TIPS FOR SUCCESSFUL MENTORING
Being an effective mentor involves a few key practices. On this page you’ll learn some general mentoring tips to help you build strong relationships, foster open communication, and provide valuable guidance to your mentees while maintaining professionalism throughout the mentoring process.
GENERAL MENTORING TIPS
| Work to build a bond with your mentees. If you make the effort, it’s more likely that they will respond positively and push themselves that little bit extra. | Be present. Take a moment before your meeting to focus and set aside any distractions. Show interest. Take the time during your first meeting to get to know them. Be nonjudgmental. Do your best to shed all pre-existing assumptions about them so they will feel comfortable when discussing issues that made them feel vulnerable. Share a bit about yourself. Try being vulnerable yourself while still keeping the meeting focused on your mentees and maintaining your professionalism. Be empathetic. Try feeling what your mentees are going through and understand why they pick their specific goal. |
| Mentoring meetings are basically structured conversation with a rough endgame. Keep the purpose in mind and find casual environment to make your mentees feel comfortable. | Balance staying warm and open with moving the meeting forward. Body language can play a huge role in this. Practice your timing as a mentor. Provide information and resources to help your mentee with their learning, but remember you can present information at later times if need be. Be clear about your boundaries. Be assertive to maintain and respect privacy, honesty, and integrity. Plan for the next meeting. Leave each meeting with a clearer idea of how the next meeting will run and the action steps each of you will complete before then. |
| If you’re nervous, remember you can help make a difference in the life of your mentees’ by simply listening, communicating, and brainstorming ideas together. | Know what you can offer as a mentor. Ask yourself what skills and knowledge you bring. You might not always have the right answer, and that’s was okay. Plan ahead. Before the first meeting, think of some questions that you can ask to keep the conversation moving. Take care of yourself. Taking care of your well-being will allow you to be a more effective mentor. |
PROFESSIONALISM
One of the most important ways students learn from mentors is simply by observing them.
This is one of the strengths of mentoring as it gives senior student mentor/mentees an opportunity to learn from their mentor’s example and then “try on” professional and leadership skills in their interactions with their junior student mentees.
Professional skills that you can assist your mentee develop and understand include:
- Time management
- Diplomacy
- Networking
- Business etiquette and more general aspects of professional and ethical behaviour
CHALLENGES IN THE MENTORING RELATIONSHIP
Occasionally problems arise: communication breaks down, disagreements happen, or one participant is not able to keep their program commitments. It is important to recognize that in a good mentoring match, mentors and mentees don’t always get along perfectly or agree on every point.
For example, sometimes mentors and mentees feel that their match is not working because the mentee’s career goal does not match the mentor’s occupation or industry. However, mentors and mentees do not have to be on the same path in order to connect and benefit from one another’s experiences. Some of the most successful mentoring matches are based on sharing general information, ideas, guidance, and experience regarding all aspects of career development and professional life rather than industry-specific information.
Characteristics of a strong mentor-mentee relationship include:
Realistic expectations
Willingness to share information, thoughts, and ideas
Effort to fully engage in the program and take part in all activities
Strong listening – even when there are challenges, both parties should feel like their perspectives are being heard and respected
If a problem arises with your mentee, first talk about it with them directly. If the problem persists, please contact wise.mentoring@ubc.ca
RESOURCES
Your responsibility as a mentor is to introduce your mentee to the professional world. Students’ lives may get complicated by financial, housing, personal, academic, and health issues, which you can address within the context of a career.
However, if you are approached about issues that are beyond the scope of your mentoring relationship or your comfort level, refer your mentee to the WiSE Mentoring Program Coordinator or another appropriate campus resource.
Here’s a list of helpful resources for students:
Student Services: https://students.ok.ubc.ca/support/
Student Wellness Services: https://students.ok.ubc.ca/health-wellness/counselling-mental-health/
Student Learning Hub: https://students.ok.ubc.ca/academic-success/learning-hub/