Importance of mentorship and succession plans for health organizations
Health organizations implement mentorship programs and succession plans in a bid to ensure professional continuity and survivability. A mentoring culture aims at refining leaders who remain in the organization; thus, creating trust and loyalty (Gerald, et al., 2013). Additionally, mentorship improves inter-professional collaboration which benefits both the health organization and patients (Diane, Davidson, Odegard, Maki, and Tomkowiak, 2011). Successful mentorship programs result in improved teamwork, cohesion, and morale which consequently promote organizational performance. On the other hand, succession planning ensures proper coaching of junior employees as they prepare for promotion to the challenging levels of leadership (Gerald, et al., 2013). Through succession planning, health organizations can avoid the dilemma of losing experienced employees, which leads to a decrease in productivity and efficiency.
Barriers in establishing mentoring programs in health organizations
Lack of trust
In a cross-gender mentoring program there could be a lack of confidence between the protégé and the mentor due to differences in their experience and behavior (Thomas, 1989). Ethnicity may also promote the lack of trust since the protége and mentor may have different values, belief, and cultural practices. Establishing same gender mentoring programs can help alleviate this problem.
Hindered communication
In a cross-race mentoring relationship, there may be communication barrier sine the minorities are not always willing to share openly. Thomas (2001), states that participants in a cross-race mentoring program may be unwilling to discuss sensitive matters. In this mentoring program, the participants can start the conversation with some professional issues to help ease their communication.
Age and gender clash
Importantly, age and sex conflict usually occur in mentoring programs whereby some participants perceive themselves as more superior or inferior than the others. In this case, the mentor and protégé fail to achieve the desired goal because they approach the conversation based on their experiences or viewpoint. The participants of a mentorship program should perceive themselves as a team whose collaboration will lead to success.
Mentorship program
Defining Strategic goals
The objective of this mentoring program is to exchange ideas and information that will improve teamwork and tolerance in the health organization.
Selection of mentors
Only heath care providers who have been in practice for 50 years and above will be selected as mentors. Additionally, for one to qualify as a mentor, they should exhibit unmatched expertise and professionalism in healthcare.
Confidentiality
The exchange of ideas and information between the mentor and the mentee will be a private affair. In the case of Tele-Mentoring, the participants will have to create a portal which is only accessible through the use of a secret code.
Training of mentors
Mentors will get training based on the needs of the mentee and health organization. The training will involve partnerships and exchange programs with both local and international health care agencies.
Politically right mentors
The mentors should define their political views to ensure that their mentoring programs are not inclined to particular political beliefs.
Committed to the long-term responsibility of being a mentor
The mentors will sign an agreement attesting that they are in a long-term mentoring commitment.
Succession plan for a health care organization
This succession plan relates to trait leadership. According to trait leadership, leadership abilities emerge as a result of the particular characteristics of the individual. The purpose of the mentorship program in this succession plan is to develop the specific leadership features of the candidates.
References
Diane R., B., Davidson, R. A., Odegard, P. S., Maki, I. V., & Tomkowiak, J. (2011). Interprofessional collaboration: three best practice models of interprofessional education. Medical Education Online, 16(1), 1-10
Gerald, J., Ledlow, R., Coppola, N. M., & Ledlow, G. R. (2013). Leadership for health professionals: Theory, skills, and applications (2nd ed.). United States: Jones and Bartlett Publishers
Thomas, D. A. (1989). Mentoring and Irrationality: The Role of Racial Taboos. Human Resource Management, 28(2), 279-290.
Thomas, D. A. (2001). The Truth about Mentoring Minorities Race Matters. Harvard Business Review, 79(4), 98-107.
