Mentoring can be one of the most effective means of teaching: inviting someone to learn from the example of another with more experience. Whether through apprenticeships, internships or less-formal relationships, walking alongside an experienced practitioner can impart essential skills, attitudes and knowledge.

Being a mentor doesn’t mean having all the answers to every question. A good mentor know which questions to ask to stimulate development in their protégeé.

Some of the questions mentors ask:

• What are your hopes and dreams for the future?
• How can I help you?
• Where are your skills being tested?
• Where is your character being tested?
• How is your relationship/communication style effecting what you are trying to accomplish?
• What are some new things you could try?
• What are some things that would help you to have more integrity?
• What challenges have you faced and what were some of the effects of those challenges?
• How has that shaped who you are?
• How can you use your past to prepare you for the future?
• Even though things haven’t worked out as you’d hoped, what are you learning from that?
• As you assess your growth, where do you see yourself right now?