Preface

It takes only one match to light a forest fire.

Futurists believe that the intellectual capital of an organization will be its most important competitive weapon in the next century. They're wrong. It already is. Trained, knowledgeable people are the key ingredients for success. Conventional approaches to learning, such as classroom training, are giving way to alternative learning approaches such as mentoring and peer learning. Research shows conclusively that when people take responsibility for their own learning, retention is higher, application increases, and costs are lower. "Ownership" is typically not part of conventional training programs.

An effective mentoring program matches the needs and expectations of a protégés with an expertise of a mentor. Both require training, encouragement, incentives, and tools. This resource is intended to be one tool of development, which focuses on non-technical skills. It is meant for anyone who does not have a mentor --; the great majority of individuals in the workplace. Moreover, since no mentor has answers to all the questions that proteges might ask, this quick reference will also help proteges to be more self-sufficient by giving them a tool to assist them in finding their own solutions.

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