A Guiding Hand: The right mentoring program serves everyone

A great mentoring program increases the success rate of your franchisees and the likelihood of an excellent reference/validation of the system that can lead to improved franchise sales. Mentees who become raving fans are wonderful people for prospective franchisees to meet.

Everyone loves the concept of mentoring, but it doesn’t always work. There are two reasons: 1) people often don’t know what mentoring really is, and 2) most franchisors don’t set proper expectations or do the appropriate training when they roll out the program.

Mentoring is nuanced and complex. It requires a strategic alignment of personalities, hands-on/hands-off supervision, and a bit of interpersonal magic. When I come across a mentoring program that’s well done, everyone is happy. The mentee appreciates the advice and support, and the mentor learns through providing advice and assistance.

Proper vetting

It’s not enough to choose mentors who are successful franchisees. Pick mentors who adhere to the requirements of your franchise system. This vetting process ensures that new franchisees will learn practices that are both effective and in line with your brand. If you select mentors who do things their own way, new franchise owners can learn bad habits. You certainly don’t want that.

Consider personalities 

The success of any mentoring relationship hinges on the chemistry between the mentor and mentee. For example, a mentor’s eagerness to share knowledge is critical. Having a positive attitude about the franchise system is also essential. The mentee will look up to their mentor, so make sure the mentee is the type of franchisee you want to grow inside your franchise system. Your franchise business consultants can help you find franchisees who would be excellent mentees.

Structure your approach

While you don’t want to hover and micromanage what your mentors and mentees are doing, remember that a loose structure will produce loose results. Set up clear definitions and a structure that includes regularly scheduled meetings with well-planned agendas.

At the beginning of the process, focus on the business goals the mentee wants to achieve and how the mentor can support them. Also, decide when and where meetings will happen. These two steps provide clarity for both parties and help establish consistency.

A typical agenda might cover updates on the progress toward goals, discussion on what’s working and what’s not, and time to address the mentee’s specific questions. During the meeting, you want to establish new objectives and goals to be addressed before the next meeting. This structured approach helps guide both mentor and mentee toward achieving well-defined goals.

Mentor recognition

Ongoing support for your mentors is essential. Regular check-ins and forums where mentors share experiences and challenges can significantly bolster your program’s effectiveness. Recognizing and rewarding mentors’ contributions also serve as powerful motivators, reinforcing the value placed on their role within the franchise community.

A monthly online meeting with all mentors is a powerful and efficient way to keep everyone’s interest levels high and an opportunity to provide training and idea exchange.

For new franchisees, a site visit of the mentor’s business is key. It’s a great way to start the relationship because the mentor and mentee get to spend quality time together, and the mentee can see what happens day to day in the business. 

Spread the support

While mentoring new franchisees is key, don’t forget that mentoring can be a powerful tool at other critical moments, including:

• Mentors can guide franchisees through the complexities of managing multiple units, and share insights on operations and growth.

• Whether it’s marketing, operations, or training, mentors with expertise in these areas can provide specialized guidance, enhancing the overall performance of the mentee’s franchise.

• Mentors can help new advisory council members understand their roles and responsibilities and help them rise into leadership positions.

• Experienced mentors can offer invaluable advice to franchisees facing challenges, drawing from their own experiences.

These expanded mentoring roles benefit the mentees and provide mentors with a sense of fulfillment and the opportunity to further hone their leadership and coaching skills.

Teaching to learn

The constant feedback I hear from mentors is they learned more than they ever thought they would. A common comment is, “I got more than I gave.” Teaching is a very powerful way to learn. 

At the heart of any successful mentoring program lies a culture that values learning, sharing, and mutual growth. Cultivating this culture within a franchise system encourages both formal and informal mentorship relationships, enriching your entire network.

Continuously measure and refine the effectiveness of your mentoring program. Feedback from participants, performance metrics of mentees, and the overall impact on the franchise system are vital indicators of your program’s success. This data allows you to adapt and evolve the program, ensuring its relevance and importance over time.

By understanding the complexities involved, franchisors can develop mentoring programs that support new franchisees and strengthen the entire network. The transformative power of well-executed mentoring programs can become a cornerstone of franchise excellence, benefiting individuals and your brand as a whole.

Evan Hackel is CEO of Ingage Consulting and Delta Payment Systems and an advisor to Tortal Training. He is an author, speaker, and entrepreneur who has been instrumental in launching more than 20 businesses and has managed a portfolio of brands with systemwide sales topping $5 billion. He is the creator of Ingaged Leadership and author of . Reach him at 781-820-7609, or ehackel@ingage.net.