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Mentor job specification
The primary goal of a mentor is to build sustainable, trusting relationships with mentees in order to enhance their ability to start, maintain and grow their businesses.
The role of a mentor
Mentoring activities are undertaken through a range of channels including face-to-face meetings (one-to-one or group), telephone discussions and email exchanges.
Mentors are required to:
- engage with mentees to agree how mentoring could support their prospective or existing business
- engage with mentees from across the mentoring organisation’s market
- agree a programme of mentoring activity that best meets the needs of their mentee
- encourage their mentee to express and discuss their ideas, concerns and understanding of the business situation facing them
- help mentees to review their progress and set realistic and practical options to realise their goals
- help mentees to reflect on and learn from things that did not turn out as expected
- refer mentees to other sources of information, advice or further support when appropriate
- encourage mentees to take responsibility for their own decisions, plans and actions
- present a positive image of business mentoring and follow the code of practice for the organisation being represented
- keep up-to-date and accurate records of mentee contact
Mentor competencies
The mentor needs to possess or develop the following competencies in order to undertake the mentoring role effectively:
Skills
Core
- Excellent communication skills to include active listening and personal presentation skills
- Effective time management
- Relationship building and networking
- Personal development
- Maintaining records and preparing written reports
Non-core
- Risk management – personal and business related
- People development
- Influencing and negotiation
Knowledge and understanding
Non-core
- The difference between the role of a mentor and the role of other business support professionals e.g. coach, adviser or consultant
- The code of ethics/conduct for mentoring as set by the organisation being represented
- Rules on confidentiality and data protection and how to follow them
- The mentoring process to include the mentoring agreement/contract entered into with the organisation being represented
- The mentoring relationship and the importance of using the most effective communication methods to create a productive mentoring environment
- How a business works (essential enterprise know-how)
Personal behaviours
Core
Mentors should have the ability to:
- Respect the mentee’s need for information, commitment and confidentiality
- Listen and respond effectively and check understanding
- Adapt their personal style to empathise with a whole range of mentees
- Build and maintain rapport over sustained periods of time
- Invite a two-way exchange of information and feedback with mentees and others
- Display excellent interpersonal skills to include influencing and negotiation
- Take a flexible approach to work
- Be emotionally resilient and be able to work in a challenging environment
Experience
- Successful hands-on professional expertise in key business areas including marketing, sales, law, finance/accounting, HR, IT, customer service, research, imports/exports