Mentor Mentor MCQ 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which scenario represents a 'reverse mentoring' arrangement?
- A senior leader mentors a new employee on organizational culture
- A junior employee shares digital fluency skills with a senior executive (Correct answer)
- Two peers at the same level exchange knowledge informally
- A retired professional mentors a current employee in the same field
Correct answer: A junior employee shares digital fluency skills with a senior executive
Reverse mentoring involves a less experienced person mentoring a more senior person, often on topics like technology or emerging trends.
Question 2: A mentee repeatedly cancels scheduled sessions. The mentor's BEST initial course of action is to:
- Report the behavior to the mentoring program coordinator immediately
- End the mentoring relationship due to lack of commitment
- Have an open conversation to explore what barriers the mentee is facing (Correct answer)
- Send a formal written warning about attendance expectations
Correct answer: Have an open conversation to explore what barriers the mentee is facing
Understanding the underlying barriers before taking action demonstrates empathy and may reveal solvable obstacles.
Question 3: Which goal-setting framework is MOST commonly recommended in mentoring contexts?
- SWOT Analysis
- SMART Goals (Correct answer)
- OKRs (Objectives and Key Results)
- Balanced Scorecard
Correct answer: SMART Goals
SMART goals (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound) provide clear structure for tracking mentee progress.
Question 4: What is the PRIMARY risk of a mentor becoming too personally invested in a mentee's success?
- The mentor may overshare confidential organizational information
- The mentor may impose their own agenda rather than supporting the mentee's goals (Correct answer)
- The mentee may become emotionally dependent on the mentor's approval
- The mentoring program coordinator may view the relationship as unprofessional
Correct answer: The mentor may impose their own agenda rather than supporting the mentee's goals
Over-investment can cause the mentor to prioritize personal satisfaction over the mentee's authentic development needs.
Question 5: A mentee discloses they are experiencing harassment at work. What should the mentor do?
- Advise the mentee to handle it discreetly to avoid damaging their reputation
- Listen supportively and inform the mentee of available reporting channels and resources (Correct answer)
- Intervene directly with the alleged harasser on the mentee's behalf
- Keep the information confidential regardless of the severity
Correct answer: Listen supportively and inform the mentee of available reporting channels and resources
The mentor should provide emotional support and ensure the mentee is aware of formal reporting options without overstepping professional boundaries.
Question 6: Which of the following BEST describes 'developmental feedback' in a mentoring context?
- Feedback focused on past mistakes to prevent their recurrence
- Forward-looking feedback aimed at building future capabilities (Correct answer)
- Evaluative feedback that rates performance against a formal standard
- Feedback delivered in writing to ensure it is documented
Correct answer: Forward-looking feedback aimed at building future capabilities
Developmental feedback focuses on growth and future potential rather than judging past performance.
Question 7: When should a mentor consider referring a mentee to a professional counselor or therapist?
- When the mentee expresses any form of work-related stress
- When personal issues significantly impede functioning and exceed the mentor's expertise (Correct answer)
- When the mentee raises topics outside the original mentoring agreement
- Whenever emotional content arises in a mentoring session
Correct answer: When personal issues significantly impede functioning and exceed the mentor's expertise
Mentors should recognize scope-of-practice boundaries and refer when mental health needs surpass what mentoring can appropriately address.
Mentor Mentor MCQ 3
Which scenario represents a 'reverse mentoring' arrangement?