is the perfect time to celebrate accomplishments and formally wrap
up the program. Go over the goals that were set at the start and talk about how they've gone. It is also an
opportunity to give each other feedback on how the program went.
This discussion will open up the opportunity to talk about the future. If both parties would like to continue
the relationship, then they can talk about how they will communicate in the future. They can decide
whether they want to keep the current structure or adopt a less formal one.
If either of the parties does not want to continue, then there is no obligation to do so. Mentoring
partnerships do not always result in a long-term relationship, and not wanting to continue does not mean
that each party did not have a positive experience. Each person can take away what they've learned in the
program and use it towards the future.

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Mentoring Resources

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Sample Prompts

During OC Inspire Mentoring Program, Mentors and Mentees will meet twice a month to
examine strengths and weaknesses, look at career goals, and implement strategies. These meetings
have no set time limit or agenda. The following topics are intended as possible talking points for your
meetings.

 Introduce yourselves. What aspects of your life are you most proud of? Who inspires you? What is
your favorite book? What new movie are you most excited about?

 What do you hope to gain from the OC Inspire Mentoring Program?
 What would make mentoring meetings most meaningful to you? What obstacles do you feel may

impact mentoring meetings? How can mentoring partners best work together to help minimize
these obstacles?
 What current projects are you working on? Do you belong to any committees? How are you
progressing in these activities? How can your mentoring partner help you work towards these
commitments during OC Inspire Mentoring Program?
 How do you ensure you meet assigned due dates? Do you have any tips for time management?
How do you handle a situation where you are not on track for meeting a due date?
 Tell your career story. How did you find yourself in the position you are in at OCPL? Did you always
want to work in the library profession?
 What do you like the most about your current position? What areas are more difficult for you in
your current position? Why?
 What are some "unwritten rules" that have helped you in your position? How is that different
from some of the other positions you've held whether at OCPL or a different company?

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Sample Prompts (cont.)

 What are your strengths? What are some areas that you wish you could be stronger in? How can you
implement your strengths to their full potential in your current position? How can you build on
areas you wish to improve in?

 When you think about employees you enjoy working with, what values and characteristics do they
embody? Are there common traits between these types of employees? Are these traits something
that you may be able to imitate?

 What career goals interest you? What would you like to accomplish in 1 year? 3 years? 5-10 years?
How can you work towards those career goals? How can your mentoring partner help you work
towards these goals during the Mentoring Program?

 How do you manage work/life balance? What challenges do you face when trying to balance your
work and home life? What strategies work for you?

 How well do you adapt to changes in the library? What changes in the library are exciting to you?
What changes in the library cause stress? How can you turn these changes into opportunities?

 How do you manage conflict in the library, either with the public or colleagues? What techniques do
you use to de-escalate a tense situation? How do you relax after the conflict has been resolved?

 What are your "big ideas" for OCPL? What programs, materials, and/or changes would you like to
implement if you had the power to do so?

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DiSC Assessment

The DiSC Assessment is a tool to allow people to understand their working style and how to better interact
with others. Through a series of questions, the DiSC Assessment reveals a person’s priorities and
preferences. This data is then used to create an in-depth personalized report that identifies a person’s
style through the four categories of Dominance, Influence, Steadiness, and Conscientiousness. The report
thoroughly explores a person’s style and how it impacts their behavior and decisions in the workplace. In
addition, it gives personalized strategies on how to effectively work with other styles at every level.
The DiSC Assessment is a valuable tool for becoming more self-aware and for understanding others in the
workplace.
Contact OC Inspire if you and your mentoring partner are interested in taking a DiSC Assessment.

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Speaker Event

Attend a speaker event together in person or watch a video online. Some examples of topics include:

 Business
 Decision Making
 Leadership
 Motivation

Afterwards, discuss with your partner:
The speaker
 How well was the information presented?
 What would you have done differently?
 Did you feel they were a qualified ‘expert’? Why or why not?

The subject matter

 Was the information new to you? How so?
 Was the information similar to something you already knew? Where did you previously learn

about it?
 Was there information or subject matter you had wished they had expanded on?
 Did you feel there was any misinformation?
 Did you enjoy the presentation?



How it relates to your current situation or goals

 Was the information useful to you? In what way?
 How can you apply what you learned in a concrete way either in the short or long term?

How does this relate to our Mentoring Program?

 Was this helpful as a Mentee/Mentor?
 Would you recommend it to others in the program?

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Online Resources

Big Five Personality Tests
Advocated by American Psychologist, Lewis Goldberg, Big Five Personality Test distinguishes
participants into 5 basic personality types.

International Personality Item Pool. (n.d.). Possible Questionnaire Format for Administering the 50-Item
Set of IPIP Big-Five Factor Markers. Retrieved November 21, 2017,
from https://openpsychometrics.org/tests/IPIP-BFFM/

Myers-Briggs Type Indicator Personality Test
A personality test that distinguishes between 16 different types of people. There is a charge if you go
through the official website, however there are numerous free sites that resemble the Myers-Briggs.

Example: Humanmetrics Inc. (n.d.). Jung Typology Test™. Retrieved November 21, 2017,
from http://www.humanmetrics.com/cgi-win/jtypes2.asp

O*NET Interest Profiler
Sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor, O*NET helps users rank interests related to jobs. It then
uses these interests to identify careers that match.

National Center for O*NET Development. (n.d.). O*NET Interest Profiler at My Next Move. Retrieved
November 21, 2017, from https://www.mynextmove.org/explore/ip
Ted Talks
TED is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization. Originally created as a conference for Technology,
Entertainment and Design, it has since branched into a variety of fields. Their topics page organizes
articles, videos, and TED Talks around a given subject.

TED Conferences, LLC. (n.d.). Topics. Retrived November 21, 2017, from www.ted.com/topics

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Books

Azulay, H. (2012). Employee development on a shoestring. Alexandria, VA: ASTD Press.
Biech, E. (2017). The art and science of training. Alexandria, VA: ATD Press.
Blanchard, K. H., & Diaz-Ortiz, C. (2017). One minute mentoring: how to find and work with a mentor--and

why you’ll benefit from being one. London: Thorsons, an imprint of HarperCollins.
Edwards, S. (2014). Organic mentoring: a mentor’s guide to relationships with next generation women.

Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel Publications.
Emelo, R. (2015). Modern mentoring. Alexandria, VA: ATD Press.
Kirkpatrick, J. D., & Kirkpatrick, W. K. (2016). Kirkpatricks four levels of training evaluation. Alexandria, VA:

ATD Press.
Labin, J. (2012). Real world training design: navigating common constraints for exceptional results. East

Peoria, IL: American Society for Training & Development.
Labin, J. (2017). Mentoring programs that work. Alexandria, VA: ATD Press.
Reitman, A., & Benatti, S. (2014). Creating a mentoring program: mentoring partnerships across the

generations. Alexandria, VA: American Society for Training & Development.
Stanier, M. B. (2016). The Coaching habit. Toronto: Box of Crayons Press.
Starr, J. (2014). Mentoring Manual: Your Step by Step Guide to Being a Better Mentor. FT Press.
Zachary, L. J. (2012). The mentors guide: facilitating effective learning relationships. San Francisco: Jossey-

Bass.
Zachary, L. J., & Fischler, L. A. (2012). Mentoring excellence: pocket toolkit. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, a

Wiley imprint.

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Appendix

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DATE TIME METHOD OF TOPICS DISCUSSED RESOLUTIONS/
MEETING RESULTS

Appendix A: Mentoring Log

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Appendix B: Confidentiality
Agreement

Trust is an important part of a mentoring relationship. With trust comes openness in
communication, comfortability with your mentoring partner, and a vested interest in seeing each other
succeed.

Creating a Confidentiality Agreement helps to define how communication between each partner will be
treated, and will begin to establish trust between mentors and mentees. Use the following prompts as
written, add to them, or create your own Confidentiality Agreement that both partners agree to.

1. What we discuss will stay between the two of us. [Use the space below to add to this]

2. What we discuss will stay between the two of us, unless we give each other permission or ask that
information be shared with others. [Use the space below to add to this]

3. We understand that any topics of discussion which relate to an EEO violation, or a reasonable suspicion of
a violation, cannot be kept confidential, and must be reported to one's supervisor. Rights or protections
available to us under the County's EEO policy or employment laws are not hindered in any way by the terms
of this agreement.

Mentor's Initials ___________ Mentee's Initials ___________

4. Add other additional conditions you both mutually agree to.

________________________________________________________________________________

Mentor signature Date

________________________________________________________________________________

Mentee Signature Date

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Appendix C: Midpoint Evaluation Form
for Mentors

Mentor Name: ______________________________________
Mentee Name: ______________________________________
Date: _____________
1. How has your overall experience with the Mentoring Program been so far?

2. Do you feel the resources provided by OC Inspire have adequately prepared you for your role as a
Mentor?

3. Have you and your mentee been able to build a comfortable working relationship?

4. Do you think the Mentoring Log and Topics to Cover were helpful in keeping your meetings on track? Why
or why not?

5. Please share additional comments here:

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Appendix D: Midpoint Evaluation Form
for Mentees

Mentee Name: ______________________________________
Mentor Name: ______________________________________
Date: _____________
1. How has your overall experience with the Mentoring Program been so far?

2. Do you feel the resources provided by OC Inspire have adequately prepared you for your role as a
Mentee?

3. Have you and your mentor been able to build a comfortable working relationship?

4. Are you able to learn from your Mentor’s experience and background?

5. Do you think the Mentoring Log and Topics to Cover were helpful in keeping your meetings on track? Why
or why not?

6. Please share additional comments here:

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Appendix E: Final Evaluation Form
for Mentors

Mentor Name: ______________________________________

Mentee Name: ______________________________________

Date: _____________

1. Briefly give an overall description of your experience with the Mentoring Program.

2. Do you think this program helps your mentee develop the skills and knowledge needed to take on larger
roles and more challenges? Why or why not?

3. Which part of the mentoring experience do you feel was the most useful? Was there an element that you
felt was not useful?

4. Would you recommend this experience as a mentor to a colleague? Why or why not?

5. Are you interested in serving as a mentor again? Why or why not?

6. Please share additional comments here:

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Appendix F: Final Evaluation Form
for Mentees

Mentee Name: ______________________________________
Mentor Name: ______________________________________

Date: _____________
1. Briefly give an overall description of your experience with the Mentoring Program.

2. Do you think this program helps you develop the skills and knowledge needed to take on larger roles and
more challenges? Why or why not?

3. Which part of the mentoring experience do you feel was the most useful? Was there an element that you
felt was not useful?

4. Would you recommend this experience as a mentee to a colleague? Why or why not?

5. Are you interested in serving as a mentee again? Why or why not?

6. Please share additional comments here:

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References

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Coaching and mentoring – the difference. (2015). Retrieved October 23, 2017,
from http://www.brefigroup.co.uk/coaching/coaching_and_mentoring.html

County of Orange. (2017). Annual Budget FY 2017-2018. Retrieved October 22, 2017
from http://www.ocgov.com/civicax/filebank/blobdload.aspx?BlobID=68617.

How to Build a Mentoring Program: A Mentoring Program Toolkit. (2010). Retrieved
from https://www.opm.gov/WIKI/uploads/docs/Wiki/OPM/training/Mentoring%20Toolkit%203-18-
10.pdf

Mentors, M. (n.d.). Definition of Mentoring - Benefits of Mentoring. Retrieved October 17, 2017,
from http://www.management-mentors.com/resources/corporate-mentoring-programs-resources-
faqs#Q6

Phillips-Jones, Ph.D., L. (2003). 75 Things To Do With Your Mentees: Practical and Effective Development
Ideas (pp. 1-8). Linda Philips-Jones. Retrieved from https://my.lerner.udel.edu/wp-content/uploads/75-
Things-To-Do-With-Your-Mentees.pdf

Sweeny, B. (2003). Mismatches. Retrieved November 16, 2017,
from http://mentoringassociation.org/articles/program-development/program-
components/mismatches/

Sweeny, B. (2003). Trying to Avoid Mismatches. Retrieved November 16, 2017,
from http://mentoringassociation.org/articles/program-development/program-
components/mismatches/avoid-mismatches/

Top 5 Reasons Why Mentoring Matters. (2017, June 16). Retrieved October 22, 2017,
from http://www.eco.ca/blog/top-5-reasons-why-mentoring-matters/

United States Office of Personnel Management. (2008, September). Best practices: Mentoring. Retrieved
October 22, 2017, from https://www.opm.gov/policy-data- oversight/training-and-
development/career-development/bestpractices-mentoring.pdf

What is Mentoring? (n.d.). Retrieved October 17, 2017, from http://www.mentorset.org.uk/what-is-
mentoring.html

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A mentor is someone who allows you to see the hope inside yourself.
Oprah Winfrey

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