International Association of Venue Managers

Mentor Connector Program
 

Mentor Connector fosters learning and engagement aimed at achieving professional development and improving the quality of the public assembly venue manager workforce. By building a stronger network of talented professionals skilled in solving the issues facing our industry, IAVM and its members will become more valuable assets to their communities, their venues, tenants and guests.

Mentor Connector matches an experienced public assembly venue manager who has demonstrated competency in that area (mentor) with individual who has identified a professional development need (Mentee). Together they create a one-on-one, 12-month program tailored to improve the skill set of the protégé and enhance the mentor’s contribution to the industry.

Participants who successfully complete a Mentor Connector program cycle will qualify for points toward the Certified Facility Executive designation and continuing education.

The Mentor Connector Program Handbook (Mentor Handbook, Mentee Handbook) provides complete details including schedule, roles and responsibilities, process, goals and objectives development and reporting guidelines.

Mentor Connector Program
OVERVIEW

Match
A mentor / protégé match is based on several mutually beneficial criteria:career interest, commitment, leadership position, community obligations, time availability, geographic location and personal interests. Each match is carefully tailored to provide a unique and valuable mentoring experience for both participants. A coach—an individual with strong industry experience—is assigned to ensure the program duo stays on its timeline, to act as a resource for industry knowledge, and to provide support as needed.

Once a mentor / protégé match has been determined, both parties are notified, and personal profiles and contact information are provided to each participant.

Next Steps
The protégé takes a leadership role to inititiate the program, and is expected to:

Meetings
To develop the rapport needed to establish an effective mentoring relationship, it is recommended that a mentor and protégé

Concluding the Mentorship
The mentorship will conclude when both the mentor and protégé have determined that the goals and expectations have been met and concluding the mentorship is appropriate. At that time, both parties will be asked to complete a program evaluation

MENTOR INFORMATION

Download the Mentor Handbook

Benefits:

As a mentor, you can

Expectations:

Mentor Expectations and Commitments

Becoming Involved: Components of Effective Mentoring

Guidance:
As a mentor, you are a guide through the learning process, helping your protégé understand and integrate into his/her own life knowledge, skills, character and relational abilities –qualities that are essential for success in the meetings industry and within IAVM.

A mentor may meet with the new member exclusively, thereby developing a stronger relationship. Or, a mentor can serve the capacity of “lead mentor,” initially meeting one-on-one with the new member, later arranging meetings with other individuals within their facility or organization who would each schedule a meeting.

Vulnerability:
A mentor is selected because of his/her expertise and Character. Therefore, sharing your own development and experience is essential, as is fostering a relationship based on mutual trust and support. Be willing to have your protégé observe your life and career, and allow the protégé to benefit from the fruit of your failures as well as successes.

Discussion:
Stories, dialogue, questions and even role play can be vital components in the learning process. Listen to and learn from the protégé , and discern ways to provoke and encourage his/her growth. Learning to ask the right questions is as basic to growth as discovering answers. Pose questions and challenge your protégé to make his/her own decisions. Act as a sounding board.

Affirmation:
We learn best in contexts of support and encouragement. As a mentor, seek to enable the professional development of your protégé , encouraging his/her progress. Emotion and passion are central components to growth. The personal nature of mentorship enables the whole-life engagement in the learning process.

Application:
The best mentoring enables specific application in small steps. New members, and those seeking to advance their careers, in the IAVM and the industry need to be given the opportunity to put immediately into effect what they are learning from a mentor.

Guidelines for Effective Meetings:
One of the most difficult tasks a mentor must prepare for is to let the protégé take the initiative and practice leading. That role reversal may feel somewhat awkward at first. Two ways to feel more comfortable about this role reversal are to

These thoughts may set the tone for a potentially dynamic outcome.

Once a tentative meeting schedule has been arranged and several topics identified for discussion, Mentors literally sit back, relax and enjoy the conversation.

Discuss topics on business and life. Even though protégés are given a reference sheet of questions and are responsible for developing their own questions, be prepared to cover these areas”

Respond directly to questions. When someone asks a question that seems too personal or out of context with the professional conversation, simply say you “would rather not discuss it.” Some people prefer to take a passive approach or adopt an avoidance method. In general, however, everyone benefits from genuine, direct and honest answers, especially when practicing how to say “no.”

Probe to find common interests. Some younger members to the association are shy and uncertain about themselves while talking with seasoned leaders in the industry. If a conversation, particularly in the first or second meeting, feels stilted and uncomfortable, then it is most appropriate to veer away from the prepared agenda and probe for more common interests. Sometimes, just finding out that both people share a mutual delight in golf or reading eases tension. Once that sense of shared interest exists, a real exchange of ideas can result.

Establish trust.
New members to the association look for concrete examples of integrity when they meet with mentors, from the first phone call to the last handshake. When we follow through on what we commit to do, regardless of the task’s importance in our lives, we send a clear message: We can be counted on. New members to the association can learn a lot from mentors.

Expectations, when clearly delineated, help establish trust. When first meeting, via telephone, in person, or over the internet, it is important to talk about what each wants out of the mentor/mentee relationship.

Conclude the mentorship.

The final meeting should center on bringing issues to a close. It is a good time to reflect on the mentorship and talk about the positive changes that occurred for each person. In no way does this mean that the professional relationship must end. That would be up to the two individuals.



MENTEE INFORMATION

Participate!
In today’s marketplace, the value, if not the necessity, of being proactive in securing knowledge and advice from Industry professionals has never been greater. Every mentorship experience is beneficial.

Download the Mentee Handbook

Benefits:

Expectations:

As a participant in the Mentor Connector Program, you are a representative of your respective company, therefore, held to a very high standard of conduct.

As a participant, you are expected to

As in most endeavors, the more you put into the program, the more you get out of it.

Find out about your mentor: In addition to the personal profile you receive, do research the mentor prior to the visit. Look for boards on which they serve, awards received, or recent newspaper articles about their company.

Research the mentor’s company, function and industry. Mentors represent a wide group of companies, functions and industries. Prepare yourself by researching the intricacies of each of these areas. The better prepped you are, the more you will understand during mentor meetings.
Communicate respectfully and responsibly. Clarify your expectations. Discuss with your mentor any personal expectations you have regarding levels of contact or content exchanges. The better you communicate your interests before the relationship begins, the more you and your mentor will get out of it.

Ask the right questions. Give thought to questions you will ask before you meet with your mentor. You can start with the list provided and/or come up with your own. Make them strategic for your own growth and adjust as the mentorship progresses.

Be flexible. Mentors are busy, so be flexible regarding places and times to meet with them. When geographically feasible, you may want to offer to meet for coffee or talk on the phone. Be considerate of and show appreciation for your mentor’s time. Mentors are volunteers!

Accept a subordinate, learning position. Don’t let ego get in the way of learning. Trying to impress the mentor with your knowledge or ability will set up a mental barrier between you both. It will prevent you from receiving what he/she is giving.

Bring in current news or propose discussing a hot topic in the industry. Discussing a real-life business situation will increase the impact of the visit. Creating active dialogue around a hot issue is an interesting way to learn about the way your mentor approaches business decisions.

Leave time for Q&A. Make sure you build in enough time for a Q&A session at the end of each meeting.