CPM Communication Strategies & Active Listening 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A mentee frequently interrupts the mentor during feedback sessions. The most effective communication strategy is to:
- Stop giving feedback altogether
- Gently establish a turn-taking norm at the start of sessions (Correct answer)
- Interrupt the mentee in return to model the issue
- Report the behavior to HR
Correct 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.
Question 2: Which questioning technique is MOST effective for helping a mentee explore their assumptions?
- Closed yes/no questions
- Leading questions that suggest an answer
- Socratic questioning that challenges underlying beliefs (Correct answer)
- Multiple-choice style questions
Correct answer: Socratic questioning that challenges underlying beliefs
Socratic questioning encourages mentees to examine and articulate their assumptions, promoting critical thinking.
Question 3: Nonverbal communication in mentoring includes all of the following EXCEPT:
- Facial expressions
- Tone of voice
- Written session notes (Correct answer)
- Posture and body language
Correct answer: Written session notes
Written notes are a verbal/text communication channel, while nonverbal communication encompasses body language, tone, and facial cues.
Question 4: When delivering constructive feedback, a mentor should frame it around:
- The mentee's personality flaws
- Observable behaviors and their impact (Correct answer)
- Comparisons to other mentees
- The mentor's personal preferences
Correct answer: Observable behaviors and their impact
Behavior-focused feedback is specific, actionable, and less likely to trigger defensiveness than personality judgments.
Question 5: A mentee says they understand the mentor's advice but their body language signals confusion. The mentor should:
- Trust the verbal response and move on
- Address the discrepancy by checking in about their understanding (Correct answer)
- Repeat the advice more loudly
- Abandon the topic
Correct 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.
Question 6: The 'ladder of inference' concept is relevant to mentoring because it helps mentors and mentees recognize that:
- Career ladders require inference skills
- Conclusions are drawn through a filtering process that can distort reality (Correct answer)
- Listening requires no cognitive effort
- Assumptions are always accurate
Correct 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.
Question 7: Which approach BEST supports two-way communication in a mentoring relationship?
- The mentor speaks 80% of the time
- Regular check-ins where both parties share perspectives and give feedback (Correct answer)
- Written-only communication to avoid misunderstandings
- The mentor sets all agendas unilaterally
Correct 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.
CPM Communication Strategies & Active Listening 3
A mentee frequently interrupts the mentor during feedback sessions.
The most effective communication strategy is to: