What makes a good mentor?

Every year I explore this question with cohorts of Women+ in Geospatial mentors from around the world.

In these 2-hour mentor training workshops we cover key concepts and lessons from the world of professional coaching – and immediately put these skills to use in live breakout practices, followed by shared reflection and discussion.

Typically, ‘mentoring’ implies sharing advice and experience. However, a good mentor does more than that. Advice is useful, but it can also close down options or worse, disempower the mentee. To maximise their learning and potential, people need the space to come up with their own ideas and solutions.

How do you do that? – with simple open questions that help the person do their best thinking.

This is what we discuss and practice in the workshop. We also share tips on how to structure a conversation, how to ask questions, how to frame giving advice in a helpful and empowering way, and how to avoid common pitfalls.

One topic that always comes up in a global group like this is, how to work with people across different cultures? In the West, we often forget that our values are not universal, and that much of what is regarded ‘best practice’ is often white and male in origin (also in coaching!). For example, some cultures are more individualistic whereas others place more responsibillity on the collective system.

I am also aware of the irony of providing training in how *not* to give advice, which is in itself advice-giving… It’s another example of needing to hold our views and assumptions lightly, staying curious, open to learning and constantly questioning our judgments, dogmas and assumptions. In this sense, mentor and mentee are equal partners in learning.

This year we ran two sessions to cover people in different time zones across four continents. As ever, a fabulous bunch of people to work with – fully engaged, thoughtful, brave and eager to learn. Thank you and good luck!