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Your Mentoring Year Tip #2: Building a Relationship

Your Mentoring Year Tip #2: Building a Relationship

by | May 8, 2017 | Facilitating Learning, Growth and Development, Making Mentoring Work For You, Mentoring Communication, Mentoring Questions, Mentoring Relationships, Supporting Mentors and Mentees

Taking the time to work on a mentoring relationship is not always easy. But these relationships are truly the heart of any successful mentoring endeavor. In fact, it’s often a prerequisite for success. Mentors and mentees who discuss their relationship expectations end up experiencing exponentially more success than those who don’t.

One mentee, an associate at a large law firm, lamented that the relationship wasn’t working because her mentor focused only on the path to partnership. The mentee told us, “That’s not appealing to me. It’s like preparing for a pie-eating contest where the prize is more pie.” That mentoring pair was ultimately unsuccessful because they didn’t take the time to learn how each other tick.

Here are some questions to ask your mentoring partner that will set a strong foundation for the relationship:

  1. What motivates you in your career?
  2. How do you learn best? Do you need time to process alone, or do you process best by “thinking aloud”?
  3. What are your pet peeves?
  4. Do you like to read? Are you open to article and/or book suggestions? Would that be welcome or feel burdensome?
  5. Have you had a mentor/mentee in the past? What worked in that relationship? What did not work?

Missed Tip #1? Find it here. And make sure to come back next month for Tip #3!

Your Mentoring Year Tip #1: Establishing Trust

Your Mentoring Year Tip #1: Establishing Trust

by | Apr 5, 2017 | Facilitating Learning, Growth and Development, Making Mentoring Work For You, Mentoring Communication, Mentoring Questions, Mentoring Relationships, Supporting Mentors and Mentees

Trust is everything when starting out in a new mentoring relationship — and even when you’re nurturing an existing one! While it’s tempting to dive in and drill down quickly to talk about needs and goals at the first meeting, try to avoid this. Instead, focus first on establishing an open and authentic relationship. It takes time and attention, but in the long run, it’s well worth it. You will have established a deeper, more meaningful, trusting relationship. Here are some things to keep in mind:

  1. Get to know your mentee, and let your mentee get to know you. To jump start the process, come prepared with a list of questions. What is it you want to know about your mentee as a person? What do you want to know about your mentee’s work context?
  2. Your mentee needs to relate to you, too. Mentees are more forthcoming when a mentor shares their personal success stories, as well as their struggles. If you’re open and authentic, it invites your mentee to be, too.  

Check back soon for “Your Mentoring Year” Tip #2!

Your Mentoring Year: Mentoring Tips One Month at a Time

Your Mentoring Year: Mentoring Tips One Month at a Time

by | Apr 3, 2017 | Goal Setting Conversation, Growth and Development, Making Mentoring Work For You, Mentoring Relationships, Supporting Mentors and Mentees

How is your year going so far?

With summer right around the corner, we thought it was the perfect time to inject some energy and excitement into your mentoring relationships.

So how about some helpful tips and tools? Just like any other healthy habit, building and sustaining thriving mentoring relationships is a non-stop process, requiring constant care, learning and adjusting.

With this in mind, we’re starting a new program for you — Your Mentoring Year: Mentoring Tips One Month at a Time. Each month we will focus on a mentoring practice, approach or technique that contributes to your mentoring excellence. As part of each month’s tip we’ll discuss why it’s important and how you can specifically apply these practices immediately to enhance your mentoring relationships. It’s both informative and actionable!

After a full year, you can refer back to these monthly tips to assess your effectiveness.

Sound good? Keep an eye out for our first month’s tip early this week!

Mentoring at Work

Mentoring at Work

by | Feb 11, 2016 | Making Mentoring Work For You, Uncategorized

Mentoring success depends on the degree to which mentoring partners roll up their sleeves and do the work. Yes, we said, “work.” Throughout your mentoring relationship, you and your mentoring partner need to be fully engaged in building and strengthening your relationship and focused on achieving your mentoring goals.

Mentoring Works Best When Mentees….

  • Assume responsibility for their learning, growth, and development
  • Set goals
  • Hold themselves accountable for agreements
  • Monitor their progress regularly
  • Maintain receptivity to new, creative, and alternative strategies and ideas
  • Are honest, open and willing to be vulnerable
  • Communicate regularly
  • Are prepared for and open to feedback

 

Mentoring Works Best When Mentors….

  • Commit the time
  • Build their relationship up front
  • Ask questions rather than to try and solve a mentee’s problems
  • Push and challenge their mentee
  • Share experiences and challenges
  • Offer options rather than answers
  • Provide honest, ongoing, and candid feedback with care and compassion
  • Maintain regular contact
7 Mentoring Lessons from Shark Tank

7 Mentoring Lessons from Shark Tank

by | Dec 11, 2015 | Making Mentoring Work For You, Mentoring Relationships

While you may not have seen Shark Tank on TV, chances are you’ve heard of it.

In each episode, would-be entrepreneurs who have struggled for years to get their product or idea to market enter the “shark tank” where they meet a panel of potential investors, called “Sharks” who will help them realize their dreams . . . for a price.

Each entrepreneur has 2-3 minutes to convince five savvy Sharks that their product and passion is worthy of investment, time and financial support. Having a Shark on their team may position them to capture the attention of big retailers like Walmart or Costco and give them access to a huge customer base. It is no wonder that an entrepreneur gains confidence and renewed energy with a Shark on their team.

During each 30-minute episode of Shark Tank, the Sharks challenge each entrepreneur. They ask probing questions. How contestants respond offers keen insights and important messages about what you need to do to be successful as a mentee.

The Seven Lessons:

1.     It isn’t enough to have an ambition or a dream. Sharks are interested in more than just a good idea. They are investing in you as much as they are in your product. It is your drive and passion that will make a difference.

Mentoring message:  To enlist the support of a high-powered successful mentor, demonstrate passion and energy for your career growth and development.

2.     Successful entrepreneurs craft concrete business plans that create and grow market share. Sharks are tenacious in dissecting plans to ensure they are realistic and are likely to succeed.

Mentoring message:  Mentoring is more than interesting conversation about an idea. Mentors deepen their investment in you when they see you have a plan and make steady progress towards achieving concrete results.

3.     Sharks are tough.  They ask hard questions and expect answers.  They expect their time to be well spent and rewarded.

Mentoring message:  Do your homework and come prepared.  You need to be primed for meetings with your mentor.

4.     Swimming with sharks is not for the faint of heart.  You may hope to hear praise, but expect honest and straightforward feedback that will make your idea better.

Mentoring message:  Mentors provide support and frank and candid feedback that you may receive in your work world.  Embrace it.  Act on it.

5.     A good idea can be easily dismissed if it doesn’t catch the Sharks’ attention.  Polish and presence sell an idea.  If you lack confidence or good presentation skills, you won’t get very far.

Mentoring message:  Presence is an important quality for leadership success. Mentors and others gravitate to people who articulate ideas in a persuasive way.  Work on your communication skills.

6.     Sharks can offer three things: money, access to markets and business acumen.  They aren’t going to run your company or tell you what to do to be successful.  Ultimately, you are in the driver’s seat.

Mentoring message:  Mentors aren’t going to tell you what to do either.  They can help you expand your network and perspective, but it is up to you to drive your direction and do the work.

7.     When Sharks make a deal, they celebrate the agreement.  They hug. They shake hands.  They end on a high note.

Mentoring message:  Take time to celebrate and show appreciation. Showing emotion and enthusiasm is part of the special relationship between mentors and mentees.

Action Item: Try watching Shark Tank to see what you learn!