Mentoring
To anyone who wants to gain a foundation in mentoring, and managers and team leaders who want to develop or refine their mentoring skills.
MANAGING THE MENTORING RELATIONSHIP
Guidelines to Giving Feedback
There are 4 key guidelines to follow when giving feedback in a mentoring relationship.
1. Follow the Mentee's Agenda
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Feedback should follow the mentee's agenda closely, which means being directly relevant and applicable to the mentee's interests and concerns.
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The mentor shouldn't attempt to divert the issue and should ensure that the mentee retains ownership of the issue throughout.
2. Give Practical Feedback
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Instead of abstract or theoretical feedback, the mentor should give feedback that can be acted on – feedback that the mentee can respond to in a real way.
3. Check for Understanding
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Before giving feedback, a mentor should check for understanding of what's being said.
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The mentor should actively listen to what the mentee's saying and ask questions to clarify, confirm, and ensure understanding.
4. Make a Connection
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A mentor should always make a connection between progress and learning, as well as the bigger picture and the mentoring journey.
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This means helping the mentee to see feedback as movement forward or progress toward the ultimate goal – not as an interruption or deviation from the journey.
