My working hypothesis is… …when mentoring, your mentee will likely be quicker to learn. They are younger, younger people learn faster. Use that to your advantage.
Share to create trust
My working hypothesis is… …when mentoring, never underestimate the power of sharing your own world-view, challenges, successes, experiences, and failures.
Forget answering, start inspiring
My working hypothesis is… …when mentoring, be careful with the potential illusion that you are in the position to give actionable and appropriate advice. Instead, consider the value of inspiring your mentee to build the energy to find their own solutions.
Don’t be a passive mentor
My working hypothesis is… …when mentoring, never underestimate how busy a student’s life can be and how difficult it can be to build a mentoring relationship from the “weaker side of the table”.