I remember in the 1990s-early 2000s during my tenure with Malaysia Airlines (MAS) Academy responsible for management training and leadership development; one of the challenging programs to administer was ensuring success of the structured mentor-mentee programs. The overall goal of a mentoring program is to aid in the career growth and professional development of young executives and managers by leveraging the knowledge, skills and experiences of mentors. Done well, mentorship creates space for development and real connection at work. Based on my own experience, pairing experienced mentors with mentees promotes on the job-learning.
I recall the profile was built around three core elements for every successful mentoring relationship needs in MAS then: Contracting, Connection, and Capability. Known as the 3 Cs, these elements were the building blocks that help every mentor and mentee work together with clarity and result. Defining objectives from the start gives the mentorship purpose & direction for development growth.
Evidently when accompanying CPA S. Suppiah, Chairman of the Book Project ‘The Malaysia Airlines We Built’ who is MAS former Executive Vice President Group Finance to hand deliver the said books to Datuk Captain Izham Ismail, Group Managing Director of Malaysia Aviation Group (MAG) and other Directors. We were warmly greeted in Malaysian Hospitality way by Accountant Faizah and her colleagues together with their boss, Madam Boo HY, MAG Chief Financial Officer. We felt the joyous ‘balik kampung’ atmoshere.
Faizah revealed nostalgic moments in 1992 (33 years ago) when Suppiah interviewed her for the Trainee Accountant job with MAS. She was recruited for employment at the Finance Division and enjoyed a smooth & pleasant journey throughout her training programs. She said, “ I'm grateful to undergo a structured mentoring program providing me guidance, coaching, support and knowledge transfer.”
Captain Shulhameed, President of MAS Retirees Association asked Suppiah on the impact of success for MAS mentoring program?
Suppiah said, “While growth and connection can happen organically, a mentorship program adds structure, intention & accountability to those relationships - making them more impactful and easier to scale. In MAS case, both mentors and mentees received training from MAS Academy to help them understand their roles and how to get the most out of our relationships. Meticulous feedbacks and progress reviews helped assess what's working, make adjustments, and keep our mentorship moving in the right & timely direction.”
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