“The delicate balance of mentoring someone is not creating them in your own image, but giving them the opportunity to create themselves.”
Steven Spielberg
Mentoring is all about helping mentees realize their true potential. It’s a significant responsibility that carries enormous influence. Explore further to learn how you can bring that edge as a mentor.
In the next 10 minutes, learn the:
Top four techniques for effective mentoring
Difference between ‘coaching’ and ‘mentoring’
3-step mentoring process for successful mentors
Basics of the powerful GROW mentoring model
What’s more...
If you are a new mentor, you can learn the basics and practice as you gather tips along the way. If you are a seasoned mentor, you can brush up your skills once again and gather tips too.
Effective mentoring involves using the right techniques. While there can be many, here are the top four you should focus on.
Select each item to explore some of the nuances of good mentoring.
Effective mentoring involves using the right techniques. While there can be many, here are the top four you should focus on.
Select each item to explore some of the nuances of good mentoring.
Your mentee is looking for the promotion that he or she has been missing out for the last three years. The roadblock is always verbal communication.
Rate yourself. How good are you at challenging your mentee to overcome this hurdle?
‘Coaching’ and ‘mentoring’—how often have you heard these two terms being used interchangeably? Maybe more often than not.
Though coaching and mentoring may sound similar, they are, in fact, not.
Mentoring is a long-term process; coaching is normally short-term.
Mentoring is development-driven, while coaching focusses more on performance.
Coaching is all about tasks. Mentoring orients and focusses on relationship building.
Mentoring is process-oriented and involves planning, designing, execution, and tracking. Coaching can be done on any topic at any time with or without a defined process.
Your mentee’s supervisor may get involved indirectly during a mentoring program. In coaching, the supervisor’s active involvement is a must.
The next time you’re in a fix, use these points to decide whether the situation needs you to be a mentor or a coach.
Download these guidelines for easy reference.What did you witness? Was this the right way to initiate a mentoring process?
Share your opinion and earn some useful tips.
While several models are used in mentoring, the GROW model, designed by Sir John Whitmore, is one of the most commonly used forms.
It is a simple yet powerful framework to structure mentoring conversations through four defined stages.
Select the each icon to explore each parameter of the GROW model.
While several models are used in mentoring, the GROW model, designed by Sir John Whitmore, is one of the most commonly used forms.
It is a simple yet powerful framework to structure mentoring conversations through four defined stages.
Select the each icon to explore each parameter of the GROW model.
To wrap up, here are the key mantras you need to take away as a mentor …
Help your mentees acquire technical and functional skills to progress in their professional careers.
Tip: Does your mentee have cross-domain aspirations? If so, include experts from relevant fields to form a larger mentoring group!
Challenge your mentees to explore further and upgrade their skills to be at par with the industry standards.
Tip: Your confidence reflects in your mentees.
Never give up!
Make sure your mentee gets a safe environment to learn and practice new skills, without major distractions.
Tip: Constant feedback and mental nudges work like magic. Allow time to brew skills; don’t rush through!
Engage your mentees through formal mentoring programs as they are usually known to influence promotions in a positive manner.
Tip: Mentoring increases the chances of promotions for your mentees by five times, and yours by six!
As a mentor, leverage your mentee’s experience and create opportunities. This will drive his or her confidence and the desire to prove his or her worth.
Help mentees focus on their future. They should have clear long-term goals. Guide them to achieve what they want as individuals.
While the aspects of the GROW model may act as your guide, every situation is unique. Add your own perspective and skill as a mentor to take the program to the next level!
Share constructive feedback with the mentees to help them gauge the real situation.
Alternatively, you can also invite the mentees’ supervisors to share useful feedback on their performance and position.
While the aspects of the GROW model may act as your guide, every situation is unique. Add your own perspective and skill as a mentor to take the program to the next level!
Allow mentees to identify options they may have to explore their career. Share your own experience if the mentee is struggling to identify options. Encourage them with useful directions, but ultimately, let the mentees select their future path for themselves.
While the aspects of the GROW model may act as your guide, every situation is unique. Add your own perspective and skill as a mentor to take the program to the next level!
Encourage the mentees to design an action plan where they write SMART objectives, which are specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and time-bound. This will help them stay focused and succeed in their future roles.
While the aspects of the GROW model may act as your guide, every situation is unique. Add your own perspective and skill as a mentor to take the program to the next level!
You’ve completed exploring the key aspects of mentoring.
Do you feel more confident as a mentor? Have you downloaded all the quick tips as you explored?
Apply your learning the next time you wear your mentor’s hat and see the difference!