IMC NCR Mentoring Program

The objective of IMC NCR's Mentoring Program is to assist chapter members who want to progress to CMC status or who want to improve and develop their professional roles as management consultants. Our program is a system that is non-burdensome, non-bureaucratic and virtually self managed. The Chapter identifies, from a list of Mentoring Program volunteers, an appropriate Mentor for IMC NCR chapter members who want a mentoring relationship. The chapter pays all mentoring fees as a benefit of IMC NCR membership.

The mentoring process requires a formal relationship between mentor and mentee, including establishing a set of explicit learning objectives and timeline. The specific goals and timeline are up to the mentoring pair, although the recommended end point is the certification examination and a duration of of six months. The mentoring relationship can be a mixture of face-to-face meetings and telephone or email contact, although the best results are achieved in regular face-to-face meetings to review progress and better establish a professional relationship.

Specific goals and benefits to IMC members in the Mentoring Program are as follows:

1. To enhance competitive position. This puts bottom line considerations as one of the driving forces behind the use of mentoring. Mentoring does result in transfer of knowledge and skill development which results in improved productivity.

2. To conserve and transfer special know-how. This relates to learning and reinforcing the body of knowledge generic to management consulting.

3. Many IMC members when they join IMC may want to proceed quickly to CMC status. They can benefit from a short term assignment to a Mentor who can review with them their application package and assist them in preparing for the CMC exams and oral panel.

4. There are many new management consultants to IMC who may be in early stages of their career and who can benefit from a Mentor. A Mentor in this case would be in the role of consultant and coach. Focus would be on management consulting culture and ethics, the body of knowledge, practice development and marketing, engagement management and performance.

The Mentoring Program is a valuable developmental experience, the impact of which can last a lifetime for both a mentor and mentee. Mentees get valuable perspective, business contacts, and the education of the mentor's experience. Mentors get the opportunity to clarify the essence of their expertise only possible through teaching. Both get an opportunity, always welcome to independent consultants, to develop relationships with professional colleagues.

An assigned Mentor to a new IMC member and to a CMC candidate is the offer of a senior CMC advisor to the benefit of an IMC member. The Mentor is to be in the role of a sounding board and trusted advisor to IMC members who want to improve their practices and progress to CMC status. The Mentor program Coordinator will be in the role of match maker between CMC and individuals to be mentored. The relationship is primarily between the two parties involved and is confidential. The only records kept will be names of who is paired with whom and number of individuals in the program.

How Do I Get Involved

If you are interested in either becoming a mentor or a mentee, contact Mallory Starr.