Communication Strategies & Active Listening Flashcards

A mentee frequently interrupts the mentor during feedback sessions. The most effective communication strategy is to:

Answer: Gently establish a turn-taking norm at the start of sessions

Setting session norms collaboratively and respectfully addresses the behavior while preserving psychological safety.

Which questioning technique is MOST effective for helping a mentee explore their assumptions?

Answer: Socratic questioning that challenges underlying beliefs

Socratic questioning encourages mentees to examine and articulate their assumptions, promoting critical thinking.

Nonverbal communication in mentoring includes all of the following EXCEPT:

Answer: Written session notes

Written notes are a verbal/text communication channel, while nonverbal communication encompasses body language, tone, and facial cues.

When delivering constructive feedback, a mentor should frame it around:

Answer: Observable behaviors and their impact

Behavior-focused feedback is specific, actionable, and less likely to trigger defensiveness than personality judgments.

A mentee says they understand the mentor's advice but their body language signals confusion. The mentor should:

Answer: Address the discrepancy by checking in about their understanding

When verbal and nonverbal signals conflict, effective communicators surface the discrepancy to ensure genuine understanding.

The 'ladder of inference' concept is relevant to mentoring because it helps mentors and mentees recognize that:

Answer: Conclusions are drawn through a filtering process that can distort reality

The ladder of inference shows how people select data, add meaning, and draw conclusions in ways that may not reflect objective reality.

Which approach BEST supports two-way communication in a mentoring relationship?

Answer: Regular check-ins where both parties share perspectives and give feedback

Balanced two-way communication ensures mutual understanding, shared ownership, and a collaborative mentoring dynamic.