Success Partners Toolkit 2019

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  
Thank You!

 

Thank you for being a Success Partner to a new employee. This will help them 
become acclimated to the culture of ESC Region 11, as well as the processes and 
procedures that help our organization maintain success.  
 
As  a  success  partner,  you  will  have  an  opportunity  to  share  professional 
experiences  and  contribute  positively  to  a  new  team  member  by  providing 
leadership,  support,  and  guidance.  This  one-year  commitment  will  provide 
lasting benefits to you and a colleague for many years to come. 

 

V​ icki 
 

 
 
 

 

 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
Studies show that on-boarding does not stop at company policies, facility 
tours, and department introductions. When employees actively 
participate in a structured onboarding including planned, organized 
support, they are 58% more likely to remain with the organization after 
three years (Hogan, 2015). 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

  
  
  
 

ESC Region 11 provides  thinking, develop a new 
new staff members  relationship, and deepen your skills 
support in leading and  as a leader.  
serving our districts 
through a one-year   
mentorship program  A successful partnership involves 
called “Success Partners.​ ​”  sharing common goals, appreciating 
individuals differences, and having 
  a commitment to cultivating the 
Mentoring is a valuable tool for  success partner relationship.  
developing our most important   
asset, our ESC Region 11 employees.  Both parties give and grow in the 
  process. New partners will increase 
Success Partners is a developmental  their job knowledge by learning 
partnership where individuals  more about the ESC Region 11 
share knowledge, skills,  culture and processes. Success 
information, and perspective to  partners will provide the foundation 
foster professional growth of  to: 
another.  
   
Success Partners allows for 
experienced individuals to help a   
new employee develop goals and   
skills through a series of 
time-limited, confidential, 
one-on-one conversations and other 
learning activities.  
 
Mentors also gain from the 
mentoring relationship. As a 
mentor, you will have the 
opportunity to share your wisdom 
and experiences, evolve your own 

Success Partners must commit to taking

the time to cultivate a relationship.
 
Establish the best method for communicating with your partner  

(emailing, talking, texting, voxing, calling) 
 
 
Communication can include:  

● Face-to-face meetings, lunches or breaks (meet in the Gathering 
Spot, off-site, or in the various collaboration spots in the building)  

● Sending encouraging emails to your partner  
● Hand delivering cards or handwritten notes  
● Giving your partner a small gesture of appreciation like their 

favorite coffee or soda, a small candy bar or a healthy treat 
● Call or text to see how they are doing  
● Leaving a short note on their computer or in their work area 
● Stopping by their work area unexpectedly to check on them 

An ESC Region 11 Success Partner 

● Actively listens and helps the new employee with questions 
they may have  

● Assists or provides guidance in solving work-related 
challenges that may arise  

● Commits to supporting the new staff member in learning about 
our organization  

● Visits regularly (see chart below) to check in with the new staff 
member  

● Attends new staff member orientation or other learning 
sessions with new employee 

 

 

Personal satisfaction in helping 
someone grow is at the heart of 
success partners. Sharing your 
wisdom and experiences is what 
the partnership is all about. Here 
are a few guidelines to help you 
in this partnership: 
  

● Participate in scheduled 
events for Success Partners  

● Create a trusting and 
supportive environment  

● Schedule uninterrupted 
time with your partner  

● Stay accessible, committed, 
and engaged during the 
length of the partnership  

● Actively listen  
● Contribute feedback to your 

success partner  
● Encourage your partner by 

giving them positive 
reinforcement 
● Serve as a kind and positive 
role model  
● Share your “lessons 
learned” from your 
experiences  
● Seek assistance if questions 
arise that you cannot 
answer 

 

 

Key Mentoring Skills • If you are talking to them by 
phone, reduce background noise 
  and limit interruptions. Your 
● Listening Actively   success partner will feel that they 
● Building Trust   have your undivided attention. 
● Determining Goals and  When utilizing email, answer within 
Building Capacity   24 hours if possible, and be sure 
● Being Encouraging and  your message is responsive to their 
Inspiring   original message.  
 
  Reserve discussing your own 
As you progress through the  experiences or giving advice until 
mentoring relationship, try to  after your partner has had a chance 
employ the following skills  to thoroughly explain their issue, 
whenever possible.  
  question, or concern. 
 
Listening Actively
Building Trust
Listening actively is the most basic 
skill you will use throughout your  Trust is built over time. You will 
relationship. Active listening not  increase trust by keeping your 
only establishes rapport but creates  conversations and other 
a positive, accepting environment  communications with your partner 
that permits open communication.  confidential, honoring your 
By listening actively, you will learn  scheduled meetings and calls, 
your partner's interests and needs.   consistently showing interest and 
  support, and by being honest with 
Examples include:   your partner.  
• Show interest in what they are 
saying, and reflecting back   
important aspects of what they 
have said to show that you’ve 
understood;  
• Use body language (such as 
making eye contact) that shows you 
are paying attention to what they 
are saying; and  

Determining Goals & Building Encouraging & Inspiring

Capacity Giving encouragement is the 
mentoring skill most valued by 
As a role model, you should have  success partners. There are many 
your own career goals and share  ways to encourage your mentee. 
these (when appropriate) with your  Try some of these:  
success partner. It is also likely that  • Comment positively on their 
they will ask you how you set and  accomplishments;  
achieved your own goals. In  • Communicate your belief in their 
addition, you can help your partner  capacity to grow personally and 
identify and achieve their career  professionally and reach their goals; 
goals.   and  
  • Respond to their frustrations and 
You will develop your partners  challenges with words of support, 
capacity for learning and achieving  understanding, encouragement and 
their goals by doing the following:  praise. (Just knowing that someone 
• Assisting them with finding  else has been there can be 
resources such as people, books,  tremendously helpful.)  
articles, tools and web-based   
information;  
• Imparting knowledge and skills by  You can also inspire your partner to 
explaining, giving useful examples,  excel. Examples include:  
demonstrating processes, and  • Share your personal vision or 
asking thought-provoking  those of other leaders;  
questions;   • Describe experiences, mistakes, 
• Helping them gain broader  and successes you have 
perspectives of their responsibilities  encountered while achieving your 
and organization; and   goals;  
• Discussing actions you’ve taken in  • Talk with them about people and 
your career and explaining your  events that have inspired and 
rationale.    motivated you; and  
  • Introduce your partner to your 
colleagues who can be additional 
useful contacts or inspiring models.  
 

Stages of Formal Mentoring Building the Relationship  

Relationships During this phase, you will get to know 
each other and begin to establish trust. 
  During your first meeting (ideally 
Like most relationships, mentoring  face-to-face), discuss your 
relationships progress through stages.   backgrounds, experiences, interests, 
  and expectations. You will also make 
Your formal mentoring relationship  agreements about confidentiality and 
will likely reflect four developmental  the frequency of contact. During this 
stages with each stage forming an  first stage, it is important to establish a 
important part of the next:   schedule for communicating regularly, 
  whether in-person, by phone, by text, 
I. Building the Relationship   or email.  
   
II. Exchanging Information and Setting  There are a number of questions you 
Goals   may want to ask your success partner 
  while getting to know them:  
III. Working Towards Goals/Deepening  • Tell me a little more about yourself. 
the Engagement   Refer to the conversation starters at 
  the end of the toolkit.  
IV. Ending the Formal Mentoring  • Have you ever had a mentor before? 
Relationship and Planning for the  If so, how did you benefit from it? 
Future   • What do you hope to get out of having 
  a success partner here at Region 11?  
There is no formula for determining   
the length of each stage. In a year-long 
relationship, for example, Stages I and  Exchanging Information/Setting Goals
II typically unfold during the first three 
to four months of the relationship.  During Stage II, you will exchange 
Typically, the relationship winds down  more information and set goals. Your 
in months 11 and 12.   relationship and trust will deepen. As 
  the mentoring relationship unfolds, be 
  attentive to listen actively and 
  consistently expressing 
  encouragement.  
   
  By exchanging information, you will 
gain insight into the goals your mentee 
hopes to achieve through the 
relationship. For example, your success 

partner may want to improve their  Extending the Relationship  
skills in a particular area.  
  As you approach Stage IV of the 
They may need your guidance on a  relationship, your partnership will 
major decision. Goals are helpful  become more like peers.  
because they help them see beyond the   
day-to-day demands of their position  As a reminder, the mentor and the 
and help them gain clarity on how to  mentee role will not last indefinitely. 
get the most out of the mentoring  This last phase of the partnership aims 
relationship.   to redefine the roles of the individuals 
  into a new, professional relationship 
Encourage your success partner to  that hopefully will continue 
discuss their goals with you. Suggest  indefinitely.  
that they complete the ​goal form​ and   
share it with you. Talk to your mentee  An effective partnership of the mentor 
and refer back to their goals  and the mentee is one where both 
periodically as a way of refocusing on  parties feel satisfied that the journey 
their goals and measuring progress.   has been rewarding and worthwhile. 
   
Referring to the goals regularly is also   
a good way for you to know if you are 
helping them achieve the goals they   
have set.   
   
 
Working Toward Goals  
 
During Stage III goals will be reached   
and knowledge will be shared. At this 
point priorities may change. Be 
mindful to have open and honest 
conversations to help move your 
partner forward. Share and celebrate 
successes with your success partner as 
they reach their goals.  

Conversation Starters 6. Do you have any upcoming 
travel plans? 
 
It takes time to build a relationship. The  7. What is your favorite book? 
initial interaction should be used to  8. What is the first thing you do 
build rapport. Great conversations can 
lead to a solid relationship with your  after work? 
success partner. You want to move past  9. What new movie do you want to 
surface level questions so that you can 
really get to know your success  see? 
partner.    10. What was your first job? 
  11. Do you like to cook? 
Choose any of these questions to have  12. What is your favorite holiday 
in mind for your conversations with 
your success partner, and see what  memory? 
feels authentic to you in kickstarting  13. What is the craziest thing you 
your relationship. 
  have ever eaten? 
Most importantly, don’t attack  14. Have you ever met anyone 
someone with questions. When you 
ask, listen and be authentic in your  famous? 
response. Any questions that come  15. What store do you shop at the 
after should be a natural follow up to 
their response.   most? 
  16. What is one food or beverage 
These 50 questions are helpful 
beginnings, but follow the course that  that you couldn't live without? 
the conversation takes.  17. What are you watching on 
 
TV/Netflix/Hulu/Prime? 
1. What is your favorite 90’s TV  18. Who would you love to see in 
show? 
concert? What was your first 
2. Where did you grow up?  concert? 
3. Do you have any pets?  19. Do you have a favorite local 
4. Do you have any siblings?  restaurant? Or what is your all 
5. How long is your commute to  time favorite restaurant? 
20. What is your most used emoji? 
work? How do you fill that time  21. What is the worst job you have 
in the car?  ever had? 
22. Have you ever won anything? 
23. What was your best Halloween 
costume? 
24. What has been the best car you 
have ever driven/owned? What 
is your dream car? 
25. What is your favorite app on 
your phone? Why? 

26. What did you do before you  44. If you didn’t have to sleep, what 
came to ESC Region 11?  would you do with the extra 
time? 
27. Tell me something that made 
you laugh this week.  45. For what are you most grateful 
today? 
28. What is one of your favorite 
memories?  46. If you could have one 'do over' in 
your life, what would you do 
29. Where is the best place you have  differently? 
ever visited? 
47. If you had to choose only three 
30. What is one thing on your  adjectives to describe yourself, 
bucket list?  which would you choose? 

31. Do you speak any other  48. How can someone win a gold 
languages?  star with you? 

32. If you could live anywhere,  49. If you could spend a day in 
where would it be?  someone else’s shoes, whose 
would they be? Why? 
33. What is the farthest place you 
have ever been to from home?  50. What is one thing that I can do 
to help you this week? 
34. What is the best piece of advice 
you have ever been given?   
 
35. Where is your happy place? 
36. What does your dream day look   
 
like? 
37. What is the biggest disaster you  Reminders:

have ever had in the kitchen?  ● Be fully present when meeting 
38. If you could invite three people,  with your success partner.  

dead or alive, to a dinner party,  ● Be authentic in your 
who would they be, and why?  conversations.  
39. Knowing what you know now, 
what advice would you give  ● Actively listen to your mentee.  
your 18-year-old self?   
40. If you could instantly become an   
expert in something, what would   
it be?   
41. What's one thing about you that 
surprises people? 
42. What’s the first career you 
dreamed of having as a kid? 
43. Who, or what, was your biggest 
teacher?