Climbing The Ladder is an introductory book to mentoring, for organizational decision makers, that may be considering, the feasibility of maintaining, adopting and diversify their organizational mentoring strategies.
Most importantly, the author explains that mentoring can take the form of a one-time intervention or a lifelong partnership, which can be a formal structured programme, or an informal element of a professional friendship.
The advantages of joining a mentoring program are discussed and articulated and summarised as a learning tool, which can help mentees reach the pinnacle of their true potential.
"Climbing The Ladder" explains that mentee participation, in a mentoring programme is much more than a confidence building exercise, mentoring is about creating a relationship that facilitates the successful transfer of mentor knowledge, skills, and abilities, to mentees.
"Climbing The Ladder" reminds readers, that a good mentoring relationships progresses through predictable phases that build on one another, thus forming a logical learning sequence.
While a good mentor can certainly learn a lot from teaching and leading others, this book stresses that a good mentor relationship should be mentee centred.
The terms "good mentor" and "effective mentoring relationship" often eludes definition. "Climbing The Ladder" provides a framework, which facilitates the explanation of these definitions by focusing on the quality of the mentor-mentee matching process, compatibility issues, mentor competence, including the ability of the mentor to facilitate a positive mentoring experience from beginning to end.
The author acknowledges that mentoring programmes, vary in complexity, focus, and effectiveness by implying that organizations, with a tailor-made approach to mentoring are much more effective at facilitating mentees learning needs in comparison to organizations which adopt the one fits all approach.
Essentially, summary "Climbing The Ladder" offers some insight into fifteen of the most widely used mentoring, strategies, thus affording decision makers the opportunity to make an informed choice, regarding the best mentoring strategies, appropriate to their organization agenda.
