Skill Building for Mentors

Transcription

1 Skill Building for Mentors Participant Guide Revised: April

2 Table of Contents Introduction... 2 Responsibilities List... 3 Mentor Responsibilities... 3 Key Questions... 4 Characteristics of a Good Mentor... 5 Mentoring Competencies... 6 Framework for a Successful Relationship... 8 Common Mentoring Pitfalls... 9 Personality Types Reflection Notes

3 Introduction This course is Skill Building for Mentors. In this course, you will: Gain a clear understanding of what mentoring means and what it entails Understand who you are as a mentor and what you hope to achieve Review the structure of 1:1 mentoring engagements Work to avoid common pitfalls, which can derail a mentoring relationship Consider the importance of personality and/or generational gaps in a successful mentoring relationship Defining Mentoring What is the definition of mentoring? What is the difference between mentoring and coaching? What is the difference between a mentor and a sponsor? Why do you need both? 2

4 Responsibilities List Mentor Responsibilities Transfer of knowledge Encouraging Facilitating Goal setting Guiding Conflict management Problem solving Providing and receiving feedback Reflecting Mentee Responsibilities Drives the mentoring process and communicates needs/expectations throughout the program Listens, observes, and asks questions Identifies actions and strategies for improvement throughout the mentoring relationship Follows through on assignments given by the mentor by the deadline given 3

5 Key Questions Since mentoring is knowledge transfer, it is important to reflect on your areas of expertise. What are you really good at? In what areas do you have industry experience, and really excel at? What are you passionate about? What is your area of expertise? 4

6 Characteristics of a Good Mentor In this exercise, you will consider the characteristics of a good mentor. Circle the characteristics you possess. Add at least 2 additional traits you have that make for a great mentor. After you understand what your areas of expertise are, rate yourself 1-5 on each of those mentoring characteristics. (1 being an area of opportunity and 5 being excellent) Characteristic Rating Compassion Integrity Leadership Empathy Openness/Candor Empowering Commitment Passion Honesty Friendliness Communication Skills Demonstrated Success Self-Awareness 5

7 Mentoring Competencies Read the following competencies and select the ones you excel in and would feel comfortable mentoring. Balance work and family Finance/Accounting Marketing Operations and strategy Success strategies Career path development Human resources New manager Sales Team building Dealing with mergers Job loss/job transition New to the workplace Starting own company Corporate Non-profit Government Small business/startup Healthcare Other Technical Skills / List: Note additional areas or competencies would be good specialized areas to mentor in: 6

8 Framework for a Successful Relationship In the first meeting, you will be developing the relationship and setting goals. You should: Make introductions and get to know one another Understand the mentee s greatest opportunity or present goal Share relevant experience Set ground rules Set action items In the second and any subsequent meetings, you will start working through the goals of the mentee. You should: Check in on progress toward action items Share more relevant experience and perspective Set action items for the final meeting In the closing meeting, you will review progress and encourage the mentee to continue accomplishing their goals. You should: Review what was learned and what progress was made Discuss next steps and other resource recommendations Determine how and if you want to remain connected What types of topics will you cover in your mentoring conversation? 8

9 Common Mentoring Pitfalls Before you pursue a mentee, it is important to note common pitfalls when it comes to mentoring. Some of those mentoring pitfalls include: Being unclear on your role Lack of time; inability to commit adequate time to the mentoring process Modeling the current relationship after a previous mentoring relationship Not keeping commitments/meeting times Lacking confidence To avoid these common pitfalls here are some good tips as a mentor: Interact and share Share your expectations up-front Invest time in learning about your mentee Identify learning opportunities Assist mentee in developing a network Honor commitments and confidences Be clear about purpose and boundaries Provide honest, caring, regular, and diplomatic feedback Listen deeply and ask powerful questions Maintain and respect privacy, honesty and integrity 9

10 Personality Types You may encounter many different personality types as a mentor. Understanding your own personality type, and being cognizant of the different personality types in others, will enable you to interact and communicate more effectively. Review the DiSC Pie Chart below and select the personality traits you most strongly identify with. How has your personality type been a strength? How could it be viewed as a liability? 10

11 Reflection Notes What insights did you gain today about your self-development? What immediate actions will you take based on your insights? 11