CHOOSE YOUR MENTOR

Mentoring takes several forms, and mentors come in many different types. What kind of mentor are you?

COMMUNICATOR

• Encourages two-way exchanges of information.
• Listens and responds to career concerns.
• Schedules uninterrupted time for meetings
• Acts as a sounding board for ideas and concerns.

COUNSELOR

• Work with the mentee to identify and understand career-related skills, interests, and values.
• Helps mentee evaluate appropriateness of options.
• Helps mentee plan strategies to achieve mutually agreed-upon goals.

COACH

• Helps clarify performance goals and developmental needs.
• Teaches skills via on-the-job training.
• Specifies behaviors that need improvement and reinforces effective performance.
• Clarifies and communicates organizational goals and objectives and leads by example.

ADVISOR

• Communicates the realities of progression within the organization.
• Recommends training and appropriate strategies.
• Regularly reviews developmental plan.
• Helps mentee identify career obstacles and take appropriate action.

BROKER

• Expands mentee’s network of contacts.
• Acts as an intermediary, bringing together mentees who might benefit from helping each other.
• Links mentees with appropriate opportunities and identifies resources for career progression.

REFERRAL AGENT

• Identifies resources to help with specific problems.
• Follows up to ensure effectiveness of resources.

ADVOCATE

• Intervenes on the mentee’s behalf and represents his/her concerns on issues to upper management.
• Arranges for mentees to participate in highly visible

Source: Adapted from Dallas Business Journal March 8-14, 1996