4 Responses

1. Web sites that may help
   http://www.trainerbase.co.uk/

   http://www.coachingnetwork.org.uk/

   http://www.andrewgibbons.co.uk/mentoring.html

   http://www.exemplas.com/people/mentors_forum_home.asp

   http://www.pocketbook.co.uk/manager-series/manager_series_16.htm

   http://www.mentoringforchange.co.uk/

   http://www.businessballs.com/

2. interactive teambuiding game
   Hi

   I know of a fun and easy interactive training tool that’s cleverly disguised as a game. It’s effective and can be used in a forum with up to 40 people. If you are interested please write to me at [email protected]

   I hope you find what you’re looking for!

3. Activities relevant to mentoring participants
   Hello Sudarshan,
   We have highly interactive orientations for mentoring pairs , and briefings for those considering entering into a mentoring relationship. Consider some of these:
   1. Separate the participants into 5 groups have them brainstorm benefits to 1)mentors, 2)organizations, 3) protégés, 4)supervisors of protégés, 5)supervisors of mentors. Then have each group report out to total group.
   2. If the session is for matched pairs, breakout into a mentor group and a protégé group, have the mentors brainstorm expectations of protégés, and protégés brainstorm expectations of mentors. During the report out to total group discuss and clarify the expectations. See our web site for video behavior model, TIPS®, and other resources.
   Good luck,
   margo

4. Simple Activities
   A fun and simple activity to start a mentoring course is to split the group into pairs and have one member of each pair line up on one side of the room with blindfolds. Move furniture around the room and then ask the unblindfolded person to direct the blindfolded person to the other side of the room (without touching them). Make it clear that it is NOT a race and that the aim is to get their partner to the others side of the room without injuring them!

   Afterwards, facilitate a discussion on how the activity is similiar to mentoring with questions such as:

   – How does the activity demonstrate how a mentoree may feel? (may know where they are going but may not know what the pitfalls are or how to get there; nervous; afraid; unsure)
   – How does the activity demonstrate the role of the mentor? (There to guide & direct – not to hold their hand; you don’t walk to the other side for them)
   – What communication techniques did you need in the game and also in mentoring? (need to communicate clearly, calmly and logically)

   Also highlights points such as that when mentoring you need a clear direction/goal and both need to know what that direction/goal is.

   Another activity I do is to get the participants to brainstorm potential barriers to the mentoring process and then ask them to come up with possible solutions.

   Finally, I get the participants to get in pairs again for a role play – they take it in turns to be the mentor and mentoree. The person playing the mentoree is told that they have a problem (be it with the job or team members) and the person playing the mentor has the task of trying to discover the problem (using good probing questions and other communication strategies) and then helping the mentoree to discover a solution.

   Hope that helps.