How do you express yourself in one-on-one and group mentoring?

October 29, 2018

 

Mentoring has to be vigilant and effective to ensure that the intended purpose of this mentor-mentoree relationship is attained. A lot of people feel the need to opt for mentoring for variable reasons. In fact, organizations believe in group mentoring of its employees for the sake of professional development and enhancement of skills and knowledge.  However, be it one-on-one or group mentoring,expressing oneself can be a challenge for the mentoree owing to several factors. For instance, introverted individuals would be hesitant to speak their mind in a group setting, afraid of potential judgments from the peers. Here, we shall discuss a few possible ways that can help you with expressing yourself in a one-on-one and group mentoring.

Ice-Breaker

It is always a good idea to start the session using an ice-breaker. Here, the mentor will have something planned out in order to ease off the tension in the group or the general environment. As part of the session, you may start off by introducing yourself, giving relevant and precise details of who you are, your date of birth, zodiac, hobbies, interests and a general discussion regarding your favorite movie genre, maybe. This sounds like an easy drill, even for the most introverted individuals. Once you begin speaking in a one-on-one or group mentoring, you will have successfully overcome the fear of public speaking, in case of group mentoring. Try to keep your answers precise and be audible for everyone to understand what all you are saying.

Be Prepared

Mentoring is basically a process that depends on the relationship between the mentor and mentoree(s).It is hence, very crucial to find out as much as you can about your mentor.Knowing a little about who your mentor is will help create a feeling of familiarity; the person you are sharing your heart or mind with will not seem like a complete stranger anymore. In addition to doing your homework regarding the mentor, it is also important to analyze your goals. What is it that you are trying to achieve through this mentoring session?

Be Open

Another tip for expressing in a mentoring session is to be open to any and all kinds of experiences. Mentors are people coming from different backgrounds, have had multiple experiences and can have an abundance of wisdom to share with the mentorees. Therefore, try to ask for as much as possible from the mentor by showing enough inclination and curiosity to their experiences and anecdotes. A pointer for all sorts of mentoring relationship is to be generous; i.e. to give your mentor as much as you wish to receive from him/ her. This not only strengthens the bond but makes two-way communication easy and fun for both parties.

 

Be Humble

Another important tip for expressing is to abandon the ego. There is no harm showcasing lack of knowledge to the mentor. After all, he is there to help you overcome whatever shortcoming you are currently facing. You, as a mentoree, are not seeking validation from the mentor, but rather you seek knowledge and you must be able to own your shortcoming. So, inquire about possible solutions to your problem altruistically.

Be Polite and Respectful

Furthermore, a mentor is effectively your teacher. So, be on your best behavior around them, use a polite tone while speaking, do not use harsh language, keep a normal pitch and avoid cutting them as they speak. Wait for the mentor to finish speaking and then respond. It is very important to show respect and gratitude to your mentor intermittently.

Hope these tips help you express the potential within you that is waiting to come out!

Until next time, be well and stay blessed!

Terence Young, MD

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