Lois Zachary's Mentoring Expert Blog

New location – See you there!

mentoringexpert — Mon, 25 Jul 2011 03:27:54 +0000

All good things must come to an end as they say. However, in some cases the good things don’t end, they just change locations. And that is precisely what we are doing. We are blogging about mentoring at www.centerformentoringexcellence.com/blog where you can count on getting valuable information and tips to improve personal and organizational mentoring. Interested in developing yourself and your organizational leadership? Then visit us at www.leadservs.com/blog. Come check us out at both sites. And, while you are at it,let us know what topics you’d like to hear more about.

Eight Strategies for Working with GenY Mentees

mentoringexpert — Tue, 12 Apr 2011 18:18:08 +0000

GenYs look for mentors who can offer them hands-on experiences that will empower them to take the next step. They prefer positive, collaborative, achievement-oriented mentors who will take them seriously. They naturally seek mentoring because they see their growth and development as a priority.

Tell them the truth. It sets the tone for the relationship.
GenYs want to be treated as equals. This means acknowledging their truth and what they bring to the table.
Ask for and listen to their thinking. They want their opinions to be heard and respected.
Make the relationship special. It should be personal, fun, and engaging.
Offer challenging “think outside the box” assignments and a variety of learning opportunities.
Break goals into doable pieces with deadlines. Make sure they have the resources and the information that they need to achieve their goals.
Use technology. If you don’t know how, ask them; they are masters.
Provide regular feedback, especially praise and affirmation.

More About GenYs (Millennials)

Increasing Cross-Cultural Competency

mentoringexpert — Mon, 04 Apr 2011 04:47:27 +0000

The definition of mentoring varies among cultures. How the word mentor is culturally understood can alter the very essence of a mentoring relationship. For example, the word mentor might be closely related to teacher, supervisor, or expert in another cultural context. It might not translate directly, or it could connote a negative association because of a perception that it is a position of weakness to seek a mentor.

Effectiveness in a cross-cultural mentoring relationship depends on a mentor’s cross-cultural competency.

Here are some strategies to increase your competency:

1. Become Culturally Self Aware

Identify the culturally derived values and assumptions that could affect your relationship. It may be that you were brought up in a culture where sharing feelings is inappropriate or that a one-on-one learning relationship is seen as weakness. What values and assumptions do you hold that someone might not readily understand from a culture other than your own?

2. Develop a Working Knowledge of and Appreciation for Other Cultures

Seek information about your mentee’s country. What do you know about its people? Its politics and government? Key historical and cultural achievements? Dominant religious beliefs and practices? Family and social structure? Educational system? Economics and industry? Geography, sports, entertainment, and symbols?

3. Improve Your Communication Skills

Ask open-ended questions. Paraphrase and reflect feelings and content. Repeat and rephrase. Talk about areas where there might be cultural misunderstanding. Check for understanding by asking what specific words, phrases, or expressions mean. Avoid examples that are regionally or culturally specific. Whenever possible, use universal examples and be as descriptive as possible.

4. Become Culturally Attuned to Other Cultures

Be aware that people from other cultures do not always express their feelings verbally. Avoid asking questions that are personal, embarrassing, or probing.

Learn more from our workshop Mentoring Across the Generational Divide

Presence Counts

mentoringexpert — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 17:47:46 +0000

A plant manager got up at his monthly operations meeting to address his 245 employees. “I am very proud to announce,” he said stone-faced, with his eyes glued to his notes, “we have been named ‘most productive operation’ in the company. It’s a great day for all of us.” No one clapped, no one cheered, and no one believed him.

Presence counts. But, what exactly is it? Is it charisma? Is it being fully there and attentive? Or is it an ability to influence what is going on? Presence shows up in many different ways. It creates a first and lasting impression and it must present when it comes to leading effectively.

When leaders need a vision to help move their organization forward, presence sells the vision. Presence lends credibility to a leader’s words. Presence inspires others to take risks, to reach, and to stretch.

How would you rate your presence? How effective are you at communicating and energizing a group? How effective are your public speaking skills? When was the last time you saw yourself on video-tape making a presentation?

Take time to evaluate yourself and make your presence known!

Vision Gets Employees on Board

How Adept Are You?

mentoringexpert — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 06:35:03 +0000

Think for a moment about your experience in facilitating someone else’s learning. Did it go well? Were there some things you could have done better? Chances are if you are like most mentors, you could become even more adept at facilitation. Help is on the way:

1. Reflect on your experience in facilitating someone else’s learning.

What were the factors that affected the success or derailment of your efforts?

What lessons did you learn from that experience?

What, if anything, would you do differently in facilitating your mentee’s learning?

2. Observe people you know who are really good facilitators.

What are some of the specific things they say or do really well to facilitate learning?

3. What goals could you set for yourself that would help you become more adept at facilitation?

Check out more on Advanced Facilitation Strategies

Are you asking the right questions?

mentoringexpert — Tue, 22 Feb 2011 16:33:09 +0000

Knowing the right type of questions to ask and how to ask it, is an important mentoring skill. It facilitates deeper learning and engages the mentee as an active learner.

1. Ask direct questions when you want to draw out a quiet or reluctant mentee, obtain specific information to refocus.
Tip: Start by using the mentee’s name

2. Use reverse questions when you want to encourage your mentee to think reflectively, to diffuse a hostile response or to bring out a quiet mentee in a group mentoring session.
Tip: Instead of answering a mentee’s question, ask them what they think.

3. Use relay questions for group mentoring by drawing out the expert or knowledgeable person to assess the feelings of others or to cut off someone who is monopolizing the session.
Tip: Instead of immediately answering a question, open it up to other members of the group to respond.

4. Use probing to deepen and expand the thinking of your mentee.
Tip: Ask . . .  “What else did you learn from that situation?”

-“How does that compare to the experience you first had?”

-“What else did you take away from the feedback?”

5. Use paraphrasing and clarifying techniques frequently to avoid miscommunication and making assumptions.
Tip: Ask . . .  “So you’re saying that…?”

-“What do you mean by that?”

-“Is that the reason that you…?”

Learn more tips on developing mentees learning strategies.

Learning Goals Hit The Mark

mentoringexpert — Mon, 14 Feb 2011 19:56:11 +0000

There is an old saying that goes, “If there is no target to aim at you will hit it every time.” When goals are not defined mentoring proceeds along a meandering path. Clarifying and articulating learning goals requires inquiry and conversation so that the goals that are selected, are meaningful and guide the work of the relationship.

Being knowledgeable about a mentee’s learning style offers a starting point and assists you in knowing when to step forward and when to hold back, and how to honor specific learning styles that help to facilitate the learning. For example, if your mentee is a very logical person who is data driven and fact-oriented and you are someone who operates more intuitively, you will adjust the learning in a manner more suitable to your mentee’s needs.

What is your learning style? How might it impact your mentoring relationships?

Learn more about the goal driven mentoring relationship and Begin with the End in Mind

Partnering Gets Results

mentoringexpert — Thu, 10 Feb 2011 19:51:40 +0000

A good relationship is the basis for a strong partnership.

Strong partnerships establish agreements that are anchored in a foundation trust. Mentoring partners respect one another and are attuned to each other’s needs. They work at building and strengthening the relationship and hold themselves and each other accountable for results.

Learn more about The Value of Trust

Developing a Mentoring Relationship Takes Time

mentoringexpert — Mon, 07 Feb 2011 19:35:26 +0000

Mentoring relationships need to be well-established.

They take time to develop and grow. Both mentor and mentee must be open and trusting and honor each other’s uniqueness. Strong relationships motivate, inspire, and support learning and development. Both partners need to continuously work at establishing, maintaining and strengthening the relationship.

Never burn bridges and accept that in order to enhance your relationship it takes time and effort on both parts.

The Three P’s

mentoringexpert — Thu, 03 Feb 2011 17:33:03 +0000

Without the presence of learning, mentoring doesn’t exist. It is the purpose, the process, and the product of a mentoring relationship. Because learning is so central to mentoring, it is essential that mentors understand their mentees as learners. Mentors need to know how to engage and guide the mentee appropriately and to create a climate that supports learning. In addition, mentors must to be open to learning themselves.

When you begin your relationship mentor and mentee should agree to the purpose. What is it that the mentee wants to obtain from your meetings?

Once you have figured out what you both are going to receive from the relationship, it is now time to plan the process. How frequently will we meet? What will our meetings consist of? What goals will the mentor set for the mentee?

Finally, decided what you want to end product to be. Where do both mentor and mentee want to be after the relationship comes to a close? How will you measure your accomplishments?