- Resources for mentees
- Resources for mentors
- Other resources
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- Best Practice Toolkit
Do’s and Don’ts of Mentoring
It is important to remember the do’s and don’ts of effective mentoring
If you are interested in becoming a mentor it is important to remember the do’s and don’ts of effective mentoring:
Do’s
- Provide an outside perspective on both the business owner and their business
- Listen, confidentially, to the things that are worrying the business owner about their company
- Help by sharing your own experience of both failures and successes
- Give friendly, unbiased support and guidance
- Provide honest and constructive feedback
- Be a sounding board for ideas
- Facilitate decision making by suggesting alternatives based on personal experience
- Provide contacts and networks to further personal and business development
- Inspire the client to realise their potential
- Provide ongoing support and encouragement
Don’ts
- Provide a counselling service
- Give specific technical business advice which would normally be provided by an expert business adviser
- Provide a training service
- Provide a coaching service (relating to specific business related tasks, goals and objectives)
- Provide therapeutic interventions
- Take responsibility for success away from the business owner