Lis Merrick explores how organisations are increasingly turning to ‘flash mentoring’ to support their employees
Some of you may remember the 1980s film Flash Gordon and its theme song by Queen, with a smile on your face. I am evoking this memory for a reason.
Flash Gordon was seen as a miracle and king of the impossible. In fact, band member Brian May’s words to this song resonate when I consider how a flash mentor can be perceived in some organisations, as the panacea for all quick injections of learning. In the fast-paced world we all operate in, being able to source a mentor for a quick developmental interaction without commitment can be viewed very positively.
So what is flash mentoring?
Flash, spot or speed mentoring is a dialogue with one, possibly two sessions between mentor and mentee. It is used to develop skill or behaviour requirements or to focus the mentee in their current life context or to solve a problem. It is usually too swift an intervention for any learning and the mentor may have to be fairly hands on to achieve the desired outcomes in the given time.
The mentor will tend to go into one of two modes to support flash mentoring:
- Being a challenger, sounding board and thinking partner and using a process model such as GROW to support the mentee. This tends to be the mode used when the mentee is seeking support in understanding and processing their situation, has a problem or wants help in getting ‘unstuck’ or to find direction in their life or career.
- Being more of a coach, guide or role model to provide specific knowledge, guidance, wisdom or coaching in a pre-identified area by the mentee. There is a paucity of mentors in some organisations, or of mentors willing to engage in longer relationships. Thus, creating a pool of mentors who provide one-off sessions can be an advantageous way of providing quick and focused learning support. However, if a mentee needs more sustained support or they find that a
one-off meeting is ineffectual, it can impact individuals’ views of what good robust organisational mentoring can deliver.
Another consideration is the advent of Fast Knowledge Transfer (FKT) schemes in some organisations. This tends to be focused on knowledge transfer or needing to be told what to do next. Confusingly, it can be called mentoring. However, the conversations are transactional and directive and frequently the mentor may not have the skills to use a process or ask powerful questions, rather than give advice; and the mentee may not have the skills to present their issue in a way that creates a learning conversation.
Before you begin
If you are thinking of introducing flash mentoring, consider these points:
- Provide briefing to mentors and mentees in advance of their first session
- Ensure the mentoring pair ‘contract’ around expectations, confidentiality and commitment
- Set up the selection process carefully. Flash mentors are showcased on the organisation’s intranet. You may need to rotate them or clarify availability, so popular mentors aren’t swamped
- Evaluate the outcome of each session. Completing evaluations should be a prerequisite
- Provide supervision for mentors regularly for ethical, quality assurance and educative reasons.
Flash mentoring is useful in organisational learning, but it requires the same planning and implementation as any longer term mentoring. Don’t cut corners and you will get great results!
- Next issue: How mentees can feel under pressure to ‘please’ their mentors in some talent programmes
- Lis Merrick is a consultant specialising in mentoring programme design and development. She welcomes correspondence on anything to do with mentoring. Contact: Lismerrick@coach mentoring.co.uk