West Yorkshire Mentor Guide

Issue 2. The Mentor’s skill as a reviewer In order for the review meeting to work effectively the Mentor’s ability to use their skills appropriately is essential. The core skills will probably involve: displaying respect, understanding, empathy, the ability to clarify, active listening, questioning, focusing, delivering feedback, summarising, negotiating, solving problems, target setting and action planning. Just by looking at the core skills, we can see that the position of the Mentor is very powerful. It is the Mentor’s ability in using these skills to empower the Mentee, that is the ‘magic’; moving the power base from themselves to the Mentee, allowing them to develop. The Mentor will draw on their expertise, experience, knowledge base, charisma and ability to assess the Mentee and situation. The Mentee-Mentor relationship also needs to be reviewed within the format as the needs and input of both parties change. The ever-changing relationship affects the dynamics and helps to assist both in keeping the meetings targeted but needs to be reviewed regularly.

Issue 3. Feeding back to the Mentee

Feeding back into the Mentoring process is

essential for any review and is the core component to the development of the Mentee. There are many factors, which can disrupt the feedback (receiving and giving) process, and for that reason it is a challenge for both Mentee and Mentor.

We can try to support and make the process easier by considering 4 key steps. Step 1. Trust and Respect – Before the feedback process even happens it is important that Mentee and Mentor develop their professional relationship. Part of this development will be to discuss issues around feeding back, what it involves and what both parties want from it. Step 2. Quality of the information given and received – Base comments on quantifiable and reliable information. Step 3. Two-way discussion – Make sure the discussion is a two-way

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