Embrace Mentorship Month: See How Mentorship Fuels Success

Some of the most valuable career lessons aren’t taught in school. For everything you can’t learn in the classroom, mentorship offers a shortcut to gaining a lifetime of knowledge.

Mentorship plays a crucial role in many people's career trajectories and can be the key to unlocking their potential. That’s because mentoring relationships provide a unique opportunity to learn from another person’s perspectives and experiences.  

January is National Mentoring Month. Established in 2002, National Mentoring Month celebrates these relationships and spreads awareness about the countless benefits of mentorship. It encourages people to seek out these connections. In celebration, we’re offering a behind-the-scenes look at the mentorship program within our Global Supply Chain team.

Why Stanley Black & Decker is Committed to Mentorship  

Mentorship is a vital component of our commitment to career development, and this commitment is the foundation behind our Global Supply Chain team’s mentorship program.

With the guidance of a mentor, individuals early in their careers can receive advice on setting goals and a better understanding of their career paths. They can discuss and navigate challenges with their mentor and expand their professional network.  

Brian S., a Senior Sourcing Manager and program mentor, notes, “Looking back at my experience as a mentee, one of the key takeaways I tried to pass along to my mentee, Marissa, was to embrace the experience and ask questions. Let’s not just get to know each other. Let’s try to unearth the right resources to achieve their goals,” he says. “It can be a little trial and error, but the point is learning in a safe environment.”

Committing to career development opportunities like mentorship is invaluable for our continued success.  

“Mentorship has several positive impacts on employees while helping us accomplish our goals,” says Shontiana. “By improving communication channels, mentorship fosters a culture of collaboration. This can also lead to increased innovation, as mentees bring fresh ideas and their own perspectives to their mentors.”  

Shontiana also emphasizes the importance of mentorship in transferring crucial institutional knowledge, such as processes and procedures, to new employees. “This is important as employees retire and the next generation steps in,” she shares.  

Marissa T., a Sourcing Analyst and Brian’s mentee, elaborates on this idea, highlighting the value of mentorship for newcomers here at Stanley Black & Decker. “Every company has its own way of thinking. I’ve found connecting with Brian on our various ins and outs to be particularly insightful,” she says. “I’ve gained an understanding of that way of thinking and learned how I can contribute to it.”  

Mentors, too, benefit from forming these relationships. “As a first-time mentor, I'm also fine-tuning my communication skills. It's important that I present information accurately to manage expectations,” Brian says.

Behind the Scenes at Our Global Supply Chain Mentorship Program  

The Global Supply Chain team’s mentorship program is an employee development framework where a more senior employee acts as an advisor, counselor, or guide to a less experienced colleague. Through this active partnership, mentors and mentees engage with the goal of both partners learning, growing and enhancing their skill sets.  

Employees are often paired on a cross-functional and cross-regional basis. Once paired, they participate in an orientation program, where they learn their respective responsibilities. They’re given worksheets to help articulate their goals for the program and receive examples of questions to initiate conversation in their initial meetings.  

Mentees take ownership of the relationship and start the conversation, encouraging them to take initiative for their career development. Mentees drive the calendar and set their meeting agendas as part of this.

Responsibilities of Mentors  

Mentors have three primary responsibilities: thought partner, supporter and capability developer. They often function as a sounding board, listening to any issues their mentee faces and then shifting the conversation to uncover solutions. They share their expertise with their mentees and identify growth opportunities. In these conversations, mentors are encouraged to share examples and stories from their work history, successes and failures to reinforce their advice and demonstrate possible outcomes.

For Marissa and Brian, one of many areas they focused on was helping her become a more active participant in meetings. “He helped me become a confident contributor. We discussed ways to improve my speaking skills, practicing and staying organized with the thoughts I’m trying to convey,” she shares. “He recommended that I look at the various learning courses the Company offers; these were particularly helpful. Because of our discussions, I’ve made it a point to be more proactive in speaking up in group discussions and not just an observer on the job.”

Leveraging Meaningful Relationships

Having access to their mentor’s more extensive network is another benefit of mentorship. “Mentorship programs offer an immense benefit of networking,” Marissa explains. “Networking allows anyone new to the Company to circulate ideas or learn how Stanley Black & Decker operates.” Participants in the program can also join quarterly networking events. These events help mentors and mentees meet new colleagues and gain greater insights into the Company as a whole.  

The program hosts virtual leadership roundtables where mentees can submit questions to presenters. Along with gaining insight on essential topics, participants can introduce themselves to leaders and extend their personal networks.  

However, a successful mentoring relationship is built on mutual respect and trust. Establishing this type of relationship requires a willingness from both participants to discuss their lives outside of work — a growing trend in mentorship.

A Mentoring Success Story

Before he became a mentor, Brian started the program as a mentee. “I was a mentee once myself, so I know this experience's impact,” he says.  

After being paired with Marissa, he prepared to be a mentor by evaluating what he learned from his mentors. “I tried to understand the impact these individuals had on me,” he says. “My mentors were motivational. I looked to them for guidance, and they were extremely helpful in building my career and skill set. My hope was to share this experience with Marissa in a way she might find helpful.”  

The pair met monthly to develop a skill development framework, discuss her career roadmap, and define her long-term goals, including the potential pursuit of Certified Professional in Supply Management (CPSM) certification and an MBA. Marissa appreciated Brian’s encouragement and experience as she hopes to further her education.  

“Brian has a doctorate in business. He has also been through an MBA program and the CPSM process!” she says. “His experience with maintaining a work-life balance while pursuing additional education, along with his industry expertise, will make him an excellent resource as I consider my future paths — and throughout my career.”

While their six-month program has ended, the two continue to meet regularly. “Helping Marissa define her goals and create a development roadmap is rewarding. Marissa is a pleasure to work with and an excellent mentee. I value our time together and am excited to support her in all her future endeavors.”