MENTORING

PROGRAM
Cultivation and Support of Future Leaders
“Mentoring is a brain to pick, an ear to listen, and a push in the right direction.”
-John Crosby

 So what does a mentor do? A mentor facilitates personal and professional growth by
sharing their knowledge and insights.

 A mentor is a: Coach, Teacher, Motivator, Counselor, Guide, Advisor, and Role Model.
True leaders don’t create followers, they create more leaders
- J. Sakiya Sandifer

 Characteristics of a good Mentor are as follows:

 Respected – has earned the respect of people within the
organization; others look to the mentor as a possible role model.
 People-Oriented – genuinely interested in people and has a
desire to help others; knows how to effectively communicate
and actively listen; able to resolve conflict and give appropriate
feedback.
 A Good Motivator – inspires the employee to do better/stretch
potential, through encouraging feedback and challenging work
assignments.
“Leadership is the capacity to translate vision into reality.”
-Warren Bennis
Continued
Respectful of Others – shows regard for well being of others; accepts the
employee’s minor flaws, just as the employee must accept minor flaws of
the mentor.

An Effective Teacher – helps to manage and guide the employee’s

learning – this means actively trying to recognize and use teaching/learning
opportunities (the opposite of a “sink or swim” approach).

Self-confident – appreciates an employee’s developing strengths and

abilities, without viewing them as a threat; enjoys being a part of an
employee’s growth and success.
 “If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more, and become more,
you are a leader.”
-John Quincy Adams

What should a Mentee expect from a Mentor?

 Encouragement, Support, Honesty and Guidance
 Candid Information & Advice
 Honest Appraisal of Capabilities
 Assistance in Making “Good” Choices
 Benefit of mentor’s experiences: What did and did not work
 An effort to really understand Employee’s abilities & concerns
 Assistance in formulating a cohesive plan and vision
 Help developing a “Network”
 Insight to career paths.
“Some people want it to happen, some wish it would happen, others make it happen.”
-Michael Jordan

 The Mentoring Relationship:

 Partnership Building - The mentor and the mentee are professional partners. Natural barriers that all partnerships face
may include miscommunication or an uncertainty of each other’s expectations. Activities that can help you overcome these
barriers include: Maintaining communication, Fixing “obvious” problems, Forecasting how decisions could affect goals,
Frequent discussion of progress and Monitoring changes.

 Realistic Expectations & Self Perception – A mentor should encourage the mentee to have realistic expectations of: The
mentee’s capabilities, Opportunities in terms of present and potential positions, The energies and actions the mentor will
commit to the mentoring relationship, What the mentee must demonstrate to earn the mentor’s support of his or her career,
Development A mentor may help define the mentee’s self-perception by discussing social traits, intellectual abilities and
talents, beliefs, and roles. It is important for the mentor to always provide honest feedback.
“Leadership is about making others better as a result of your presence
and making sure that impact lasts in your absence.”
- Sheryl Sandberg

A Mentor should always remain positive, and be

encouraging.

If a Mentee cannot accomplish a task, or has hit

a road block in their career, the Mentor should
suggest other proactive solutions rather than
forcing a bad position.
“Leadership is unlocking people’s potential to become better.”
- Bill Bradley

A Mentor must make the Mentee understand the elevated health risks
that are attributed to a career in law enforcement.

Police officers have a higher risk of developing diseases such as colon

cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, arthritis, and ulcers. Officers
also have a high risk of obesity due to lack of physical fitness and
unhealthy lifestyle. Police officers become vulnerable to adopt
unhealthy lifestyles, which may include tobacco, drug, or alcohol use.
The risk of developing these diseases puts police officers at a higher
risk of premature death when compared to the general population.

The average lifespan of a law enforcement officer after retirement is

two to five years.
Remember the difference between a boss and a leader; a boss says
“Go!” a leader says “Let’s go!”
-E.M. Kelly

Continued

Other factors that result in health problems are psychological exhaustion,

poor sleep habits, unhealthy diets, and infrequent exercise.

A study found 54.9% of the police officers experienced chronic lower back
pain. A significant amount (76.3%) of the sample reported that they
experience lower back pain within a year of working as a police officer.
Brown et al (2006) found that only 8.6% of the police officers experienced
lower back problems before joining the force, ultimately finding that some
aspect of policing caused the lower back pain.
“Before you are a leader, success is all about growing yourself. When you become a
leader, success is all about growing others.”
-Jack Welch
Mentoring should provide a positive outlet for stress relief. Sometimes talking
doesn’t alleviate the necessary stress a Mentee will face. Here are other stress
relief options:

 Exercise mixed with a healthy nutritional plan

 More laughter
 Find a positive hobby to occupy your down time
 Get more sleep
 Keep a journal of your thought and emotions
 Get a pet
 Learn to play an instrument or listen to music