|
Mentoring Program Communications Activities
Orientation Stage Part 1, Activities 1-7
Activities 1-18 are appropriate for use by individual pairs during the
early stages of their relationship. This page contains activities 1-7.
You can also review activities 8-13
and 14-16.
|
Activity 1
 |
Uncommon Commonalities |
|
Purpose |
To stimulate a discussion between partners that will require
them to share unusual and personal data about themselves.
|
|
Approximate Time |
10 minutes |
|
Resources Needed |
Both partners |
|
Steps |
Participants are asked to share personal information about
themselves with their partner until they believe that they have
found something unusual that they have in common. For example,
members of one pair discovered they both have an interest in
photography. Another couple discovered they had both been
hot-air ballooning across the Serengeti.
|
|
Activity 2
|
Developing Trust |
|
Purpose |
To initiate a discussion between the partners that requires a
level of self-disclosure and develops trust. |
|
Approximate Time |
20-30 minutes |
|
Resources Needed |
- Both partners
- A copy of
worksheet 2 for each participant |
|
Steps |
Mentors and protégés take turns asking and
answering the questions on the worksheet. The questions may be
asked in any order.
|
|
Activity 3
|
Passion Chart |
|
Purpose |
To stimulate personal reflection and/or discussion on aspects of
our work lives that provide job satisfaction, frustration and
stress. This activity can be used by individual program
participants as a self-reflective tool or by mentoring pairs
early in the relationship. It can also be used during the
orientation program to develop a rapport between the pairs.
|
|
Approximate Time |
30-60 minutes |
|
Resources Needed |
- Both partners
- A copy of
worksheet 3 for each participant |
|
Steps |
Participants categorize different aspects of
their jobs, using the worksheets, and then develop an action
plan. |
|
Activity 4
|
Snakes and Ladders |
|
Purpose |
To explore what is important to each of us and why. To provide a
basis for discussions on making time for each aspect of our
lives.
|
|
Approximate Time |
20-30 minutes |
|
Resources Needed |
- Both partners
- A copy of
worksheet 4 for each participant |
|
Steps |
Each participant fills in the worksheet, then
uses the worksheet as a basis for discussion. |
|
Activity 6
|
Receiving Feedback |
|
Purpose |
To establish an understanding of how each member of a pair would
prefer to give and receive feedback.
|
|
Approximate Time |
20 minutes |
|
Resources Needed |
- Both partners
- A copy of
worksheet 6 for each participant |
|
Steps |
Each participant reads the worksheet and picks the five
statements that best describe how they prefer to receive
feedback. Each participant then ranks those five statements from
one to five, with one being the most important. It is important
to remember that this it is how they prefer to receive feedback,
not give feedback.
The mentoring pairs compare their rankings. Discuss the
comparisons as a whole group. It is common to find that some
pairs will have similar rankings and others quite different.
Participants are also likely to either place "Given with care"
or "Directly or Fully expressed" high in their ranking. There is
no right or wrong answer.
Discuss the different ways in which we often prefer to give
and receive feedback. When we give feedback we often like to
give it with care, sometimes with so much care that the receiver
does not receive a clear message. Ask the question, “Whose need
is being met when we give feedback?” The answer must be the need
of the person receiving the feedback. It is important that both
mentors and protégés understand their partner’s preferred way of
giving and receiving feedback.
|
|
Activity 7
|
Styles and Preferences |
|
Purpose |
To explore how we prefer to solve problems, learn or look for
challenges. This activity can be used by program facilitators
with all participants or by individual mentoring pairs. This
does not require a qualified administrator.
|
|
Approximate Time |
10 minutes |
|
Resources Needed |
- Both partners
- A copy of
worksheet 7 for each participant |
|
Steps |
Participants use the worksheet to determine
their preferred style, then discuss their preferences with their
partner. |
|
