“ The traditional understanding of what mentoring is has always put the emphasis on the mentors providing resources for the mentees . We realize and appreciate that everyone has something to bring to the table regardless of their tenure or seniority .”
— TINA MAO the program . More important , though , is that the program also accounts for the time it takes to see true growth by pairing mentors and mentees for a full year .
Giving mentors and mentees at least six months to achieve the goals they have set increases the likelihood that their relationship will result in successful outcomes . As Jean Kolb puts it , “ Behavioral change and increase in knowledge takes time . Six months allows the relationship the necessary time to develop and progress through the objectives , obstacles and successes that occur .”
Planting Seeds for the Future
Under normal circumstances , a mentoring program can be a great way to improve workplace culture and increase employee satisfaction and retention . But staffing cuts precipitated by the COVID-19 pandemic mean that , in the moment , it has the potential to have an even greater impact . “ We have seen senior leadership roles eliminated , which leaves large gaps in
FEATURED SOURCES organizations ,” says Julie Pankey . “ There are so many strong individuals in jobs that they were not trained to perform right now . An individual who went from the spa manager or supervisor role to managing it all can easily feel overwhelmed and lonely . There are individuals who may be lacking in years of experience — but not lacking in heart , drive and passion — that need to be nurtured so they can become the future leaders in our industry .”
What to do , then , if you are one of those individuals Pankey mentions ? Put simply : reach out . Whether that means connecting with a trusted industry colleague you know you could learn from or joining a community ( such as Pankey ’ s own SpaHive Community or the Global Wellness Institute ’ s Peer-to-Peer Leadership Training Initiative ) where such a person might be found . After all , the qualities of a strong mentoring program — structure , commitment , measurable goals , honest communication — can be applied to two people as well as to an entire organization .
“ Mentoring does not have to be expensive or elaborate — simple is actually best ,” Pankey says .“ More than money , it will take a little time to get it right .”
On the other hand , if you are an experienced leader whose spa doesn ’ t have a formal mentoring program , consider investing the time to get one up and running , even if only on a small scale at first . As thinly spread as many spa leaders have been throughout the pandemic , sharing leadership skills and effective work habits with others in your organization ( while learning a thing or two from them yourself ) will only increase their ability to support both you and the goals of your spa . And once the mentoring structure is in place , the spa can continue a cycle of growth and achievement through future mentor-mentee relationships . “ That ’ s the ultimate goal , that those mentees become future mentors ,” says Jean Kolb .“ And that those future mentors become the spa directors or lead therapists that we have a great need for in the industry .” ■
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JEAN KOLB
Executive Coach HUTCHINSON CONSULTING
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JEREMY McCARTHY Group Director of Spas and Wellness MANDARIN ORIENTAL HOTEL GROUP |
TINA MAO Management Trainee MANDARIN ORIENTAL HOTEL GROUP |
JULIE PANKEY
Managing Partner JMPANKEY PARTNERS
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MARCH 2021 ■ PULSE 27 |