What do you do if your Corporate Communications team needs mentoring and development?

1 Assess your team's strengths and gaps

The first step is to evaluate your team's current skills, knowledge, and competencies, as well as their areas of improvement and potential. You can use various tools and methods to assess your team, such as feedback surveys, performance reviews, self-assessments, or external audits. The goal is to identify the strengths and gaps of your team members individually and collectively, and to align them with the strategic objectives and expectations of your organization.

2 Create a mentoring and development plan

The next step is to create a mentoring and development plan that addresses the needs and goals of your team. This document should include a vision and mission statement to define the purpose and direction of your team, a SWOT analysis to summarize internal and external factors, a gap analysis to compare the current and desired state, SMART goal setting to specify measurable and achievable outcomes, a learning and development strategy to identify methods, tools, and activities for enhancing skills and knowledge, a mentoring and coaching framework to assign roles, responsibilities, and expectations of mentors and mentees, as well as a monitoring and evaluation system to track progress and impact.

3 Implement the mentoring and development plan

The third step is to implement the mentoring and development plan according to the agreed schedule and budget. This involves executing the learning and development activities, such as training courses, workshops, webinars, podcasts, books, or online platforms, that suit your team's preferences and needs. It also involves facilitating the mentoring and coaching sessions, such as one-on-one meetings, group discussions, peer feedback, or shadowing, that foster your team's relationships and collaboration. Moreover, it involves communicating the mentoring and development plan to your team and other stakeholders, such as senior management, clients, or partners, to ensure their support and involvement.

4 Review and adjust the mentoring and development plan

The fourth step is to review and adjust the mentoring and development plan based on the results and feedback of your team. This involves measuring the outcomes and impact of your team's mentoring and development, such as their satisfaction, engagement, confidence, productivity, quality, or innovation, using various indicators and metrics. It also involves collecting and analyzing the feedback and suggestions of your team and other stakeholders, such as surveys, interviews, focus groups, or testimonials, to identify the strengths and weaknesses of your team's mentoring and development. Furthermore, it involves making the necessary changes and improvements to your team's mentoring and development plan, such as revising the goals, strategies, activities, or resources, to ensure its relevance and effectiveness.

5 Celebrate and recognize your team's achievements

The fifth step is to celebrate and recognize your team's achievements and contributions to your organization. This involves acknowledging and rewarding your team's efforts and accomplishments, such as certificates, bonuses, promotions, or public recognition, to motivate and inspire them. It also involves sharing and showcasing your team's best practices and learnings, such as case studies, reports, presentations, or stories, to demonstrate their value and impact. Additionally, it involves creating and maintaining a culture of learning and development, such as a learning community, a mentoring network, or a knowledge repository, to sustain and enhance your team's growth and performance.

6 Seek external support and guidance

The sixth step is to seek external support and guidance from experts and professionals in the field of corporate communications. This involves connecting and networking with other corporate communications teams, associations, or organizations, such as conferences, events, forums, or platforms, to exchange ideas and insights. It also involves seeking and hiring external consultants, trainers, or coaches, such as agencies, firms, or individuals, to provide specialized and customized mentoring and development for your team. Moreover, it involves exploring and applying for external opportunities and resources, such as grants, scholarships, or awards, to support and fund your team's mentoring and development.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?