Mentoring Styles

Mentoring Styles

As a mentor you need to respond to the needs of the individual mentoree and as such you need to be flexible in the style/s you adopt with each mentoree.

Information Style

• Role model: this is how I do it or describe step-by-step procedures
• Provide wise counsel or advice based on experience
• Teach and praise
• Assemble or direct to other sources and resources for the mentoree e.g. research papers
• Predominantly one-way communication, mentor lead

Guiding Style

• Making suggestions or demonstrating necessary skills
• Persuading and coaching to apply suggestions
• Probe and draw out ideas
• Challenge mentoree to realise consequences of decisions/actions
• Predominantly one-way communication, mentor lead

Collaborative style

• Joint problem solving and decision-making
• Give and take open discussion
• Brainstorming
• Require a pro-active and highly engage mentoree

Confirming style

• Empathetic listening and clarification
• Encourage mentoree to take charge
• Expect imitative
• Sounding board
• Wait to be consulted
• Confirm mentorees goals and direction

Many mentoring relationships start off with the mentor guiding and giving information, and end with confirming mentoring. In others, the mentoree may require information and case studies from experience and do not want guidance or collaboration. As a mentor, you need to be able to identify the mentorees preferred style at any given time through the relationship and to be adept at utilising all styles.

Here are some of the specific skills mentors need in order to adopt to these styles:

Instructing/Developing Capabilities

• Be a ‘learning broker” by assisting your mentoree to find resources; suggest relevant podcasts and webinars that address areas of focus
• Teach new knowledge and attitudes by explaining and giving examples, asking questions
• Demonstrate or model effective behaviours
• Help them monitor performance and re-focus steps as needed

Inspiring
Mentors vary in their ability to be inspiring. Very good mentors:

• Do inspiring actions that challenge the mentoree to improve
• Help them observe and critique others who are inspiring
• Arrange other inspirational experiences for them
• Challenge them to rise above the mundane
• Help them recognise inspiring actions they have taken in the past

Providing corrective feedback when mentorees make mistakes or perform in less than a desirable way

• Using a positive, non-derogatory tone
• In private
• ASAP
• Be specific
• Other suggestions for them to try next time

Managing Risks

• Help mentorees recognise risks in actions, decisions and projects
• Make suggestions to help them avoid major mistakes in judgement or action
• Help them learn to prepare well, get wise counsel and then trust their own actions and decisions

Some risks will be recognised by the mentoree. Others, you as the mentor, with more experience and an arms-length point of view, will need to point out. Offer to help your mentorees identify and determine how to handle these risks with recognition, prevention and recovery strategies.

Common business risks faced by small business owners and operators:

• Dealing incorrectly with customers
• Underestimating project or other costs
• Over-investing or under investing
• Making sales but not profit
• Not knowing their key business metrics and numbers
• Doing something unethical or illegal
• Missing deadlines
• Compromising on quality
• Failing to learn and improve

Opening doors
Mentors are often well placed to give their mentoree visibility and access to networks. First, make sure your mentoree is ready to walk through the doors you open and is willing to prepare for and follow through with introductions.

To open doors, you may:

• Put in a good word to people who could help your mentoree reach desired goals
• Personally introduce your mentoree to appropriate contacts
• Make certain your mentoree’s abilities are noticed by others
• Encourage them to use HerBusiness to its full potential: member profiles, connecting with other members, attending Roundtables, contributing to and commenting on blogs and Facebook groups
• Give them assignments or opportunities to enable them to interact with important business contacts, suppliers or customers

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