The Goal:
Help mentors improve their craft and maximize their impact. Mentorship is a learnable skill that gets better with feedback and practice. And yes, this is applicable to anyone who wants to hone their skills Reflective Questions for Mentors:
Am I listening more than I’m talking? What question could I ask next instead of giving advice? Does my mentee feel safe and trusted? Am I tailoring my mentorship to this individual? What outcomes am I seeing, and how can I improve? I encourage you to ask this question of your mentee. Best Practices:
How can you be a Listener First, Guide Second? How could you use storytelling and curiosity and avoid prescriptions entirely? Build Trust through Empathy – Share vulnerably and model authenticity. Ask Insightful Questions – Questions that reveal learning opportunities even in the way they are posed. Coach rather than command. "What’s one thing you’re avoiding — and what might happen if you faced it directly?" "What have you tried so far, and what made you choose that approach?" "What would success look like here — and how might we measure it together?" "What signals are you seeing, and what are you unsure about interpreting?"
Encourage and Empower – Your belief in them fuels their growth. Focus on Impact and Accountability – Mentor with outcomes in mind.
“There is no failure. Only learning.” — Michael Skok
Master mentorship enables mentors to become catalysts for transformational relationships. Build mentors who create more mentors, and you create a culture of compounded growth.
