Mentoring Program Guidelines

Learning from today’s leaders to develop leadership skills for the future

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1) Mentoring Guidelines ........................................................................................................................... 3

2) What is Mentoring? .............................................................................................................................. 3

3) The Ricker Oil Company Mentoring Program ....................................................................................... 3

4) Eligibility ................................................................................................................................................ 3

5) Benefits of Being a Mentee................................................................................................................... 3

6) Benefits of Being a Mentor ................................................................................................................... 3

7) How Do I Get Started? .......................................................................................................................... 4

8) Participation Requirements .................................................................................................................. 4

9) Some Do’s and Don’ts of Being a Mentor ............................................................................................. 5

10) Some Do’s and Don’ts of Being a Mentee ........................................................................................ 5

11) What should you talk about during your first meeting?................................................................... 5

12) Example of Mentoring Activities ....................................................................................................... 6

13) Ending the Partnership ..................................................................................................................... 6

Mentoring Agreement .................................................................................................................................. 7

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1) Mentoring Guidelines
The following guidelines describe the Ricker Oil Company Mentoring Program and its various
components.

2) What is Mentoring?
“Mentoring is the paring of an individual (mentor) who has expert knowledge or skills with someone
(mentee) desiring to gain that knowledge or skill in order to further develop professional expertise.”
Michel Zey, The Mentor Connection

Mentoring begins when a person strategically affects the professional life of someone else by
fostering insight, identifying needed knowledge and expanding the other person’s horizons.” Larry
Ambrose, Mentor’s Companion

3) The Ricker Oil Company Mentoring Program

The purpose of this program is to create inclusive leadership opportunities for mid-level
management positions, who come from various demographic and philosophical differences. To
develop their knowledge of leadership and enhance their ability to demonstrate leadership skills in
their position, department and our company.

The Mentoring Program is sponsored by Ricker Oil Company, Inc. and is coordinated by the Human
Resources Department.

4) Eligibility
The program is open to any mid-level management employee. Mentors are management members
with leadership experience.

The Mentorship Program offers individual employees an opportunity to develop a relationship with
a leadership practitioner. The individuals who serve as mentors share their experiences,
perspectives and wisdom regarding leadership and diversity.

5) Benefits of Being a Mentee

a) Gain leadership attributes and understanding of leadership as it relates to professional and
personal development.
b) Learn the meaning and application of leadership skills in a variety of environments such as the
workplace and public through the eyes and experiences of leaders with diverse backgrounds.
c) Gain access to the experiences of professionals for guidance in time management,
communication and networking skills.
d) Develop skills and knowledge to become future mentors.

6) Benefits of Being a Mentor

a) Gain personal satisfaction from enriching the employee’s experience through leadership
development.
b) Give back to the company through development of others as leaders for the future by personally
and professionally supporting their growth.

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 c) Enhance coaching, feedback, and existing leadership skills.
d) Exposure to new and different thinking styles, knowledge, and perspectives.

7) How Do I Get Started?

a) Persons wishing to be mentors or mentees should register for the mentoring program online
using the registration form provided. www.rickersatwork.blogspot.com
b) Once the registration form is completed, the Human Resources Department will conduct a
matching exercise based on information provided in the registration form. This will include
consideration of factors such as educational background, career aspirations, common
professional interests, leadership experience, time availability, and location where applicable.
All efforts will be made to match a mentee with a mentor who is best placed to assist. However,
because the Mentor Program is a leadership-mentoring program and not specifically a career-
mentoring program, we cannot guarantee that participants will always be matched with
someone in their career field of interest. They will, however, be matched with someone with
leadership experience.
c) After the matching process is complete, mentors and mentees will be notified of their match.
The Program Coordinator will provide each participant with contact details for their match.
Information introducing the details of the program along with the Program guidelines on the
Mentoring Program components and expectations will also be provided. It is the mentor’s
responsibility to contact the mentee to initiate the mentoring process. However, it is acceptable
for contact to be initiated by either party.
i) Please note: Access to the mentoring program depends on the availability of
mentors/mentees. If a match is not immediately available, the Program Coordinator will
notify you and ask to maintain your information and use it to match you with a student or
mentor as an opportunity becomes available.
d) Once contact is established, a mentor and mentee start the mentoring process by
collaboratively filling out the Mentoring Agreement, located at
www.rickersatwork.blogspot.com. This Agreement is important as it helps build the foundations
of a relationship by communicating and recoding the agreed mentoring objectives, method and
frequency of communication/meetings as well as how the mentor and mentee will go about
achieving the agreed goals.
e) Successful mentoring requires the “right” relationship between a mentor and mentee. If for any
reason a mentor and mentee are unable to build the “right” relationship, the Program
Coordinator will re-match the individuals as an opportunity becomes available.

8) Participation Requirements
a) While there are expectations in relation to conduct and quality, we understand the demands on
the time of both the mentors and mentees. Therefore, the program allows mentors and
mentees flexibility to choose the mode of communication that best fit their schedules.
b) However, once you are informed about your mentoring partner, you must:
i) Work together to discuss and develop expectations, set objectives and complete a formal
mentoring agreement. A downloadable Mentoring Agreement form is located at. There is
also a sample Mentoring Agreement form at the end of this document.
ii) Agree upon a set schedule to interact that is at least once a month. The scheduled
communication time should be included in your mentoring agreement.
iii) Tell the truth
iv) Try something different
v) Provide the Program Coordinator a copy of the signed mentoring agreement.

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 vi) Fulfill commitments including complete “homework assignments” or provide adequate
notice of changes to your mentor or mentee.
vii) Participate in periodic evaluations. Although the Program Coordinator will be
communicating periodically, you will be provided a mid program progress/satisfaction
evaluation survey and an annual learning outcome evaluation which will measure progress
toward completion of your mentoring objectives.
viii) Observe confidentiality and professional standards of behavior and safety. You will not
disclose to others what you discuss with your mentoring partner unless with his/her
agreement. Create a safe learning environment, i.e. face to face meetings in neutral
professional areas.
ix) Complete recommended reading, for the mentee, “The Mentee’s Guide” by Lois J. Zachary
or for the mentor, “Mentor’s Companion” by Larry Ambrose.

9) Some Do’s and Don’ts of Being a Mentor

a) Do
i) Challenge, motivate, inspire, and encourage
ii) Be patient and build trust
iii) Offer alternative perspectives
iv) Encourage self directed reflection, analysis and problem solving
v) Establish boundaries with your mentee
vi) Remember personal safety. Face to face meetings should take place in public places.
b) Don’t
i) Simply provide solutions, but advise or identify resources to assist the mentee to make their
own decisions.
ii) Assume responsibility for the mentees career success. Rather provide feedback on tactics,
tips on networking successfully and comments on various strategies to succeed.
iii) Offer “personal counseling or life coaching that is not related to professional or personal
development.
iv) Neglect agreed commitments without explanation.
v) Hesitate to contact your mentee if you have not heard from him/her in a while.
vi) Meet in places that make you uncomfortable.

10) Some Do’s and Don’ts of Being a Mentee

a) Do
i) Be committed
ii) Question and reflect
iii) Communicate openly
iv) Be open minded to opportunities, new experiences and different ideas
v) Accept feedback and learn from it
vi) Remember personal safety. Face to face meetings should take place in public places.
b) Don’t
i) Have unrealistic expectations (such as work experience, etc.)
ii) Neglect agreed commitments without explanation.
iii) Hesitate to contact your mentor if you have not heard from him/her in a while.
iv) Meet in places that make you uncomfortable.

11) What should you talk about during your first meeting?
a) Here are a few suggestions;

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 i) Clarify expectations about the extent to which you will offer guidance concerning personal
as well as professional issues as you work together to define learning objectives
ii) Discus and define common goals and focus
iii) Discuss what you can offer: information, skills, experience
iv) Decide how you will interact in the future
v) Discuss any questions or concerns.

12) Example of Mentoring Activities

a) Some suggested mentoring activities might include, but are not limited to:
i) Provide direction to or list of relevant books, web resources, articles or other resources.
ii) Serve as a resource broker
iii) Provide job shadowing opportunities or an on-site visit
iv) Discuss training and educational opportunities
v) Invite your mentor or mentee to attend a professional association meeting or other related
activity.
vi) Suggest methods for advancing mentees growth.
vii) Provide networking opportunities or assist the student in professional networking.
viii) Communicate experiences and challenges as a leader.
ix) Attend a business related event together
x) Provide effective feedback.
xi) Acknowledge areas in which you do not have the necessary skills and refer to other
resources.

13) Ending the Partnership

a) The mentoring partnership may be ended for various reasons:
i) Completion of agreed objectives.
ii) The mentee has moved to a different position or left the company.
iii) The relationship is not beneficial to both parties.
b) Participants will need to provide notice to the Program Coordinator that the partnership has
ended. However, you may even choose to continue an informal mentoring partnership after the
mentees departure.

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 Mentoring Agreement

This agreement is between the Mentor, , and the Mentee, , and will last for the approximate
time period of this agreement to , no less than a period of 8 weeks.

The Mentee’s objectives for the Mentoring Program (listed are possible examples):
1. To develop a leadership career pathway to prepare for future leadership positions.
2. Learn the basics of group roles, dynamics, and decision making in order to function
constructively in group settings.
3. To gain a greater awareness of opportunities and activities that can broaden my educational
experience.
4. To learn how to conduct research within my field.
5. To learn how to communicate effectively in networking situations.
6. To gain a better understanding of best practice leadership experiences.
7. To gain a better understanding about how to play an effective role in influencing decisions.
8. To further develop decision making skills.
9. To enhance interpersonal skills.
10. To learn self motivation, self discipline, and goal setting techniques.
11. To gain a better understanding of gender and cultural influences on leadership.
12. To develop a sense of one’s strengths and weaknesses as a leader.

Specific assistance Mentor will provide to assist Mentee in achieving objectives (listed are possible
examples):
1. Assess Mentee’s current level of expertise and make growth recommendations.
2. Assign mentee reading materials specific to objectives.
3. Provide guidance and support by creating an atmosphere of openness where meaningful
communication and trust can exist.
4. Assist mentee in indentifying goals and objectives.
5. Assign Mentee specific tasks/assignments aimed at developing leadership skills.
6. Mentor will invite Mentee to attend a board or committee meeting.
7. Mentor will invite Mentee to attend a community activity together.

Steps Mentee will take in order to achieve these objectives:

1. Provide Mentor with current resume
2. Read material assigned by Mentor within established time frames
3. Complete tasks/assignments within established time frames

Face to face meetings will occur no less than one time per month on . Other ways Mentor and
Mentee will communicate will be via telephone and e-mail. Everything discussed in the agreement will
be confidential unless otherwise specified at the time of the discussion. This mentoring agreement sets
forth the objectives that the Mentor and Mentee commit to work on together. Both agree to follow the
guidelines of this agreement for the period specified and to make a good faith effort to resolve any
issues that may arise between them.

Mentor’s Signature: Date:

Mentee’s Signature Date: