If you ask fire service leaders what they think about mentoring, most of them will say it’s a good idea. But if you ask those same people how mentoring has functioned in their own organizations, you might get a different story.
Some fire departments have long-standing, formal mentoring programs. Others have nothing at all. Many have something in between, either informal programs or just an attitude of encouraging people to engage in those kinds of relationships.
At its best, mentoring can have a very beneficial effect on individuals and organizations. It can provide guidance for skill development and career advancement and improve worker engagement and retention. It can enhance leadership skills for all involved and contribute to a positive workplace culture.
However, sometimes mentoring does not work out so well. When done badly, it may even do more harm than good.
Starting a fire service mentorship program
When promoting the idea of mentorship in the workplace, it’s important to consider how the program will be implemented and what is expected of both mentors and mentees. When considering starting or overhauling a department mentorship program, consider these five questions:
- Will mentoring be voluntary or mandatory? I know of some fire departments that mandate the mentoring process and assign every new person to a more experienced member who is expected to act as a mentor. In some cases, every department member is expected to participate. But it is unlikely that every department member will be equally motivated to participate, which means that the quality of mentors will be variable. Of course, everyone should be given the opportunity to participate. But think twice before mandating participation.
- What kind of training is provided? Everyone involved in a mentoring program should receive some basic awareness training about what mentoring is, what kinds of expectations are realistic from the relationship, and what professional standards apply. Those serving as mentors need additional training in how to structure and guide the relationship and what to do when help is needed beyond their scope of ability or authority.
How are mentoring matches made? Some organizations assign mentors and mentees. Others encourage individuals to make their own connections. While both ways can work, there are potential advantages and disadvantages to both.
Assigning mentors can ensure that everyone has equal opportunities within the program and can promote relationships that might not happen organically within the organization. However, assigning mentors may feel contrived and less comfortable for all involved. On the flip side, letting people find their own mentors/mentees usually means that there is some kind of personal connection from the beginning. The downside is that people tend to gravitate to those who are most like themselves, and those who are not part of the central organizational culture may be left out.
- What is the depth of the mentorship commitment? Mentors and mentees need to be relatively similar in their expectations and commitment. Will the pair meet on a regular basis or only as needed? Is the mentor open to being called upon outside of the workplace? Is the mentee acting on guidance given or only paying lip service? Is the relationship situational, such as when someone is actively going for a promotion, or open-ended? There should be clarity on these types of issues from the beginning.
- What kind of ongoing support will the department provide? Those who act as mentors, especially when that role is more formalized, need to know that their department has their back. What kind of ongoing training will they get? What kind of access will they have to other resources? If the relationship needs to change or end, how will their department assist with that transition?
A successful mentorship program benefits all
Mentoring is a relationship that can benefit all who engage in it. Good mentors often comment that they learn as much from their role as they impart to those they advise. It can be enormously gratifying to help another person excel in the job, assist them through a difficult time, and pass along formal and informal knowledge to a new generation.
At its core, mentoring is less about teaching technical skills than it is about being a good example, passing along knowledge, offering insight into the organizational mission and being an effective listener and ally. It’s about believing in another person and helping them to be their best. This attitude can be demonstrated either formally or informally, but ultimately, when people feel that kind of support, they will always give their best, and that result benefits everyone.
