One of the advantages of mentoring is that it can be adapted to any organisation’s culture and resources. There are several mentoring models to choose from when developing a mentoring program, including:

One-On-One Mentoring
The most common mentoring model, one-on-one mentoring matches one mentor with one mentee. Most people prefer this model because it allows both mentor and mentee to develop a personal relationship and provides individual support for the mentee.

Peer Group Mentoring
Peer group mentoring requires a mentor to facilitate a group of 10-12 mentees at one time. The group meets monthly to discuss various topics. Combining senior and peer mentoring, the mentor and the peer’s help one another learn and develop appropriate skills and knowledge.

Executive Mentoring
This top-down model may be the most effective way to create a mentoring culture and cultivate skills and knowledge throughout an organisation. It is also an effective succession-planning tool, because it prevents the knowledge “brain drain” that would otherwise take place when senior management retires.