NSCP Mentoring Program
What is Mentoring?
Mentoring is a one-on-one relationship where an experienced person (mentor) will help a less experienced person (mentee) grow professionally. Mentoring is typically done as on-the-job training by someone at the same company, but as compliance professionals we often don’t have the luxury of this resource. While mentoring can certainly be a viable stand-alone path to professional development, it is often complementary to other outlets such as conferences (live and online), written materials (printed and online), and networking (online forums and roundtables).
The Mentoring Relationship
Each mentoring relationship is unique. As in most aspects of life, the relationships will run the gamut from extremely successful to unfulfilling. However, in a mentoring relationship, success or failure is most dependent on the mentor. Mentors must be committed and nurturing. NSCP has adopted standards to give the mentoring relationships the highest chance of success.
The Mentoring Program’s Six Standards
1. Recruitment
2. Screening
3. Training
4. Matching
5. Monitoring and Support
6. Closure
Standard #1 - Recruitment
The NSCP mentoring program is administered and overseen by the NSCP membership affairs committee. NSCP seeks volunteers from our membership for both mentors and mentees. NSCP is encouraging past NSCP board members to volunteer as mentors.
Standard #2 - Screening
Mentors must be screened to ensure they have the time, commitment, expertise and personal qualities to be an effective mentor. Mentors are categorized based upon their strengths and weaknesses. All mentors must complete the mentor questionnaire and will be vetted by the mentoring program coordinator.
Standard #3 - Training
Mentors are provided with tools and feedback from the program coordinator. The mentee questionnaire provides a good starting point for the relationship. This process is mentee-centric and focused upon the needs and desires of the mentee. A good mentor will identify those objectives, develop and plan, and implement the plan in the mentoring sessions.
Standard #4 - Matching
NSCP will maintain a database of mentors and mentees. Making good matches is critical to the success of each relationship and NSCP will do its best in matching mentors with mentees.
Standard #5 - Monitoring and Support
All mentoring relationships will eventually run their course and hopefully morph into peer relationships. Unfortunately, many relationships will not meet expectations and monitoring by the program coordinators is critical. Both mentors and mentees will have an outlet to discuss the relationship with an objective third party – the NSCP mentoring coordinator. Feedback is important not only for the mentor and mentee but also for NSCP to maintain a highly successful mentoring program. NSCP has dedicated resources to support the program.
Standard #6 - Closure
The NSCP program coordinator will facilitate bringing the match to closure in a way that affirms the contributions and accomplishments of both the mentor and mentee. This will be an opportunity to assess the experience and possibly set the stage for the next match.
NSCP Mentoring Program
If you have an interest in participating in the mentoring program as either a mentor or mentee, please contact Kim McNutt at (860) 672-0843 or via e-mail at kmcnutt@nscp.org.
