Mentoring Competences

04 Mentoring Competences

1. Introduction

In this guideline the readers learn more about the basic mentoring competences that significantly determine a mentor’s area of responsibility and the mentoring process. The exemplary presentation of the respective competences offers future mentors a good practical insight.

2. Key Elements

Competence category 1: Understanding oneself
The mentor demonstrates awareness of own values, beliefs and behaviours. S/he recognises how these affect the mentoring practice and uses this self-awareness to manage the mentee’s meeting objectives’ effectiveness. For example, the mentor:

behaves in a manner that facilitates the mentoring process and manages issues of diversity in his/ her mentoring practice

builds self-understanding based on an established model of human behaviour and rigorous reflection on practice

communicates effectively own values, beliefs and attitudes that guide mentoring practice

behaves in alignment with his/ her values and beliefs

identifies when any psychological processes are interfering with mentee work and adapts behaviour appropriately, responds with empathy to mentee’s emotions without becoming personally involved

Competence category 2: Committing to self-development
The mentor explores and improves the standard of the mentoring practice and maintains the reputation of the professional. For example the mentor

practises/evaluates mentoring skills

demonstrates commitment to personal development through deliberate action/ reflection

participates in regular supervision to develop mentoring practice and evaluates the effectiveness of supervision

Competence category 3: Managing the mentoring contract
The mentor establishes and maintains the expectations and boundaries of the mentoring contract with the mentee and, where appropriate, with sponsors. S/he:

explains his/ her role in relation to the mentee and the benefits of mentoring/ for the mentee

agrees appropriate levels of both confidentiality and communication to others, abides a professional code of ethics

manages the conclusion of the conversation so that the mentee is clear about the outcome

explains the difference between mentoring/ coaching and its benefits for the mentee

establishes a clear contract for the mentoring with the mentee and agrees a framework (when, where, how) …)

describes own mentoring process/ style that the mentee is able to make an informed decision to go ahead with the mentoring

Competence category 4: Building the relationship
The mentor skilfully builds and maintains an effective relationship with the client, and where appropriate, with a sponsor. For example, the mentor

explains how own behaviours can affect the mentoring and treats all people with respect and maintains mentee’s dignity

describes/applies at least one method of building rapport and uses language that the mentee can relate to

demonstrates empathy and genuine support for the mentee and ensures mentee’s non-dependence

ensures requisite level of trust has been established, recognises/ works effectively with mentee’s emotional state(s)

adapts language/ behaviour to accommodate mentee’s style while maintaining sense of self

Competence category 5: Enabling insight and learning
The mentor works with the mentee to bring about insight and learning, for example:

demonstrates in mentoring his/ her belief that others learn best for themselves, checks for appropriate understanding of the key issues

uses an active listening style and several questioning techniques, explains the principles of effective questioning and potential blocks to effective listening and is alert to tone and modularity as well as to explicit content of communication

offers own perspectives/ideas in a style that allows the mentee to choose whether to work with him/her or not

identifies patterns of mentee thinking, enables mentee to make connections between feelings and their performance

uses feedback/ challenge to help mentee gain different perspectives, while maintaining rapport and responsibility for action and remains impartial when encouraging the mentee to consider alternatives

offers feedback in a style that is useful to the mentee, uses reviews to deepen understanding and commitment to action

Competence category 6: Outcome and action orientation
The mentor demonstrates approach, and uses skills, in supporting the client to make desired changes. S/he:

assists mentee to clarify desired outcomes and to set appropriate goals, ensures congruence between mentee’s goals/ the context they are in and assists mentees to plan their actions including appropriate support, resourcing and contingencies dignity

engages the mentee to explore a range of options for achieving goals and ensures the mentee chooses solutions

keeps appropriate notes to track/ review progress with the mentee

ensures the mentee leaves the session enabled to go further with their own development

helps mentee to develop actions that best suit the mentee’s personal preferences, identify potential barriers to applying actions

ensures mentee is taking responsibility for their own decisions, actions and learning approach

reviews with the mentee progress and achievement of outcomes/ goals and revises as appropriate

Competence category 7: Management of mentoring techniques
The mentor applies models and tools, techniques and ideas beyond the core communication skills in order to bring about insight and learning. The mentor:

develops a coherent model of mentoring and utilises models and approaches from mentee’s context

uses several established tools and techniques to help the mentee work towards outcomes

Competence category 8: Evaluation
The mentor gathers information on the effectiveness of their practice and contributes to establishing a culture of evaluation of outcomes. S/he:

establishes rigorous evaluation processes with mentees/ and any other stakeholders involved

has own processes for evaluating effectiveness as a mentor and critiques diverse approaches to evaluation of mentoring

monitors and reflects on the effectiveness of the whole process and evaluates outcomes with mentee/ and stakeholders

requests feedback from mentee on mentoring, receives and accepts feedback in a constructive way
elops a coherent model of mentoring and utilises models and approaches from mentee’s context

3. Example

In order to be able to concretise Mrs. Diana’s ‘Holiday on an Organic Farm’ concept, the mentor, Mrs. Sophie, offers Mrs. Diana to present her initial thoughts, ideas and goals. The mentor listens attentively, asks questions and contributes ideas and suggestions, which she discusses together with Mrs. Diana to stimulate the development of further ideas. Mrs. Diana evaluates the mentor’s suggestions; she will certainly take up some good ideas, more details will become apparent in the ongoing mentoring process, which progresses constructively.

4. Benefits and Potential Impact

The benefits and impact you might have from the guideline implementation are:

For the mentor	For the mentee
Knows which mentoring competences are required	knows what support services are offered in mentoring
Knows which tasks and support services are to be provided	knows that mentoring is a joint constructive process

5. Self-evaluation Questionnaire

The Farms’ Charm project aims to develop learning materials to educate small and medium-sized farmers in possible ways of starting their agritourism activities which will help them not only diversify their incomes but also promote their farm products directly to consumers. All that while reviving the rural areas and local communities and promoting a sustainable way of tourism which is in line with the tendencies of slowing down and staying longer at one area.

Contact Info

info@farmscharm.com

This project has been funded with support from the European Commission. The content of this website reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.

Project number: 2022-1-CZ01-KA220-ADU-000089506

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