Mentoring Handbook

Resources and Tips for Building Successful Mentoring Partnerships

This part of the Mentoring Handbook describes various resources, methods, topics, and proven tips for improving your communication to help ensure a rewarding and beneficial mentoring experience. See the PDF Handbook for additional tips.

Resources

The Resources page on the ASFPM Mentoring Program website contains many resources that have been developed or curated by ASFPM to facilitate successful mentoring engagements and address state-specific needs. A few of these resources include:

• Effective State Floodplain Management Programs, which provides a blueprint of 10 guiding principles for designing an effective state program to reduce losses and damage from floods and protect natural floodplain resources.
• FEMA CAP-SSSE Program Gap Analysis Tool, User Manual and Methodology Report, which help states identify resource gaps to perform core CAP-SSSE activities and contain valuable information on the average level of effort required to perform many CAP activities, such as CAVs, CACs, etc., based on a national survey of NFIP state coordinators.
• Floodplain Management State Program Assessment series is the result of ASFPM tracking state floodplain management capability over the past three decades. The most recent assessment and report are from 2017. Reports from 2010 and 2003 are also available.
• Building Effective State Floodplain Management Programs, Strategic Planning Methodology and State Guidance, which is a self-contained workbook to help take state programs to the next level by tackling questions such as: What do you want your program to look like in five years? How do you strategically plan for your program to grow?
• State Floodplain Manager One-on-One Training Modules, which are a set of 14 PowerPoints – one for each training module – tailored to state floodplain managers and focused on some of the most relevant topics to state floodplain managers, as described below.

State Floodplain Manager One-on-One Training Modules

The State Floodplain Manager One-on-One Training Modules address key topics for state floodplain management program coordinators, state NFIP coordinators, state flood mapping coordinators, and their staff. They include:

• Guiding principles for effective state floodplain management programs (Modules 1 & 2)
• Organizations, agencies and policies framing floodplain management (Modules 3 & 4)
• State authority and NFIP coordination (Module 5)
• Hazard identification and risk assessment, including flood insurance studies and maps (Module 7)
• Community Assistance Program core and advanced activities (Modules 6, 8 & 9)
• Flood insurance (Module 10)
• State disaster response and recovery responsibilities (Module 11)
• Integrating state floodplain management with other state agency programs and policies (Module 12)
• Federal and state hazard mitigation programs and NFIP opportunities for mitigation (Module 13)
• Respect for floodplain functions and resources (Module 14)

These State Floodplain Manager One-on-One training modules are mostly utilized in group mentoring sessions. They can also be used, however, as a resource in situational and one-on-one mentoring relationships, either as originally intended in presentation format or as a reference for the mentor or mentee.

Activities & Learning Opportunities

Adults learn in a variety of ways. As mentors work through the mentoring process and begin to understand what mentees need and want to achieve from mentoring, they should think about the existing learning activities and opportunities available, then choose the best approach to achieve the desired outcome. Certain activities work better when delivered in specific mentoring formats. ASFPM will connect mentees and mentors with known activities or learning opportunities and, as needed, may develop additional specific training(s) to build mentees’ and mentors’ skills and improve the overall mentoring experience. Often available mentoring activities and learning opportunities include:

• Constructive Feedback: Offer review, comment and guidance to develop your mentee's critical thinking and problem-solving abilities.
• Developmental Assignments: Consider what your mentee might learn from actually applying knowledge or a skill in which they have been trained. Offer review and comment to guide their growth and development to new levels. However, be sensitive to workloads and incorporate mentee development into existing work tasks when possible.
• Hands-On Trainings: There are a variety of training resources available through ASFPM, including the State Floodplain Manager One-on-One trainings described above.
• Self-Assessments: Often, doing homework such as various types of self-assessments can improve a mentoring experience. The resources tab on the mentoring website has several self-assessment tools and checklists that may be used by mentees independently or as part of a mentoring experience.
• Shadowing: Look for opportunities to include your mentee. They can observe your strong competencies in a specific knowledge area or ability. For information on travel and reimbursement requests, see Appendix L.
• Webinars and Other Online Offerings.
• Workshops: Group training or panel discussions at ASFPM or other conferences are an appropriate way to transfer knowledge, share a best practice or introduce a new technology or skill. Mentoring priorities that may be addressed in workshop sessions could include: strategic planning (process guidance or facilitated), the role of the state NFIP coordinator, flood hazard identification and risk assessment, mitigation grant program administration, and state and local mitigation planning.

ASFPM-led or hosted opportunities for training and developing the skills and knowledge for successful partnerships will be promoted by the program manager(s). All training will include an evaluation to gather feedback and determine whether the goals and objectives of the mentoring program are being met in an effective way and to identify if improvement in content or personnel is needed.

Knowledge Areas

ASFPM has identified comprehensive knowledge areas for professionals who want to effectively manage floodplains and become recognized as Certified Floodplain Managers. All of the learning and knowledge areas are topics for discussion in identifying mentee needs, and mentor learning and development activities:

• Physical processes that impact streams, shores, floodplains and watersheds
• Biological processes active in floodplains
• Human interaction with floodplains and drainage basins
• Risk assessment models and tools
• Policies, guidance and plans for water resource management
• Management skills
• Mitigation role
• Preparedness, response and recovery role
• Organizations, agencies and programs with floodplain management influence/interest

Common Pitfalls to Avoid

• Minimize distractions and give your attention to your partner. Avoid multitasking, especially if you are communicating through online tools.
• Don't provide too much feedback to your partner. The correct amount will act as guidance and encourage self-development.
• Accept constructive feedback in a positive way and avoid becoming defensive.
• Don't discount a partner's thoughts, feelings or concerns.
• Avoid cancelling or rescheduling planned contacts at the last minute.
• Maintain realistic expectations of what you and your partner can accomplish.
• If you are in a mentor role, do not allow a mentee to become too dependent upon you.
• If you are in the mentee role,
  • Don't expect the mentor to have all of the answers or remove all of the obstacles in your way.
  • Make sure you "own" your issues and challenges and accept responsibility for addressing them.