Mentoring individuals in organizations is a significant opportunity and challenge. The fact is that some form of mentoring occurs in all organizations whether it is informal or formal. When mentoring works well the benefits can be outstanding: retention is increased, productivity soars, the internal talent pool and company bench strengths grow, recruitment is easier, innovation flourishes and diversity in all aspects is valued. Why then, is it so difficult to have a successful mentoring program and process in today’s organization?

The answer is simple. People are both similar and different, and mentoring is a personal relationship between people! Most often, the most productive mentoring relationships happen by choice, not through corporate mandates. Therefore, the challenge for most organizations is to develop a process that encourages mentoring relationships to flourish naturally and simultaneously provide them with the appropriate level of support required for their success. This challenge is expanded because of the increased diversity in most organizations and the difficulty mentoring across cultures.

 This hands-on workshop requires risk taking around personal disclosure during interaction throughout the day(s) with other participants. The workshop is founded on principles of confidentiality, respect and trust to build comfort whether this is your first or thirty-first mentoring interaction. The four principles are especially examined in terms of how they relate to cross-cultural and other diverse mentoring relationships.