Leadership isn’t a skill we’re born with, but one that is developed through experience, opportunity and mentorship programs like Bank of Marin’s Commercial Banking Mentorship Program. Rolled out last year, and with the first cohort under its belt, the Bank has seen the kind of excellent results that warrant expanding the program in both size and offerings.
“People are our most important asset. Investing in them is investing in the Bank’s future.”— David Bloom, Executive Vice President, Head of Commercial Banking
“This leadership initiative ensures that our employees have the unique opportunity to build strategic foresight and, alongside our esteemed leaders, explore and expand their career path within the Bank,” says Head of Commercial Banking David Bloom, Bank of Marin. “Exposing mentees to various functions and leaders deepens their understanding of the Bank’s entire operations and ultimately bolsters our internal professional community.”
Mentorship gives the Bank an effective pipeline of leaders and Bloom envisions the program going bank-wide across all divisions and geographic locations. From a corporate standpoint, mentorship enables the Bank to be more efficient, with better thought-out solutions and improved business outcomes; allows clients to gain access to well-rounded bank professionals who can present holistic financial solutions through more thorough knowledge and robust personal networks within the Bank; and prepares high-potential talent with a strong institutional knowledge for future leadership roles.
The Bank’s program, which meticulously pairs mentors and mentees whose goals best align with each other, includes bi-weekly meetings, shadowing and networking opportunities that extend beyond their cohort. While mentees gain skills, knowledge and exposure to senior colleagues, mentors also benefit by gaining a fresh perspective from their mentees and strengthening their leadership skills.
The Bank plans to launch its second cohort in July with up to 30 participants — twice the number of its inaugural cohort — and expand the diversity of the mentor-mentee pairings across skill sets, expertise levels, job roles and division locations.
“That diversity is a key to the participants flourishing and the program succeeding,” Bloom says. “People are our most important asset. Investing in them is investing in the Bank’s future.”
