TMA World Viewpoint 33: A Guide To Strategic Mentoring

The Strategic Mentor
How to make your mentoring relationships a success



Mentoring is a one-to-one relationship to promote the professional and
personal growth of a mentee.
A mentor provides essential information, gives feedback, encourages,
provides emotional support and promotes their mentee to others
whenever possible.

Benefits of mentoring to the mentor
Professional gains through greater intelligence/information and career
enhancement, personal gains through psychological reward, enhanced
reputation as trusted advisor and an increase and sharpening of skills
needed to be an effective mentor.

© Transnational Management Associates Ltd. All Rights Reserved.

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Benefits of mentoring to the mentee

Greater expertise, a valued relationship with their mentor, fresh
perspectives, increased self esteem, personal satisfaction, recognition
and an expanded professional network.

To make your mentoring relationship as effective and as
valuable as it can be, pay attention to the following four key
areas and adopt the following winning tips.


3



“

We are very

different
people, can
this
relationship
really work?

”

What can you do to
improve the ‘fit’
between you and your
mentee?

1

4

5



While it may not be possible to develop a
clear cut formula to inform the matching of
mentor and mentee, there are certain
considerations that will help the chances of
learning for both parties.
Those responsible for matching should
consider whether similarities or differences
will support learning or make the
relationship unviable.
The extent to which the mentor and mentee
are able to tolerate differences is key,
particularly those relating to personal
values and beliefs.




Here are a few things you can do to enable ‘fit’:
 Discover your similarities – for example, shared experiences - and
build on them. Similarity is a strong foundation for building rapport.
 Discover your differences in style, experience and viewpoints and
build on them. Create value from them by exploring different
approaches and devising new ones – difference is a strong
foundation for learning.
 Be tolerant of uncertainty and accept different approaches from
your mentee. With this philosophy both mentor and mentee can
gain immensely.
 Hold periodical meetings that reviews your personal mentor-mentee
relationship.


6



“

My mentor is so

busy and time poor,
so how can she
really help me achieve
my goals?

”

What can you do to
manage your
mentee’s
expectations?

2

7



Fundamental to the success of a mentoring relationship is a
shared understanding of expectations and conflicting viewpoints
will be avoided with open discussions from the outset.
These tasks should be completed at the first meeting.


8



AGREE

 Roles in the mentoring relationship.
 Limits that you may have for the relationship.

DEFINE

 Time constraints that might impact the mentoring
relationship.
 What you have to offer the relationship, e.g.
Knowledge, skills, resources, etc.
 Why you both want to be in a mentoring
relationship.

DISCUSS

 Goals and objectives for the mentoring
relationship.
 Frequency & duration of contact time.
 How you will both deal with confidentiality issues.
 How you will provide each other with regular
feedback and evaluate progress.
 Preferred ways of interacting.


9



“

Will my

mentor be a
role model?

”

What roles should you
be fulfilling as a
mentor?

3

10

11



Mentoring is a complex activity requiring a variety of roles.

Principle to mentoring are the following:

The Advisor

Give encouragement and feedback to your
mentee and help with the acquisition of skills and
abilities.
To do this role effectively, ensure you establish
your mentee’s learning goals and career targets.

The
Networker


Help your mentee develop essential connections
and use your network to support and promote
their ambitions.
To do this role, identify where your network ties in
and provides opportunities for your mentee.

12



Mentoring is a complex activity requiring a variety of roles.

Principle to mentoring are the following:

The
Counsellor

The Role
Model


Develop your mentee’s abilities and coping
strategies to handle challenges, overcome
obstacles, and improve recognized weaknesses.
Do this by listening sympathetically and
understanding the nature of support to offer.
Be the living example from whom your mentee
will learn.

Live this role by always demonstrating exemplary
behaviours, sharing experiences and providing
shadowing opportunities.

13



“

With only a few

hours of contact
each month, how
can we build the
kind of trust we
would like?

”

What can you do to
build trust and
establish rapport with
your mentee?

4

14



Rapport and trust are key components of building a strong, effective
relationship with mentees.
Good mentors establish rapport quickly and build trust over time.

Day-to-day


 Honour all scheduled meetings and calls.
 Adhere to your agreed boundaries of
confidentiality.
 Promote your mentee, put in a good word,
seek out opportunities.

15



Rapport and trust are key components of building a strong, effective
relationship with mentees.
Good mentors establish rapport quickly and build trust over time.

During
meetings and
conversations


 Adapt to overcome difference, whether
cultural, personality, or learning style.
 Be open-minded and state that ‘no question is
a bad question’.
 Demonstrate a continual interest in the
mentoring relationship.
 Listen carefully to your mentee and
remember what they say (keep a journal).
 Know your mentee’s needs: Ask open
questions and funnel questions and check
your understanding.
 Share your personal thoughts and reflections.
 Seek feedback on your performance as a
mentor.

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Written by Terence Brake, Director of Learning &
Innovation at TMA World.

Visit
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to discover the latest thinking

from our experts on global,
collaborative, cross-cultural
and virtual working. There
you’ll find links to our:


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17


About Us


Visit
www.tmaworld.com/insights
to discover the latest thinking

from our experts on global,

Above all we’d like to hear from you
directly, so please don’t hesitate to send
any comments, questions or feedback
to us at: enquiries@tmaworld.com

collaborative, cross-cultural
and virtual working.

Or visit our website:
www.tmaworld.com


TMA World Viewpoint 33: A Guide To Strategic Mentoring

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