Mentoring Dialogues (by invite only) | Monthly Sessions

A frequent road block that mentors face is in getting the mentee to play an active part in their own mentoring journey. This happens frequently in corporate mentoring situations. We will explore these issues and more:

• What can we do as mentors to get the mentee to play a leading role in their own journey?

• How do we help the mentee land on a workable goal?

• What can you do when the goal post keeps changing - as a mentor do you have the skills to deal with a changed goal that is out of your depth? 

As busy executives , most of us often don’t listen well.

• What are some common listening mistakes we make as leaders?

• What can we do to minimise these?

• What can we do to remind ourselves to listen better especially when we have deadlines and fires to put out?

• What do good mentors do to manage themselves and be better listeners? 

Feedback when done effectively can shape a mentee’s behaviour positively towards his or her goals.

• Think of times when you have received feedback , was it clear or confusing?

• How can you address blind spots?

• How can you provide feedback in away that is helpful to the mentee?
  

No one can say that they do not have biases, and we also have unconscious bias shaping our interactions and decisions. Those in roles that have the power to influence others must dig deep to unearth some of their biases and its impact on others.

• How can you hold your position as a mentor while respecting your mentee’s values and beliefs?

• How do good mentors update their own beliefs when they realise that they are outdated?

• What do you do when a mentee is doing something that is against your belief system? 
  

Let’s face it , we are excited and inspired when our mentee does well as a result of the mentoring relationship.

It’s difficult to not get vested in the relationship when you have out time and energy into it. But good mentors are able to ask questions of themselves and their own motivation and are able to focus on the mentee because even though something may have worked for the mentor in their own life, the circumstances, the individual involved and whole ecology around each mentee is different.

How can mentors keep themselves in check to ensure that their own ego and expectations is kept in check? 

The company may have the best intentions in assigning a mentee to a mentor but it doesn’t always work out. Sometimes the mentee may even think he or she is ready for mentoring but their actions say something else.

• How do you work out of the mentee is ready to take the mentoring journey.

• What are the signs that tell you if a mentee is ready or not?

• How do you address this topic in a way that you honour yourself and the mentee’s need? 
  
  

There are situations where you may feel that you are out of your depth as a mentor especially with mentees who show signs of deeper trauma or distress. What are the signs and how to recognise them? 

• How can you first understand the bigger picture at play here?

• How do you escalate and engage the support of someone with the skills to support the mentee professionally?

• How can mentors navigate this sensitive topic?

How can you ensure that you and your mentee are aligned especially in terms of behaviours and actions required to fulfil the mentoring engagement? It does not need to be a written contract but some agreements need to be made in order to get the best out of a mentoring relationship.

• How can you come to a mutual agreement that respects both the mentor and mentee’s needs, boundaries and preferences?

• How often do you visit this?