As a recruiter, I'm sometimes called in to help with data. Metrics like retention rates can be key to measuring the success of a mentorship program, and my firm has the tools to complete careful analysis and provide a bigger picture to backers. A VC fund recently came to me with this question. They felt like their advisory role had actually increased turnover at the startup in question. To know for sure, they needed to compare historical rates at the company, and also look at broader industry trends. It turned out their hunch was correct. The advisors they'd put in place were clashing with the existing management, and it threatened to become a big problem. Thanks to my confirmation, they revamped the mentorship program and brought in new workers who better fit into the existing company structure and climate.
I measure the success by my advisee’s success, and that depends on the help they were seeking. For example, I’ve coached multiple individuals on the preparation of their pitch and their decks. Often that entails role modeling as a venture capitalist, asking unexpected questions and heralding great ideas. When I advise board members, I drill down into their unique situation to find what’s blocking and open it. Sometimes it’s an individual growth challenge, other times it’s an organizational challenge. What I’ve found though, is that often the work is in helping folks define, protect, and expand their boundaries. For example, one board member was consistently having their own efforts thwarted by the board Chair who was power hungry. Their work improved dramatically when we defined what role they wanted to take in the board. For example, did they want to fix all the board’s problem, take the chair position, make sure their own effort was amazing, and what help did they actually need from the board to accomplish their effort. Once the drama that was blocking their work was defined and eliminated, their work eased and succeeded.