My favorite part of what mentors do is that they facilitate the development of another person. Here’s how the process works.
A mentee presents a specific issue they find challenging. Perhaps it is related to customer service.
- Mentor should first listen to how the mentee is presenting the issue
- Is the mentee explaining the issue in a clear and concise manner?
- Are there obvious pieces missing to fully understand the issue?
- How much experience/background does the mentee have in dealing with this issue?
- If the mentor has a clear understanding of the issue, is it best to present the mentee with the mentor’s advice/experience or is it better to ask the mentee how they propose to resolve the issue?
- There is frequently more than one way to resolve an issue so what are the options that both partners can explore?
- Which option(s) will best resolve the issue?
- Is there a cost to implementing the option(s) and, if so, which is most cost effective and most practical?
- Which option(s) offers the best value (the most gain for the least pain)?
- After an option has been agreed upon, what is the time table for implementation?
- After the implementation, what was learned from this experience? Did the issue get resolved fully or partially? What might have been done differently?
This process can reap valuable insight and growth on the part of the mentee. This process also takes the onus off of the mentor to provide a solution.
Do you have any examples of your mentor facilitating you through a specific issue? We would love to hear the process that worked for you and your mentor.