How to use your mentor effectively

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How to use your mentor effectively
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(No Transcript)
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Other people as your resources
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How to use other people as resources
Knowledge
Skills
Experience
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What is mentoring?

• Giving advice versus exploration of
  problems/opportunities that results in a learning
  experience.

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Mentors role

• Facilitator
• Teacher
• Provider of relevant information

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Mentors competencies
Environmental knowledge
Wide frames of reference based on business
experience
Analytical skills
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Helping with information

• What information is needed
• How to obtain it (sources)
• Translating information into the context of the
  given business plan.

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Mentor can

• Provide different perspective
• Help to identify the real issues (business plan
  related) and stumbling blocks that hinder the
  teams progress
• Help to learn problem solving process
• Stimulate your growth and give feedback.

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But..
It is up to you to come up with solutions!!!
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Building relationship

• Remember that first 3-4 minutes of the first
  meeting are crucial for creating right rapport
  between a team and a mentor.
• Friendly environment so both parties can open up.

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Building relationship

• Do not prejudge, stereotype or assume.
• Why do we do that?

• Social status
• Ethnicity
• Gender
• Age
• Level of education

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Effective communication Identifying the goals
Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to
go from here?
That depends a good deal on where you want to
get to.

• Lewis Carol, Alice in Wonderland

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Effective communicationWhy the Echallenge?
Winning the competition
Refining further the existing business idea
Learning
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What to expect from the other party

• Participants Be aware that mentoring process has
  more emphasis on general business knowledge
  rather than industry-specific knowledge.
• Mentors Be aware that team members might have
  very limited business related knowledge.

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Effective communication Before a meeting

• Be prepared
• Formulate concise questions
• Provide your mentor in advance with any
  information/documentation to be discussed
• Agree on the meetings schedule.

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Effective communication Verbal communication

• Do not talk too much.

• Be specific, clear and direct.
• Active listening.

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There is nothing we receive with so much
reluctance as adviceJoseph Addison
Effective communication Managing perceptions and
attitudes

• Do not jump to conclusion
• Do not be selective
• in your perception
• Do not be negative

• Being mindful
• Checking for understanding
• Doing recaps

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Managing relationshipConstructive criticism
versus negativism
Constructive criticism Direct Open Respectful Sup
portive Sensitive Flexible Understanding Consisten
t Fair Outcome orientated
Negativism Blaming Shaming Judgemental Interfering
Commanding Putting down Sarcastic Inconsistent
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Managing relationship Mentors

• Avoid creating dependency
• Adhere to the teams agenda even if articulation
  of the teams goals and objectives is not
  perfect
• Foster teams confidence.