Page 10 - Demo

10 Introduction
Mentors
• Are willing to listen and be patient with the back-and-forth com- munications as needed.
• Are able to ascertain receptivity of online mentees to particular advice or suggestions, through awareness of mentee’s environment and circumstances.
• Are familiar with conventions and shortcomings of various online modalities for communication, and able to adjust accordingly.
• Take time to build rapport in each interaction, personalizing ways of addressing or inquiring.
• Are skillful in use of words, whether writing or speaking, taking full advantage through voice and facial expressions of any in-per- son meetings or via video, while realizing that synchronous meet- ings are not the same as in-person ones as it pertains to making eye contact or verbal exchanges.
• Ready to ask follow-up questions, frame questions or comments in terms the mentee(s) can readily apprehend, provide examples from own experience or from observations of others. The selection of skillful phrasing and language comes into play here as well.
• In facilitating an online synchronous or asynchronous mentoring group, ensure all know how group meeting will proceed, take time to acknowledge each person by name and to provide each with ample opportunity and means to contribute, seek suggestions and ideas for better group meetings from all members of mentoring group and implement these as practical.
• Set an agenda or prepare for each interaction with mentee(s); take notes or write up notes after meeting, or record if permitted, and distribute to those unable to attend; keep track of progress or de- velopments as relevant.
The Rochester Institute of Technology Faculty Mentoring @ RIT Guide- book (2011) (www.rit.edu/provost/sites/rit.edu.provost/files/documents/ Faculty-Mentoring-Guidebook.pdf ) provides some excellent advice, which is also very relevant for online mentoring, about how a mentor can most effectively provide feedback.
Mentoring is a developmental relationship. One way that this devel- opment occurs is by debriefing or giving feedback to your mentee about how s/he handled a situation ...
• Make sure you understand the situation.
• Paraphrase what you heard from your mentee and ask questions to
clarify your perception.
• State your message clearly and specifically.