How Mentors Facilitate the Professional Growth of Protégés

© 2003, Barry Sweeny

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Some mentoring models are of the entire mentoring process. The model presented below is a more discrete "Cycle of Learning" that is repeated every time the protégé and mentor tackle a new learning topic. As such the cycle could last a few days of even a few months or years, depending on the complexity of the target of learning.

CAUTION - The way the model should be read and understood is by starting at the BOTTOM of the model and reading UP the two outside columns. The model is presented this way to better illustrate the building up process and the advancement of skills and increase of knowledge the chart describes. As you do so, be sure to compare what happens at each step across the two outside columns, the titles for which are at the very bottom of each column.

THE DESIRED RESULTS:  REFLECTIVE PRACTICE, CONTINUAL LEARNING & PROFESSIONAL GROWTH OVER TIME AND CONTINUAL IMPROVEMENT IN PERFORMANCE
8. CELEBRATE!	BUILD SELF ESTEEM & CONFIDENCE OF THE PROTÉGÉ
7. ASK REFLECTIVE, OPEN-ENDED QUESTIONS	- PROMOTE REFLECTION & SELF ANALYSIS - PROMOTE INTEGRATION OF NEW SKILLS & KNOWLEDGE WITH EXISTING
6. MENTOR, COACH & SUPPORT	- PROVIDE LOW-RISK PRACTICE & SKILL DEVELOPMENT - PROVIDE POSITIVE FEEDBACK AS MASTERY DEVELOPS
5. PRESENT & DISCUSS THE CONCEPTS & SKILLS IN THE NEW APPROACH	INCREASE UNDERSTANDING OF THE ESSENTIALS IN THE MODEL & SKILL IN DOING THE BEHAVIORS
4. SEEK DECISION BY PROTÉGÉ TO TRY NEW APPROACH	COMMIT TO EFFORT & OPENNESS TO LEARN FROM MENTOR
3. SEEK REACTIONS & INSIGHTS FROM PROTÉGÉ	DIAGNOSE READINESS TO LEARN PROMOTE DISCOVERY OF DISCREPANCY
2. MODEL ALTERNATIVE BEHAVIORS	PROVIDE AN EXAMPLE OF DESIRED BEHAVIOR AND OUTCOMES
1. IDENTIFY A NEED	FIND A FOCUS FOR WORK TOGETHER
MENTOR ACTION IS...	THE REASON IS TO...