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sheens
Hi,
Buddies scheme is where a new joinee is assigned a buddy, a friend ( usually a senior official) so that he gets familiar with about almost eerything in the organisation. So do tell me what do you think, will it be a success or failure.

From India, Madras
Ryan
89

Hi
Why do you have this query?
Can you explain the scenario in which this scheme is operating so that we can understand your situation?
I personally see no reason why this should fail anywhere - else how will an organization survive?
Awaiting your response.
Regards,
Ryan

From India, Mumbai
aguinn
5

Hi there. It’s worked for years. It’s called mentoring. Alan Guinn, Managing Director The Guinn Consultancy Group, Inc.
From United States, Bluff City
Avneet Behl
2

Hi There
Mentoring is separate from Buddy scheme
Buddy is usually at the same level
Mentor is a skip level senior- one level above your boss
Buddy helps in knowing about the organisation and its culture
Mentor helps in career counselling and further development both in personal and professional life.
Both Buddy and Mentor schemes are extremely usefull if followed with the right spirit.

From India, Gurgaon
aguinn
5

Avneet,

You're right..both are quite useful.

I use the term Mentor to indicate anyone who coaches, counsels, or suggests a new, improved, or alternative action to another. Mentors may even be experienced employees at levels below the incumbent employee; they don't need to be at a higher level.

Example: I took on a position which required knowledge of supply chain management; although I was a Director-level employee, I was mentored by a lower-level supervisor that had enjoyed over 20 years of warehousing experience.

In this case, the mentoring which I received was reversed to the role you explained.

There's no reason, however, to be "hung up" on semantics.

In my mind, the requisite for a mentor is simply someone who has advanced knowledge of a product, service, or process, and is willing to share that knowledge with another; if it's in a buddy-scheme, and both employees are at equivalent levels in a hierarchy, so be it.

As my friend Leo Lingham states,

Rita A Peterson, quoted here on CiteHR several times, in her Guide for Mentoring, lists several attributes:

A mentor is a loyal friend, confidant and advisor

A mentor is a teacher, guide, coach and role model

A mentor is entrusted with the care and education of another

A mentor has knowledge and advanced or expert status

A mentor is attracted to and nurtures a person of talent and ability

A mentor is willing to give away what he or she knows in a non-competitive way


© Guide for Mentoring by Rita A. Petersen

Here are some of the items I identify as requirements for Mentors in my Seminar on Leadership and Mentoring:

1. They are considered by peers to be experts in the field.

2. They set high standards for themselves.

3. They enjoy and are enthusiastic about their field.

4. They continue to update their background in the field.

So, if we accept that Buddies are mentors, and we accept that mentors help employees, then--I'd say, yes, the Buddy system works.

Hope that's helpful.

All the best.

Alan Guinn, Managing Director

The Guinn Consultancy Group, Inc.

From United States, Bluff City
Avneet Behl
2

Dear Alan
While I do agreewith your concept and the phrases mentioned there in, but don't you think that any person who is imparting knowledge which is known to him by the virtue of knowledge or experience may also be termed as a trainer who is required to induct the person into the system and train on various skills that are a part of the function and value system of the organisation.
At the same time, I do agree that the trainers can be mentors also but vice versa may not always be true... I think i am mentally conditioned that way as in our company, the mentor is usually a skip level person.. but i do feel that mentoring is more of an emotional depandance and buddy is emotional bonding. By nature one tends to depend on a person who is more experienced and at a higher level..
It think its a matter of choice.. could also be industry specific....
regards
Avneet

From India, Gurgaon
gimeabrek
Hi
Alan -what you are talking about 'Mentoring' requriements in your seminar on 'Leadership and Mentoring' - is absolutely what a Mentor can be identified as ... be it an external or internal mentor (though n+2/ skip level manager or otherwise).
but i think the point of difference is in what Avneet has refered to as Buddy being someone who -helps in understanding the implicit culture of an organisation to ease in a newcomer in finding his/ her way around the organisation.
Mentor goes beyond this profile -whereas a buddy normally is not expected to do so..
Meenakshi.


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