Laura Francis's posts

Laura Francis is Chief Knowledge Officer at River. Laura joined River in 2000 and became the company’s voice to the market straightaway. Her blogs often focus on how mentees and mentors can get more from their relationships and on ideas for mentoring administrators to use as they run their programs. She also uses her life as a mom to a child with special needs as inspiration for many of her writings.
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What to Expect from Mentoring Relationships

A successful mentoring program consists of a relationship-based learning process that benefits both mentees and mentors. The mentors offer guidance and support to less experienced individuals ...

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River Mentoring Software Salutes Mentoring Program Administrators

Mentoring administrators work hard to make sure their mentees and mentors have positive relationships. Let's take a moment to shine a light on the important work they are doing by sharing some of ...

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Are You Ready for Mentoring?

Do you have what it takes to be a mentee or mentor? Here are three qualities that can help you succeed. Read now to be ready for mentoring.

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The Fundamentals of Mentoring

Don't forget the basics of mentoring! Here are three ways to keep your mentoring relationship healthy.

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5 Hidden Treasures in Mentoring Software

River mentoring software is full of features and functionality that make it easier for administrators to run a mentoring program and easier for mentees and mentors to take part in mentoring.

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MentorcliQ and River Form Mentoring Software Dynamic Duo

Did you hear the big news? MentorcliQ acquired River! Find out what this means for our clients and the mentoring software market.

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Mentoring Outside the Box

Diversity and inclusion should go beyond checking a box. Use mentoring to support learning about others and growing together through shared experiences.

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Free Resources to Make Your Mentoring Program Amazing

This collection of resources from River’s mentoring experts can help you run your mentoring program and support your mentees and mentors.

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Create Deeper Meaning with Your Mentoring Program

Let voices be heard through mentoring programs and mentoring groups. Listen. Lead. Respect. Improve. Now is the time to act.

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How to ACE Your Role as a Mentor

Be an amazing mentor with Authenticity, Compassion, and Expertise. Get tips here on how to make this happen.

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What’s Your Mentoring Attitude?

Your attitude can make all the difference for success as a mentee, mentor, or mentoring administrator. Are you ready to lead, give assistance, ask for help, and commit to mentoring?

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Virtual Mentoring in the Age of Social Distancing

COVID-19 may have forced us to stay home, but it can't keep us from connecting. These five tips can help you with your virtual mentoring relationship.

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Recruiting Strategies for Your Mentoring Program

How do you get people to sign up for your corporate mentoring program? Check out these recruitment strategies from River.

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How Big Should My Mentoring Program Be?

Getting the size of your mentoring program right can help you build a quality experience for your mentees and mentors. Learn how here.

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Our Vision for Mentoring 2020

What does mentoring in 2020 have in store for you? Check out these predictions and tips to do more with mentoring in 2020.

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What’s Your Mentoring Perspective?

Do you think more about the past, present, or future? Your unique perspective can impact your mentoring relationship.

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What to Do When Your Mentoring Relationship Has Stalled Out

Is it time to give your mentoring relationship an energy boost? Here are four ways you can reinvigorate your mentoring relationship and get momentum back again.

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Why Peer and Reverse Mentoring Make Sense for Onboarding Programs

Connect your onboarding program with mentoring to create a personalized and cost-effective way to welcome and retain talented new hires.

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5 Ways to Make Mentoring a Personalized Learning Experience

Make your mentoring relationship a personalized learning experience. Here are five elements to adapt to your needs and individual situation.

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Managers Need Training

Managers want opportunities for professional development. Here are three ways to use mentoring to give them the training and support they need to succeed.

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When Mentoring Programs Fail

Is your mentoring program doomed? Avoid these three mistakes to create a more successful mentoring program for your employees.

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LEAD with Mentoring

Make mentoring a reality in your organization. Use the LEAD framework to begin creating a mentoring culture. LEAD stands for Leadership, employee Engagement, Affinity groups, and Diversity.

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Lessons Learned Through Failure

Sometimes the most important lessons we learn are the ones that occur because we failed at something. Use your mentoring relationship as a safe space to discuss failures.

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How Do I Mentor Someone?

Good mentors focus on the mentee's goals and development. Here are seven actions you can take to be a good mentor.

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After #MeToo, Here’s What You Need in a Mentoring Relationship

Don't let fear hold you back. Here are three simple ideas on how to approach your mentoring relationships and how to treat one another so that there is no more fear—on either side.

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5 Signs You Need Mentoring Software

From being overwhelmed by matching people by hand to not having a way to track relationships, here are five signs that let you know you need mentoring software.

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10 Questions to Ask Your Mentor

Mentoring thrives because of the personal connections and relationships you create. Here are 10 questions to ask mentors to help you get started.

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7 Types of Mentors

What type of mentor should you look for? From reverse to traditional to peer, here are seven ideas for mentors you could search for today.

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Equality in Mentoring

How can organizations bring more women into leadership roles? One way is through mentoring.

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Mentoring Software for All Ages

Using a new technology can come with some growing pains. Here are three tips for overcoming objections to using mentoring software.

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So what are you waiting for? Contact River today to schedule a demo of our mentoring software.