A Mentor’s Self Reflection
Self-reflection is a useful, strategic activity for the mentor to engage in, as it prompts deeper level thinking about their role as a support person, their skills and knowledge, and how as a mentor they influence and impact on the mentee’s development. Here are a few questions to help you reflect on your role as a mentor, in relation to the purpose of your support of the mentee, how you can influence the effectiveness of the mentoring partnership, and how you and your mentee can achieve ‘value-for-time’ in the mentoring meetings.
- What is the purpose of the mentoring support you are providing your mentee?
- What changes does the mentee want to make?
- What goals has the mentee set themselves?
- Where is the alignment between the mentee’s goals and the strategic direction of the organisation?
- Where is the alignment between the mentee’s goals and your ability to support them in achieving these?
- Where does the mentee see themselves by the end of the mentoring partnership?
- What do you want to achieve by engaging in a mentoring partnership?
- How will the mentee be accountable for following through on their goals?
- What will be the focus of your mentoring meetings?
- What structures have you put in place to ensure you and the mentee get the most out of the mentoring meetings?
- What are the most important things you can do in your role as a mentor?
You have a choice as to whether you mentor someone or not. So if you choose to be a mentor, ask yourself why. And to make an informed choice, make sure you understand the purpose behind the mentoring role you are taking on.