Activity: Reflecting and Learning from Past Experiences
This activity will help you think about the team and broaden your understanding of mentorship beyond the one-to-one scenario.
Purpose
Reflecting on past experiences, both positive and negative, can broaden one’s understanding of their own behaviors and preferences in a mentoring relationship.
Time
10-15 minutes
Materials
Handout: Reflecting and Learning from Past Experiences , Paper/Journal and Writing Utensil (optional)
Who
Individual, or Mentor and Mentee
What
- Either in a journal or with a trusted colleague or mentor, think about someone who made a positive difference in your life:
- What behaviors and characteristics were displayed that made the relationship successful?
- What qualities did you bring to the relationship to make it successful
- What did you take away from this experience?
- Now think about an unsuccessful mentoring relationship and answer the same questions.
Tips
Make sure to be honest with yourself and your mentoring partner, but avoid gossip of unsuccessful mentoring experiences. Focus the conversation on what you learned about yourself and your own preferences in a mentoring relationship from that experience.
Variations
Pick one or two of those qualities that were successful, and make an action plan of how you plan to bring those qualities to your mentoring relationship or project.
Materials
Download the instructions for this activity.
Download the handout for this activity.