Be Transparent. Increased compliance regulations, accountability and an exploding online world have rung the death knell on hiding or obscuring information. What we once may have been able to conceal or delay is now surfacing virally through the internet, social media, and exposing documentaries (think Food Inc., Facebook, online TV). Leaders are held accountable not only to their shareholders and clients, but to society as a whole. In order to develop trust and confidence, leaders need to be transparent about their results, personal choices, and affiliations. Being transparent on a tactical level includes sharing successes and challenges with team members and key stakeholders, being self-aware about personal strengths and weaknesses, and coaching and mentoring team members to be proactive and tackle challenges head-on.

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Remember that successful mentoring relationships take effort. Both the mentee and mentor must put significant effort into the relationship. Treating scheduled meetings as a priority and coming prepared to discuss certain topics will allow the relationship to prosper.

These are just a few of the things firms can do to implement an effective in-house mentoring program.

Encourage young attorneys to get out from behind their desks and learn. New experiences for associates should be encouraged and being able to shadow a partner at a trial or deposition should be a part of the program. Obviously, these opportunities may not be billable, but firms have devised alternative ways to record this “lost” time. Some create a bank of educational time for each attorney and the non-billable learning time utilized each month is subtracted from the bank. Other firms allow the associates to include the time in their annual billable totals, but the time is cut on the client bills. There are even clients who agree to pay for some of the time if the associate is performing a valuable service, i.e., keeping exhibit lists at trial, taking notes during a deposition, etc.

Require participants to provide feedback on a regular basis. Constant feedback is necessary from all parties in order to make the system work and allow for adaptations. Feedback can provide opportunities to switch partners before participants become demoralized. If a relationship is not working, try matching the participants with other people to find a better fit. Some people just don’t work well together.

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Establish specific guidelines for each mentoring relationship. Most effective structures are formed for three to five year periods and roles, expectations, procedures and responsibilities must be established at the outset. Provide this information to the participants in writing at the beginning so everyone has an understanding of the program’s scope.

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Successful in-house mentoring programs share the following characteristics that must become a part of the mentoring structure:

Ensure that an “important” person within the firm is a vocal advocate of the program. In order for the partners and associates to buy into the program, an individual position or committee must be established for the long haul.  Buy-in at the top is a precondition for buy-in down the rank.

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Review your plan and identify a “theme” for the year: Once your plan is set, you will most likely see a theme emerging. Themes are important reminders for how and where to focus through the year. For example: “Getting ready to sell,” “People first,” “Maintaining market share,” or “Breaking through” can serve as powerful mantras to help stay on track when executing the strategic plan.

Strategic planning can be done in small steps and doesn’t require extensive off-site retreats to be effective. Remember, however, that all the planning in the world won’t get your goals accomplished. Only by implementing your plan will you see the results. These basic steps will help you focus on the future and get re-energized about what you can accomplish with a day’s worth of planning and dedication.

Set dates for completing each goal: Divide your note pad into 12 columns (one for each month) and begin mapping out when you want each goal or action step to be completed. If you manage a team, it may be helpful to also allocate responsibilities among your people for completing or spearheading each goal.

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Strategically develop each category with measurable goals: When the main categories have been identified and a few goals have been listed under each, begin adding additional goals. Think about what you want for the coming year and by when you wish to accomplish each goal. For a one-year strategic plan, you will probably end up with 3-10 goals or action steps under each category.

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• Begin organizing your thoughts and ideas: Once you have collected your ideas, begin looking for common themes or patterns.  Group them into categories such as: financial, personnel, product development, personal development, operational, etc.

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