Apply to Become a Mentor
The roles and responsibilities of becoming a Mentor
A mentor is a partner and a guide in the learning process with the mentee. The mentor possesses skills and experiences that help develop the skills and expertise of the mentee.
Mentors should:
- Five plus years of experience in progressive leadership or previous Mentoring Program graduate
- Value the development of others
- Be willing to commit the time and energy needed to establish and maintain a productive mentoring relationship (minimally meet with mentee quarterly and attend any required training)
- Be willing to share the knowledge and experience they have gained during their career
- Actively observe, coach, and guide the Mentee.
- Exhibit skills in active listening, coaching, and the ability to establish rapport with others
Mentor roles and behaviors
Empower the Mentee.
The mentoring relationship should be driven by the needs of the mentee and should emphasize increasing the mentee’s understanding and ability to handle problems on his or her own.
Active listening.
Mentors act as sounding boards, helping Mentees explore where a course of action might lead and to define the gap between what is needed currently and what is needed in the future, while ensuring that Mentees retain ownership of the problem and the decision about how to solve it.
Shift context.
Mentors help Mentees see themselves in a broader, more self-actualizing light.
Observation.
Mentors provide clear, non-judgmental descriptions of what they observe the Mentees doing or intending to do. They describe the consequences they anticipate or observe and express how they feel, while refraining from telling the Mentees what to do.
Provide feedback.
Mentors listen for both facts and feelings and provide feedback on the whole message.
Help the Mentees explore options and assist with networking and opening doors to experiences that will assist with their learning objectives.