Accountability: Measuring Mentoring and Its Bottom Line Impact

Using mentors, while not a panacea for resolving problems in the organization, can help companies deal with a variety of problematic situations . Managing effects on productivity of massive job shifts during reorganizations, developing a cohesive corporate culture in a merger, developing the potential of all employees, including minorities, and reducing turnover are a few examples. While the benefits of mentoring have been recognized for years, this potent force operates entirely unmanaged in most companies. Mentoring can be managed. Research on mentoring has shown us what a mentoring relationship is like and has made it possible to understand, measure, manage and evaluate the relationship. This powerful force can be harnessed to accomplish organizational goals. Benefits can be maximized and potential problems managed. Ignoring these relationships allows them to operate uncontrolled within the organization, producing unpredictable and unmeasured results.