1. How to establish a Mentor Program, from A to Z!
Barbara Corbello, Mentor Program Manager
Camden Property Trust
3 Greenway Plaza Suite 1300
Houston, TX 77046
To improve is to change; to be perfect is to change often. ~Winston Churchill
The interactive session will cover establishing a Mentor Program from the
beginning to infinity and beyond! Mentoring: Connecting People to People
Mentoring can be one of the most powerful tools in your organization for
connecting people to people. Not only are employees creating networks and
relationships, they share knowledge – the know-how, know-why and care-why.
We will learn how to create a mentor program from scratch; identify training
content, participate in experiential training activities; create guidelines/strategies
for supporting a mentor culture, leverage people, map processes and share best
practices. Discussions on choosing a vendor for a web based system,
techniques for connecting Mentors a year (two years) after their initial Mentor
Training, and much, much more!

2. 2008 ASTD Houston Professional Development Day
Presenter: Barbara Corbello, Camden Mentor Program Manager
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Guidelines for Creating a Corporate Mentor Program
1. Identify framework of program: scope, purpose, goals, mission,
philosophy, objectives, benefits, expectations, rationale, etc. (Start with a
Project Vision)
2. Identify criteria: training for mentors, criteria to become a mentor, format of
learning, positions to be mentored, responsibilities, and buy-in from
stakeholders.
3. Identify training content for mentors and new employees.
4. Identify roles and responsibilities for: mentors, mentees, supervisor of
Mentee, supervisor of mentor, responsibilities of management.
5. Identify and implement marketing strategy (i.e. message, branding).
6. Identify key areas (i.e. place, venue) for mentor recognition.
7. Identify challenges (buy-in, communication issues, change management,
implementation of new processes, technology, etc.
Course Objectives of Mentor Training should include:
 Introduce the new mentor to the program
 Establish expectations of behavior
 Communicate responsibilities
 Establish a code of conduct for the mentor
 Define the mentor position
 Recognize the benefits of mentoring for the mentor
 Recognize the benefits of mentoring for the Mentee
 Identify the mentees’ needs
 Identify and practice mentor skills
 Recognize and assess adult learning strategies
 Adapt mentoring skills to different learner styles
 Identify and practice mentor techniques
 Establish a protocol for follow-up

3. 2008 ASTD Houston Professional Development Day
Presenter: Barbara Corbello, Camden Mentor Program Manager
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Topics: Mentor Learning Guide (Pre-Work)
What is Mentoring? (Learner creates their own definition of mentoring)
Benefits of a Mentor Program (the Why behind the Why; from all
perspectives: Mentor, New Employee, company
Understanding the New Employee’s Needs
o Adapting to a New Work Environment – starting a new job
o Managing Expectations -
o Understanding Skill Levels
o Understanding Learning Needs
Adult Learning Principles
Mentoring Skills
o Living the Role
o Communicating to be understood
o Listening to Learn
o Giving Feedback
o Managing Motivation
Mentoring Techniques
o Setting the Tone for the Relationship
o Developing a Plan for Learning
o Leading by Example
Program Logistics
Content: Mentor Training (2-DAY Training)
What is Mentoring? Sharing activity of each other’s definition; share with large
group
Benefits of a Mentor Program – Group Discussion (LG page 7-9)
Understanding the New Employee’s Needs – think back to when you were a
new employee; first job; Once Upon a Time (Small Group) Activity FC
feelings experienced as new employee
o Adapting to a New Work Environment (Activity – change of Scenery
2 Groups: 1) Mentors and 2) New Employees
o Managing Expectations Perception is Everything Activity (2 Groups)
1 story with one slight difference – cold /hot
o Understanding Skill Levels (groups by position) Assessing Skill
levels (Part. Identify skills needed by new employee)
o Understanding Learning Needs (Identifying Learner Types Activity)
Self Assessment of their own Learning Types form with explanation
Adult Learning Principles
Mentoring Skills
o Living the Role
o Communicating to be understood
o Listening to Learn
o Giving Feedback
o Managing Motivation
Mentoring Techniques
o Setting the Tone for the Relationship

4. 2008 ASTD Houston Professional Development Day
Presenter: Barbara Corbello, Camden Mentor Program Manager
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o Developing a Plan for Learning
o Leading by Example
Program Logistics
Conclusion and Pinning Ceremony
Guidelines for Supporting a Mentor Program
1. Communication, communication, communication.
2. Clear and consistent message. (Top down, buy in at all levels)
3. Be flexible with change. (Listen/Act on growing pains)
4. Build rapport with all levels throughout the organization. (Regular
communication
5. Stand on principle/integrity of program (Goes to credibility of program)
6. Obtain feedback (knowing is half of the solution) ask questions to find out
what’s really happening. (Talk to the Mentors, Managers and Sr
Managers)
7. Always think systems and process improvement-Input? Output? Always
ask what can I do better? Differently? Etc.
8. Go electronic – the sooner, the better! Research Vendors
a. Triple Creek Associates located in Colorado
b. Mentor Scout (no information - never responded to request)
c. MMentPro by Management Mentors located in Chestnut Hill, MA
d. MentorMatch by Intrafinity located in Toronto, Ontario
What to look for in a Mentor
What should you look for when seeking mentors and in-house coaches for your workforce?
Here’s a quick rundown of essential skills and traits:
● Experience. To be effective, coaches and mentors should have several
years of high-level professional experience to share.
● Interpersonal/political expertise. Look for people who can navigate
workplace politics and connect with colleagues, subordinates, and superiors
in a positive way.
● Integrity. You want people with high moral standards and the strength to
maintain confidentiality when dealing with sensitive issues.
● Personal/organization insight. Good coaches and mentors know what to
look for in the people they assist; they can quickly identify and work with a
Mentee’s strengths, weaknesses, and goals. They’re also able to apply those
traits to the organization’s needs and strategy, suggesting assignments and
projects that push employees to grow.
● Flexibility. Target good problem-solvers, people who can find and seize
opportunities that aren’t obvious or easy. Can they think creatively and
quickly when faced with a difficult situation?
– Adapted from “Debunking ‘coaching vs. mentoring’ doubletalk,” on the Rita Staffing
Web site.

5. 2008 ASTD Houston Professional Development Day
Presenter: Barbara Corbello, Camden Mentor Program Manager
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“See one, Do one, Teach one” Activity
1. Create groups of 4 or 5.
2. Give instructions:
With your group, choose something that you want to teach another team
member. You may choose any kind of learning object, for example, a
‘stupid human trick’ or a magic trick. Be creative! Choose a leader who
will teach it. Create a plan to teach it using the ‘see one, do one, teach
one’ philosophy. Explain the ‘see one, do one, teach one’ philosophy.
You have 5 minutes.
3. Time groups 5 minutes.
4. Once finished, after confirming that everyone has learned the “trick” ask
the Leader move to the group to the right. Each groups’ Leader moves.
5. Give instructions:
Leaders, you are now the learner. .
Groups welcome your new learner and teach them the learning object
using the plan you’ve just developed.
When time is called, your learner should be proficient with the task you’ve
taught them.
You have 5 minutes.
6. Time groups 5 minutes. When time is called, stop all activity, even if
groups have not finished.
7. Allow volunteers to show off their new skills.
8. Debrief:
Did you create knowing, feeling and doing objectives for your learning
objects?
Were you able to help your learner meet those objectives? How?
What was the most challenging part of this task?
How did going through this process prepare you for what you will need to
do with new employees?
What are the benefits of teaching using the ‘see one, do one, teach one’
philosophy?
What actions will you need to take to be prepared to teach these learning
objects using this philosophy?
(Direct questions to the Leaders who become learners, ask about challenges,
how they felt about the change, about their new role, discuss the changes with
the other participants, etc.)

6. 2008 ASTD Houston Professional Development Day
Presenter: Barbara Corbello, Camden Mentor Program Manager
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This program represents 6 years of developing and sustaining a mentoring
culture within a changing and growing business organization.
Shea, Gordon F. Mentoring, A Practical Guide – How to Develop Successful
Mentor Behaviors, Menlo Park, California: Crisp Publications, Inc., 1992.
Arch, D., Pike, B., and Solem, L., One-on-One Training: How to Effectively Train
One Person at a Time, San Francisco, California: Jossey-Bass Pfeiffer, 1999.
Zachary, Lois J., Creating a Mentoring Culture, the Organization’s Guide, San
Francisco, California: Jossey-Bass A Wiley Imprint, 2005.
http://www.the-aps.org/careers/careers1/mentor/articles.htm
www.mentoring-works.com.au
http://www.3creek.com/resources/resources.htm
http://www.mentoring-association.org/
http://www.leadservs.com/publications.htm
http://www.mentors-mmha.com/margo.html
About the Presenter:
Barbara Corbello is the Mentor Program Manager for Camden Property Trust, a
multifamily housing company based in Houston, Texas. Barbara joined Camden in
January 2005 after spending 4 years as the Manager of Training and Development with
a national teleservices company; previously she worked for Getronics and BFI. She is
skilled as an instructional designer, systems implementation specialist, trainer and
facilitator. She received a graduate degree from the University of Houston and has a BS
in Mass Communications. She served as Co-VP of Membership Programs for the
Houston Chapter of American Society of Training and Development in 2001. She
presented at the 2007 International Society of Performance Improvement (ISPI) National
Conference and 2007 International Mentoring Association Conference.