How to reflect on mentoring behaviors

This resource is designed to help you systematically reflect on and document your mentoring behaviors — the specific actions and interactions you engage in as a mentor during the mentoring process. These behaviors can include the day-to-day conduct and practices that reflect your mentoring approach and philosophy.

Mentoring Behaviors

The following list of effective mentoring behaviors (Berk et al., 2005; Hamlin & Sage, 2011; Kraiger, et. al., 2019; and Eller, Lev, & Feurer, 2014) provides a framework for your reflection, encouraging specific, measurable examples of mentoring practices and outcomes such as data, feedback, and documented achievements. When describing specific mentoring experiences in a promotion document, it's important to highlight the mentor's actions, skills, and impact while maintaining the confidentiality of the mentee's personal issues.  

Consider providing a brief introduction (optional) to your document that outlines your mentoring philosophy and approach. A mentoring philosophy describes the underlying set of beliefs and values that guide a mentor's actions and decisions (Beatty et al., 2009; Kearns and Sullivan, 2011). Your mentoring philosophy reflects your overall perspective on the purpose and goals of mentoring and provides the foundation for your approach to mentoring. When writing a mentoring philosophy consider the following questions: 

  • What is the importance of mentoring in your professional role? 
  • What are your core beliefs about the role of a mentor? 
  • What motivates you to be a mentor? 
  • What are your goals as a mentor? 

Communication

Regular Communication

  • How do you set up consistent, well-organized, and mutually convenient meetings with your mentees? 

  • What strategies do you use to discuss progress, set goals, and provide feedback during these meetings? 

  • How do you ensure that these meetings are effective and beneficial for both you and your mentees? 

Prompt: Provide specific examples of meeting schedules, agendas, or feedback from mentees that highlight the effectiveness of your regular communication. Describe any tools or methods you use to organize and facilitate these meetings. Reflect on any changes you have made to improve the regularity and quality of your communication with mentees. 

Active Listening

  • How do you practice active listening to understand your mentees’ needs, concerns, and aspirations? 

  • What techniques do you use to ensure that you are fully engaged and responsive during conversations with your mentees? 

Prompt: Include examples of mentee feedback or specific instances where active listening led to positive outcomes. Describe any challenges you have faced in practicing active listening and how you have addressed them. Reflect on the impact of active listening on your mentoring relationships. 

Align Expectations

  • How do you clearly communicate expectations and establish a code of conduct for communication and responsibilities? 

  • What strategies do you use to ensure that both you and your mentees have a clear understanding of each other's expectations? 

Prompt: Provide examples of mentoring compacts, agreements, or feedback from mentees that demonstrate the clarity and effectiveness of your expectations. Describe any tools or methods you use to align expectations at the beginning of the mentoring relationship. Reflect on how your approach to aligning expectations has evolved over time. 

Challenging and Developing

Challenge Self-Perceptions

  • How do you challenge your mentees' self-perceptions and encourage them to step outside their comfort zones? 

  • What strategies do you use to help mentees think through issues and make their own decisions? 

Prompt: Provide examples of specific challenges you have set, mentee reflections, or outcomes demonstrating growth. Describe any techniques you use to encourage mentees to reflect on their self-perceptions. Reflect on the impact of challenging self-perceptions on your mentees’ development. 

Developmental Tasks

  • How do you provide developmental stage-appropriate tasks or projects to help improve your mentees' skills? 

  • What methods do you use to ensure that these tasks are effective and beneficial? 

Prompt: Include examples of tasks or projects, mentee feedback, or improvements in mentee skills. Describe any specific developmental tasks you have assigned and their outcomes. Reflect on the effectiveness of these tasks and any changes you have made to improve them.

Feedback and Evaluation

Constructive Feedback

  • How do you provide constructive feedback on your mentees’ work and progress? 

  • What strategies do you use to ensure that your feedback is helpful and encouraging? 

Prompt: Include examples of feedback given, mentee reflections, or improvements resulting from your feedback. Describe any specific techniques you use to provide constructive feedback. Reflect on the impact of your feedback on your mentees’ development. 

Evaluate Progress

  • How do you evaluate the work and goal progress of your mentees? 

  • What methods do you use to provide praise for successes and efforts? 

Prompt: Provide examples of evaluations, mentee feedback, or achievements demonstrating the effectiveness of your evaluations. Describe any specific evaluation tools or methods you use. Reflect on the impact of your evaluations on your mentees’ motivation and progress. 

Goal Setting

Realistic Goals

  • How do you help your mentees set realistic and achievable goals, both short-term and long-term? 

  • What strategies do you use to ensure that these goals are aligned with their interests and abilities? 

Prompt: Include examples of goal-setting sessions, mentee feedback, or achievements demonstrating the effectiveness of goal setting. Describe any tools or methods you use to help mentees set and achieve their goals. Reflect on the impact of goal setting on your mentees’ progress. 

Assess Interests and Skills

  • How do you assess your mentees' interests, needs, and current skills? 

  • What methods do you use to tailor your mentoring approach based on these assessments? 

Prompt: Provide examples of assessment questions, mentee feedback, or tailored mentoring plans. Describe any specific techniques you use to assess your mentees’ interests and skills. Reflect on the effectiveness of your assessments and any changes you have made to improve them. 

Networking, Sponsorship, and Advocacy

Networking

  • How do you help your mentees build a network of professional contacts? 

  • What strategies do you use to introduce them to colleagues and opportunities? 

Prompt: Provide examples of introductions made, networking events attended, or mentee feedback on the value of these connections. Describe any specific networking opportunities you have facilitated for your mentees. Reflect on the impact of networking on your mentees’ professional development. 

Sponsorship

  • How do you promote your mentees in meetings and forums? 

  • What strategies do you use to advocate for their growth opportunities within the organization and professional organizations? 

Prompt: Include examples of advocacy efforts, mentee feedback, or outcomes resulting from your sponsorship. Describe any specific instances where you have promoted your mentees. Reflect on the impact of your sponsorship on your mentees’ careers. 

Advocacy

  • How do you actively support and advocate for your mentees' professional growth and development? 

  • What methods do you use to ensure that your advocacy is effective? 

Prompt: Provide examples of advocacy efforts, mentee feedback, or professional achievements resulting from your support. Describe any specific advocacy actions you have taken and their outcomes. Reflect on the effectiveness of your advocacy and any changes you have made to improve it. 

Knowledge Sharing

Knowledge Sharing

  • How do you share knowledge and experience openly with your mentees? 

  • What resources do you provide to enhance your mentees’ learning experience? 

Prompt: Include examples of specific resources shared, feedback from mentees, or outcomes resulting from the use of these resources. Describe any professional development workshops, books, websites, or technology you have recommended to your mentees. Reflect on the impact of knowledge sharing on your mentees’ growth and development. 

Skill Development

  • How do you offer guidance on developing specific skills, such as research methodologies, writing, and presentation techniques? 

  • What strategies do you use to help your mentees improve their skills? 

Prompt: Provide examples of skill development activities, mentee feedback, or improvements in mentee performance. Describe any hands-on support you have provided to help mentees understand the nuances of their projects. Reflect on the effectiveness of your skill development efforts and any changes you have made to improve them. 

Process Guidance

  • How do you guide your mentees through the steps required to accomplish tasks? 

  • What methods do you use to provide hands-on support and walk them through processes? 

Prompt: Include examples of project plans, mentee feedback, or successful project completions. Describe any specific processes or tasks you have helped your mentees navigate. Reflect on the impact of your process guidance on your mentees’ success. 

Social and Relational

Build Trust

  • How do you maintain a positive, open, and trusting relationship with your mentees? 

  • What strategies do you use to build and sustain trust? 

Prompt: Include examples of trust-building activities, mentee feedback, or reflections on the mentoring relationship. Describe any specific actions you take to build trust with your mentees. Reflect on the impact of trust on your mentoring relationships. 

Emotional Support

  • How do you provide emotional support and encouragement to your mentees? 

  • What methods do you use to help them navigate challenges and setbacks? 

Prompt: Provide examples of support given, mentee reflections, or outcomes demonstrating the effectiveness of your support. Describe any specific techniques you use to offer emotional support. Reflect on the impact of your support on your mentees’ resilience and well-being. 

Perspective Taking

  • How do you help your mentees see problems from different angles or stakeholders' points of view? 

  • What strategies do you use to offer insights into how things work behind the scenes in the organization or industry? 

Prompt: Include examples of perspective-taking activities, mentee feedback, or successful decisions resulting from your guidance. Describe any specific techniques you use to encourage perspective taking. Reflect on the impact of perspective taking on your mentees’ decision-making and problem-solving skills. 

Self-Awareness

  • How do you encourage and support your mentees' self-awareness? 

  • What methods do you use to help them reflect on their past and current selves? 

Prompt: Provide examples of self-awareness activities, mentee reflections, or growth resulting from your support. Describe any specific questions or techniques you use to promote self-awareness. Reflect on the impact of self-awareness on your mentees’ personal and professional development. 

References:

Beatty, J. E., Leigh, J. S. A., & Dean, K. L. (2009). Philosophy rediscovered: Exploring the connections between teaching philosophies, educational philosophies, and philosophy. Journal of Management Education, 33(1), 99-114. 

Fleming, M., House, S., Hanson, V. S., Yu, L., Garbutt, J., McGee, R., ... & Rubio, D. M. (2013). The mentoring competency assessment: validation of a new instrument to evaluate skills of research mentors. Academic Medicine, 88(7), 1002-1008. 

Hyun, S. H., Rogers, J. G., House, S. C., Sorkness, C. A., & Pfund, C. (2022). Revalidation of the Mentoring Competency Assessment to evaluate skills of research mentors: The MCA-21. Journal of Clinical and Translational Science, 6(1), e46. 

Kearns, K. D., & Sullivan, C. S. (2011). Resources and practices to help graduate students and postdoctoral fellows write statements of teaching philosophy. Advances in Physiology Education, 35(2), 136-145. 

National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. (2019). The science of effective mentorship in STEMM.