What Should Modern Mentors Learn? An excerpt from the book "Interactive Questioning"

The collection "Interactive Questioning: How the Ability to Ask Your Own Questions Helps You Develop" has recently been published. In this manual, the authors Vera Danilova, Vadim Karastelev, Vadim Rozin and their colleagues explore the methodology and theoretical foundations of the art of asking questions, which they call questioning. The book offers an in-depth analysis of global experience working with questions and includes specific methods and techniques that will help readers develop critical thinking and self-awareness skills. This collection will be a useful tool for anyone who wants to improve their communication skills and learn how to interact effectively with the world around them.

With the authors' permission, we present an excerpt from the book devoted to the chapter "Questioning as a Method of Modern Mentoring." This chapter examines the key aspects of using questions as a tool for effective mentoring. Questioning allows mentors to more deeply understand the needs and motivations of their mentees, and also promotes the development of critical thinking and independence in them. Various questioning techniques are discussed that help create an atmosphere of trust and openness, which is important for successful interaction. Mentors can use these methods to create a productive dialogue, which ultimately leads to higher-quality results in the learning and development process.

Sketch of the Concept of a New Type of Mentoring

A clear distinction must be made between traditional and modern mentoring. Traditional mentoring remains relevant for areas that have not seen significant changes in recent decades. At the same time, modern mentoring requires a new approach, as simply copying old methods in current conditions may prove ineffective. For convenience, we will refer to traditional mentoring as Mentoring 1 and modern mentoring as Mentoring 2. The second type of mentor has a unique characteristic: they and their protégé recognize that the mentor's experience was gained in a different situation, making it more difficult to apply to the protégé's current circumstances. However, both parties agree that mentoring has its value and that this experience can be adapted and used to benefit the protégé's growth and development. A 2020 study of major American corporations found that 68% of employees consider mentoring relationships useful or very useful, despite modern technological advances. In the first months of employment, employees often prefer younger mentors, but preferences change over time. After six months of work, most employees begin to value the experience of older mentors, and among those who have been with the company for a year, almost 80% choose them. This underscores the importance of mentoring in corporate culture and the need to consider experience when building effective teams.

For effective interaction, it is important to establish clear communication channels and rules. This will help avoid unnecessary conflicts and save time. First and foremost, it is necessary to define the goals and expectations of the interaction. Regular meetings and discussions help maintain clarity and understanding among all participants. It is also important to actively listen and consider the opinions of others, which will help create an atmosphere of mutual respect and cooperation. The use of modern technology and collaboration tools can significantly improve the interaction process, facilitating a more effective exchange of information and reducing the time spent resolving issues.

It is important to highlight key aspects of a mentor's experience. For this purpose, three types of skills can be distinguished: professional, pedagogical, and interpersonal. Professional skills include in-depth knowledge in their field and the skills necessary for effective work. Pedagogical skills relate to the ability to transfer knowledge and skills, as well as to develop curricula and approaches that promote learning. Interpersonal skills are important for establishing trusting relationships with students, creating a supportive atmosphere, and effective communication. These three types of skills help mentors successfully develop their protégés and achieve their goals.

Formulate and solve professional problems (hard skills);
Collaborate, establish and maintain healthy working relationships (soft skills);
Self-determination regarding professional culture and work situations, planning their professional and career prospects, and engaging in self-education and self-development (self-skills).

Experience cannot be reduced to skills alone, but skills are the most accessible part for description and analysis. In the process of industrial mentoring, it is important to consider the psychological and social security provided by the protégé's relationship with a more experienced and authoritative employee. These relationships provide an opportunity not only to transfer skills but also to shape the mentor's attitudes, especially regarding work and the organization. Effective mentoring fosters the development of both professional and personal qualities, which in turn positively impacts the overall team atmosphere and increases productivity. By analyzing various aspects of the mentor's experience and mentoring relationships, we can see that the first and second types of mentoring are often intertwined in the mentor-mentee interaction. For example, by examining elements such as production technologies, communication, and self-organization (hard, soft, self), we can establish that communication formats and self-organization methods evolve significantly more slowly than technologies. This creates an opportunity to resolve the aforementioned paradox. If a mentor actively supports their mentee in career planning and establishing effective relationships with colleagues, there is no need to worry that their purely production and technological experience may become outdated. This approach ensures the relevance of mentoring and promotes the successful development of the protégé.

A similar argument can be made in the context of experience solving production problems. We still poorly understand the knowledge, skills, and attitudes that distinguish a master from a craftsperson. However, an intuitive understanding of this distinction suggests that mastery is not limited to mastered methods for solving production problems, although mastery of a craft certainly plays an important role. This indicates that even within professional experience, components can be identified that function on different time scales. Masters not only apply their skills but also develop them, adapting them to new conditions and requirements.

Professional thinking and intuition acquired through experience tend to last longer than technical skills. Despite constant technological change, a master remains capable of formulating problems, analyzing situations, and identifying subtle signals that may indicate new opportunities or risks. This aspect has been discussed over the past fifty years in various formats, including fiction and film, emphasizing the importance of experience and intuition in the professional environment.

Key components can be identified in the mentor's professional experience that remain relevant regardless of changes in production technologies. These components can serve as an example for the protégé, provided the mentor can clearly articulate and describe them. This underscores the need for a more differentiated approach to the experience of an experienced employee and the observed differentiation of the mentoring process. One significant manifestation of this trend is the practice of creating "mentoring networks," where the exchange of knowledge and experience becomes more structured and effective.

A mentor plays a key role in the process of self-determination in a work situation. Their skills help distinguish between the known and the unknown, and separate the essential from the irrelevant. It is important for a mentor to be able to view a situation from different angles and take an active and responsible position. An effective mentor is able to transform difficulties into specific tasks and develop a targeted action plan to solve them. These skills contribute not only to individual development but also to improving the overall team atmosphere, which in turn affects productivity and success.

These skills relate to self-skills, such as self-determination and self-organization, and are based on professional experience and structured thinking. We believe they will become a crucial asset for an experienced specialist in a rapidly changing production environment. Understanding and developing these skills should form the basis of training modern mentors.

A modern mentor must meet a number of requirements, which include not only high qualifications in their field but also the ability to communicate effectively with students. It is important for a mentor to be able to adapt their teaching methods depending on the needs of each student. Practical experience is also necessary, allowing the mentor to share real-life examples and clearly demonstrate material. A mentor must be open to feedback in order to continually improve their teaching approaches. Furthermore, it is important for a mentor to be patient and support students' motivation, thereby creating a favorable atmosphere for learning and development.

treat your experience differently, highlighting its various aspects;
be attentive to the uniqueness of the protégé's situations and their needs;
understand how exactly you can help your protégé and be ready to discuss your goals and capabilities with them.

Modern mentoring situations place similar demands on the protégé as on the mentor. The protégé must clearly understand why they are entering into this relationship, what their needs are, and what their goals are. Understanding your expectations and aspirations plays a key role in successful interaction with the mentor. This awareness allows you to more effectively use the resources of mentoring and achieve your goals.

In a popular article dedicated to Mentoring Month in the USA, K. Ceniza-Levine emphasizes the importance of clarifying mutual expectations between mentor and protégé. She recommends that protégés share their goals and expectations for working together, as well as clarify the mentor's goals and expectations. It is important for protégés to closely monitor their needs throughout the mentoring process and provide the mentor with honest feedback about which advice and recommendations were helpful and which were not. Viewing mentoring as a two-way process, Ceniza-Levine encourages protégés to take responsibility for creating an effective relationship that benefits all participants. This approach fosters deeper mutual understanding and increases the effectiveness of mentoring. As a result, it is clear that successful participation in productive mentoring relationships requires certain skills in both mentors and their protégés. These skills are often lacking in most participants. Therefore, the practice of specialized training for mentors is actively developing in the West. This demonstrates the need for similar approaches in our country. Mentoring training can significantly increase the effectiveness of interactions, improve results, and create a more harmonious atmosphere for personal and professional growth.

What Should Modern Mentors Learn? An excerpt from the book "Interactive Questioning"

Contents:

Sketch of the Concept of a New Type of Mentoring