Reflection
Take a few minutes to answer the following reflection questions for this module. You can print this page to preserve your thoughts.
1. Think about a challenge that you faced (and maybe still are facing) in one of your mentoring relationships. Briefly describe the challenge in one or two sentences.
2. What feelings do you experience when thinking about this challenge, and with this specific mentee? Be honest, even if your initial reaction seems a bit harsh.
3. Next, ask yourself, what don’t I know? Remember, your assumptions about a mentee’s behavior, attitudes, or knowledge could be wrong! What do you need to learn about your mentee’s perspective to really understand, and ultimately resolve, this situation?
4. Now, think about the desired outcome(s). What do you hope to gain by addressing this issue? What do you want your mentee to feel and do after you discuss the issue?
5. Draft a one- or two-sentence conversation opener for initiating a discussion about this challenge with your mentee.
6. Brainstorm a few ideas for addressing this challenge — approaches that you could propose to your mentee. When/if a real conversation takes place, be sure to also ask your mentee for their ideas on how to resolve the issue.
