#030 Make Mentoring Matter| What mentees want their mentors to know

--:--
We are brave - be brave with us too, please.

Raksha Naidoo (WIMSA, Chairperson 2023 - 2024) chats with Unity Makamu (WIMSA 2022 Mentee), Humbulani Havhi (WIMSA 2022 Mentee), Ndamulelo Mutshinya (WIMSA 2022 mentee), and Moyahabo Ntwagae (WIMSA 2022 Mentee) about their experiences as mentees in the Women in Mining South Africa mentoring programme 2022 and asks them what they want mentors to know based on their experiences.

These are the key things that they talked about and want mentors to know:
Asking someone to be your mentor can feel scary and it takes courage to make the ask - but it turns out that it's not as scary as they had imagined.

Mentees want mentors to reciprocate their courage by giving them tough feedback (and positive feedback) so that they can grow and learn as fast as possible.

Sometimes mentees don't know what they don't know and despite being committed to self-reflection, mentees sometimes need mentors to guide them and hold their hands, metaphorically speaking, until clarity and self-knowledge are developed.

Mentees need their mentors to verbalise their belief in them, to stretch and challenge them, and to help them see the things that they cannot see in themselves - it helps mentees in building their courage and confidence.

Sometimes mentees are scared of overstepping the boundaries or don't know where the boundaries are - they need their mentors to help clarify boundaries and what to expect from the relationship.

The conversation wrapped up with a note that most mentors will really appreciate - sometimes mentees don't pitch up and it's rarely a reflection of the mentor. Most often it's because of the mentees' own internal struggles and never due to a lack of appreciation for the time and effort that mentors invest in them.
17 Feb 2023 English South Africa Non-Profit

Other recent episodes

#032 Intentional Inclusion: chronic and invisible - MS

Multiple Sclerosis - influence on daily life and work. In this episode, Natalie Brand (General Manager of Earthlab Technical Division) and Kat Swanepoel (Occupational Therapist at CE Mobility) talk to host Maria Combrink about living with multiple sclerosis (MS). They explore the difficulty in getting a correct diagnosis and how…
5 Jul 47 min

#031 Women's Month Symposium

Forge Your Future Fearlessly. Raksha Naidoo is joined by Noleen Pauls and Claire McMaster to discuss WiMSA's first symposium, to be held in August 2024.
20 May 9 min

#029 Be Bold, Be Brave, Be You!

At the recent WiMSA year-end event where out-going Chair, Petro du Pisani, handed over the reins to Raksha Naidoo, Zoya Mabuto-Mokoditoa delivered a powerful keynote address. Highlighting Raksha's theme for the year of 'Be Bold, Be Brave, Be You!', Zoya shared her thoughts and moving message. Please let us know…
7 Feb 2023 13 min

#028 How mentoring has mattered to the 2022 WiMSA mentees

Raksha Naidoo, WiMSA Deputy Chairperson and WIMSA Mentoring Committee member chats with five of the 2022 WiMSA Mentoring Programme mentees (Ndamulelo Mutshiny, Humbulani Havhi, Ntshuxeko Unity Makamu, Vilencia Parsaraman and Moyahabo Ntwagae) about their journey in the mentoring programme. The conversation starts with an emphasis on being intentional and how…
14 Nov 2022 48 min

#027 Make Mentoring Matter | Busting myths and misconceptions about mentoring

Briony Liber, mentoring Lead for the WIMSA Mentoring Programme, chats with Mbali Milanzi (Tshepa Basadi Group | MD); Melody Mmesetse (WIMSA 2022 mentee and MEng Geotechnical Engineering student); Ndamulelo Mutshinya (WIMSA 2022 mentee and Anglo American Platinum | Section Ventilation Officer) about myths that seem to get in the way…
9 Nov 2022 41 min