OLA Mentoring Program

Program Policy

A. Program Objective

The purpose of the program is to elevate the competence, professionalism, and success of Ohio lobbyists through positive mentoring relationships. Mentoring creates an opportunity for an experienced lobbyist to provide professional guidance and share practical knowledge and skills with a new lobbyist during the lobbyist’s formative years. Specifically, the mentoring relationship should foster the development of the new lobbyist’s practical skills and increase his or her knowledge of the statehouse environment; contribute to a sense of integrity in the lobbying profession; promote collegial relationships among lobbying professionals and involvement in the Ohio Lobbying Association. The program is intended to encourage an informal, casual relationship between new and experienced lobbyists.

B. Mentee Qualifications

To participate in the Program a new lobbyist must:

• Be a lobbyist in Ohio registered, active and in good standing;
• Be a member of the Ohio Lobbying Association;
• Intend to be a lobbyist primarily in Ohio;
• Never have been suspended or sanctioned by the Ohio Joint Legislative Ethics Committee;
• Not have a formal complaint pending before the Ohio Joint Legislative Ethics Committee.

C. Mentor Qualifications

The qualifications set forth below are minimum standards that must be met to serve as a Mentor. Each Mentor must:

• Be a lobbyist in Ohio registered, active and in good standing;
• Be a member of the Ohio Lobbying Association;
• Have experience as a lobbyist in Ohio for not less than 10 years;
• Have a reputation among the lobbying community for competence, along with ethical and professional conduct;
• Never have been suspended or sanctioned by the Ohio Joint Legislative Ethics Committee;
• Not have a formal complaint pending before the Ohio Joint Legislative Ethics Committee.

D. Mentor Approval

Any lobbyist interested in serving as a Mentor must complete a Mentor Application provided by the Ethics and Professionalism Committee. By signing the Mentor Application, the applicant certifies that he or she meets the Mentor qualifications and agrees to make the necessary time commitment to maintain the mentoring relationship.

The Mentor Application will also contain optional profile information which will be reviewed by new lobbyists to select their preferred Mentors. Mentors are encouraged to be as candid as possible about the information requested so that a new lobbyist has as much information as possible to select a preferred Mentor.

The qualifications of prospective Mentors will be screened and must ultimately be approved by the Ethics and Professionalism Committee before a lobbyist may serve as a Mentor. When it is determined that a lobbyist meets all of the Mentor qualifications and has been approved to Mentor, the Mentor’s name will be placed on a Pre-Approved Mentor List with his or her biographical information.

In addition to approval of Mentor criteria, all matches of Mentors to new lobbyists must ultimately be approved by the Ethics and Professionalism Committee. There is no guarantee that a lobbyist who meets all of the Mentor qualifications will be matched to a new lobbyist. No reason will be given if a match is not made or approved. During any given year, a Mentor may be matched to no more than two new lobbyists.

E. Mentor Recruitment

Recruitment of Mentors will be an on-going part of the Program. The Ethics and Professionalism Committee will rely on nominations of prospective Mentors from other lobbyists, which will periodically be solicited. A lobbyist may also volunteer to serve as a Mentor by completing and submitting a Mentor Application to the Committee.

F. Recognition of Mentors

Significant recognition of a Mentor’s service to the profession should be given for each year a lobbyist serves as a Mentor. Among the recognition to be considered and determined by the Ethics and Professionalism Committee are the following:

• Publication of the names and years of Mentor service in the Ohio Lobbying Association Mentoring Program in advertisements and on the OLA webpage or other publications;
• Issuance of a Certificate of Recognition for years of service as a Mentor;
• Inclusion in a special feature publication regarding service as a Mentor, including Mentor success stories, testimonials, etc.

G. Initiation of the Relationship

Prior to the initiation of the mentoring term, the Ethics and Professionalism Committee will notify in writing every new lobbyist and Mentor of the approved mentoring relationship.

The first meeting will be initiated by the new lobbyist, who will be responsible for contacting the Mentor to schedule the meeting. Either party may initiate meetings thereafter, although it is ultimately the responsibility of the new lobbyist to ensure that the Mentor is contacted to schedule meetings.

H. Term of the Mentoring

Relationship For purposes of the Program, the mentoring relationship is intended to last for approximately one year, which is referred to as the “mentoring term.”

Although the mentoring term is only for approximately one year, the participants are encouraged to informally continue their relationship beyond the mentoring term. Certainly, as the new lobbyist moves into his or her second and third years of lobbying, the mentoring relationship can continue to provide a valuable learning setting in which to discuss relevant lobbying and professionalism issues.

The aim of the Ethics and Professionalism Committee is to create meaningful relationships between new and veteran lobbyists so that they each want to continue the relationship beyond the mentoring term. Therefore, if both participants wish to continue their mentoring relationship beyond the mentoring term, they are encouraged to do so by the Committee. However, such a decision on the part of the participants is outside the scope of the Program and wholly within their discretion.

As a professional who must deal with a multitude of persons such as clients, associates, legislators and others, a mentor knows how to effectively communicate and deal with people who have conflicting personalities so as to maintain a working relationship. Every effort should be made by the Mentor to look past any conflicts the Mentor has with a new lobbyist. The Mentor should strive to continue to be a helpful mentor so that the new lobbyist, who is also investing significant time into the mentoring relationship, benefits from the program.

I. Administration of Program

The Program will be implemented by the Ethics and Professionalism Committee and the Executive Secretary. Under delegated authority from the Committee, the Executive Secretary will make decisions regarding the daily implementation of the Program and the development of resources for it, with regular updates to the Committee. The Executive Secretary will consult the Committee on issues with which he or she needs assistance. If significant revisions to Program policy are proposed, the Committee shall consider such proposals. Any significant changes that are made to Program policy shall be adopted by the Committee.

J. Periodic Evaluation of the Program

The Ethics and Professionalism Committees will develop detailed evaluations that attempt to measure the value and success of the Program. These evaluations will assess the program’s administrative structure, curriculum, and facilitation. Evaluations will be required of each Mentor and each new lobbyist who participates in the program.

The program will be reviewed by the Committee after the first six months of the program and every two years after the first six months of the program. After such review, the Committee will submit a report to the Board of Trustees providing statistics about program participants, an overview of feedback received from participant evaluations, and an assessment of the program's success.