Mentoring

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Overview

Mentoring is the process where a more experienced person (the mentor) imparts knowledge and skill to one who is less experienced (the protege, or in the terms of Waze Formal Mentoring programs, the mentee).

There are two main forms of mentoring in Waze; Formal Mentoring, and Informal Mentoring. Each form has its' own benefits and disadvantages which will be discussed below.

Formal mentoring

Formal Mentoring is a structured program, where a specific mentor and mentee are brought together, with a responsibility to accomplish a specific goal. The goal will be to better some aspect of their Waze interaction, be it building a particular skill over time, learning to participate in a certain aspect of the Waze community, learning how a portion of the Waze technology works, or mastering the skills required to increase the mentees' editing rank.

A Formal Mentoring arrangement will define the methods of communication, the frequency, and their intensity, and will include a definable objective, and normally a target date for completion.

Formal mentoring is still in a trial phase, and is currently only available in certain countries,

For more details on Formal Mentoring, see Mentoring/Formal.

Informal mentoring

Most of the mentoring on Waze takes place informally, without structure. This happens any time two editors with different experience levels in some aspect of editing get together to help the mentee better understand that aspect, and how to implement that knowledge. Informal Mentoring usually either has no goal beyond the immediate issue at hand, or it may be a repeated interaction without an overarching defined goal guiding all of those interactions. Neither party has any formal responsibility to the other.

More details and ideas about Informal Mentoring are available at Mentoring/Informal.

Mentoring resources

A list of available resources which can be used as part of both Formal, and Informal Mentoring is available at Mentoring/Resources.

Mentoring program wiki outline

Mentoring

• Formal Mentoring

Once you have decided Formal Mentoring is right for you, after you have read the guidelines, and understand the commitment required of you, you can apply here

Overview

Formal Mentoring in the USA is a one-on-one interaction between a Mentee and Mentor with specific objectives of increasing skill, editor level, and Waze Community participation. It entails a specific Mentee-Mentor pair who agree upon an objective, start, and end, this process needs a bit more coordination. It also requires commitment from both the Mentee and Mentor to complete the objective. Mentoring could last a week to months - the Mentee and Mentor decide.

Some benefits of participating in Formal Mentoring include:

For the Mentee;

• Learning the Waze environment and network of people more quickly.
• Having trusted individuals to ask questions (without fear of asking a 'dumb' question).
• Access to a trusted “sounding board” for your ideas and actions to share in confidence.
• Possibility to “act above your rank” during the mentorship, in order to learn skills appropriate to the next rank up.
• Potential accelerated rank and access as an Area Manager or Country Manager.

(note: Formal Mentoring does NOT guarantee any promotion and all promotions are decided by the Regional Coordinators.)

For the Mentor

• Increased contribution to the Waze community by leveraging your knowledge.
• Better insight into broader ideas affecting Waze, increased network of contacts.
• Improved self-awareness and skill development.
• By building up other members towards your own level, you reduce the long-term burden on yourself in managing your areas
• Mentors learn from Mentees!

Mentoring request

If you want to be a Mentee

There are four basic steps to the mentoring program listed here. These steps are expounded on in more detail in the Formal Mentoring Guidelines page.

1. Be sure you have already read, understand, and accept the guidelines, and commitment required as outlined in the Formal Mentoring Guidelines, General Mentoring forum, and the USA specific Formal Mentoring forum. This is required to prevent false expectations, and frustration from both sides of this relationship.
2. Please fill out this Formal Mentoring Application Form
   • Do you want to pick your own mentor? If you don't know one, you can find one in the forum groups:
     • Global Champ Mentors
     • Local Champ Mentors
     • Mentors
   • If you're not sure, you will be matched with a potential Mentor.
3. Work with that Mentor to reach an agreement.
   • If the Mentor is a match - Begin and complete mentoring.
   • If the Mentor is not a match - Request assistance in terminating the mentorship as peacefully as possible; you may try again with a different Mentor.
4. Complete the mentorship.

Please keep in mind, the Formal Mentoring program is still in its infancy, and the number of Mentors is limited. Mentors will be provided based on availability, and the order the requests came in. This may result in a delay from when you apply, until you are assigned a mentor. This is to ensure each Mentee receives the full attention they deserve. When your turn, comes you will receive the same undivided attention as those who came before you.

If you want to be a Mentor

• Read and agree to the Formal mentor training
• Request to be granted the Mentor role with this FORM.

After you receive sponsorship by a Waze Champ to be granted Mentor status.

• Suggest those to whom you'd like to Mentor.
• Survey the pool of Mentee requests and volunteer to help.

Some additional information and discussion are held in the Formal Mentoring Forum

Formal mentoring managers

Those editors responsible for managing, developing, and growing the Formal Mentoring program in the USA are listed here. Contact them if you have ideas, issues, or questions about the program.

• OrbitC (PM [Help])  
• xanderb (PM [Help])  

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All the Mentoring program pages are linked in the box below. New pages can be added to this list by clicking here.

• Informal Mentoring
• Mentoring Resources

Please bring up comments or questions about this in  this forum topic.