Creating a Mentoring Culture
Chapter One
Mentoring, Embedded
in the Culture
Along the way
places and people
planted seeds in my soul and in my spirit
and added stones to the foundation
I was trying to form
-LISA FAIN
AN ORGANIZATION'S CULTURE profoundly influences its people, processes,
and business practices. Its impact is felt and expressed daily, in many ways.
Culture also has explanatory value. It explains why things are done in a specific
way in an organization, and why specific rituals, language, stories, and
customs are shared. In addition to explaining behaviors, culture also sets
boundaries and offers stability. Culture is rooted in behavior based on
shared values, assumptions, and practices and processes, all of which live
within a mentoring culture.
Mentoring requires a culture to support its implementation and fully
integrate it into the organization. Without cultural congruence, the challenge
of embedding mentoring into the organization is daunting. Any mentoring
effort will continuously face challenges that have an impact on its
viability and sustainability. For example, an organizational culture that fosters
learning strengthens mentoring; if learn ... read full excerpt from Creating a Mentoring Culture: The Organization's Guide ebook
