VIRTUAL MENTORING

How would it be if we still use smoke, fire, and sticks to communicate with one another in this century? Or still, have to wait weeks and months before receiving a letter through the postal service? It’s a bit hard to imagine. The world is evolving by the millisecond. Every aspect of living is improved and updated at a surprising pace. The human mind can not only recognize problems but also solve them. This inclination to solve problems is what birthed Virtual mentoring.

WHAT IS VIRTUAL MENTORING? 

Virtual mentoring is a type of mentoring that occurs using electronic aids. Electronic aids include phone calls, emails, video conferencing and so on. Virtual mentoring does not involve one-on-one meetings between mentors and mentees. The importance of mentoring for an individual’s growth is common knowledge. That said, what happens when physical meetings between mentors and mentees become difficult? For instance, the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown, when millions of people had to work from home. What then happens to their mentoring relationships? Now we see the relevance of virtual mentoring.

However, virtual mentoring is yet to be accepted by all. Some see it as unnecessary, and others are not as fond of it because of the limitations they believe exist. Well, “to each his own”. And every opinion is valid. But, we must also not be so rigid that we fail to consider going a better route. Let us go through the pros and cons of virtual mentoring and how to set it up if you decide to give it a try.

PROS OF VIRTUAL MENTORING

Unrestricted by location

This is the most significant advantage that virtual mentoring has over one-on-one mentoring. Virtual mentoring bridges the geographical gap between mentors and mentees. If both parties have access to the devices they need, they can have a successful mentorship.

Flexible meetings

One of the beauties of virtual mentoring is the way meetings can fit into schedules. There need not be rigidity unless the parties involved want it that way. People with busy schedules can also be part of the mentoring scene.

Quick setup

With virtual mentoring, your meeting is at the tip of your fingers. With only your mobile phone, you can have your mentoring session. Easy right? You do not need to book a conference room or buy a particular device. Setting up a virtual mentoring session is easy and quick.

Less pressure

Whether social or behavioral pressure, virtual mentoring gets rid of it. For people who have problems with one-on-one communication, virtual mentoring is a blessing. Meeting online takes away a lot of pressure that might come with physical mentoring.

CONS OF VIRTUAL MENTORING

Lack of technical know-how

Some people are not as tech-savvy as others. Since virtual mentoring involves technology and its devices, it may be a NO for such people.

Technical difficulties

Challenges such as bad network connection and faulty devices are not uncommon. There is no saying the technical mishaps that can occur and hinder a mentoring session. Even worse is that some of these are unexpected and sometimes last a while.

Communication challenges

Virtual mentoring does not cater for communication cues. This is especially challenging for people who rely on  such cues to understand.

I am sure by now you have already or almost made up your mind about virtual mentoring. Weigh the pros against the cons for yourself and decide if you want to move ahead with it.

If you have decided Virtual mentoring is for you, you need these tips to help you have a smooth run.

BEST PRACTICES FOR VIRTUAL MENTORING

Preparation

Plan and prepare yourself ahead of meetings. Both physically and mentally, you need to be ready ahead of your sessions. You do not want to be rushing around when it is time for the meeting. Doing this would communicate to the other party that you do not value their time and effort. Charge your devices, check your network connection, open your mind and be ready to give and receive.

Do your planning and prepare your fields
    before building your house.

Proverbs 24:27 NLT

Great connection

A great network connection is essential. Before your meeting, ensure that your network connection is top-notch. A break in communication due to network issues can be frustrating. If there is a particular area where your network is more potent, move there before the start of your meeting.

Body language

When using video conferencing for meetings, pay attention to body language. Video conferencing is the closest way to replicate one-on-one mentoring. As such, you should not ignore these non-verbal communication cues.

Clarity

At the start of the relationship, both parties should declare their goals and expectations. Also, there should be an agreement on who would initiate calls and other details like that.

And then God answered: “Write this. Write what you see. Write it out in big block letters so that it can be read on the run.

Habakkuk 2:2 MSG

Record and Evaluate the meeting

If possible, record your meetings. Some platforms like Zoom allow this. The reason for this is to revisit it, and pay attention to details that you might have missed the first time around.

By now, I would like to believe that you have made up your mind whether to give virtual mentoring and trial or not. If you are team YES, you have made a great choice. Find the best platforms that would make the process seamless for you and enjoy. If you are team NO and would rather have one-on-one mentoring, you have also made a great choice. You can also have the best of both worlds. What is most important is that you are in a mentoring relationship.

Thank you for reading. Are you “team Virtual” or “team physical”? Please share with me in the comment section.