Table 1.

Comskil mentoring training blueprint

Mentorship Strategies	Skills	Process Tasks
1. Introduction	- Ask open questions - Declare agenda - Invite agenda - Negotiate agenda	- Review mentee CV (should have done prior to meeting) - Make introductions (incl. pronouns and preferred name) - Active listening – focus on mentee - Minimize distractions
2. Initial establishment of relationship (ground rules of communication, create a safe space, establish rapport)	- Check preference for information (and learning styles) - Normalize - Ask open questions - Providing a rationale	- Maintain eye contact - Encourage open communication and participation - Confidentiality -Discuss how the mentoring relationship came to be and prior mentoring experiences -Encourage note-taking -Allow a safe space to discuss differences (racial, gender, perspectives, etc.)
3. Aligning expectations (e.g., logistics, communication, frequency of meetings, etc.)	- Check understanding - Check preference for information - Invite questions - Endorse question asking	- Elicit goals: initial and ongoing - Make partnership statements - Clear misunderstandings, if any - Encourage ongoing bi-directional feedback
4. Assessing mentor and mentee’s skills, needs, and interests	- Take stock - Check understanding - Transition - Summarize - Normalize - Acknowledge - Validate - Ask open questions	- Share your perspective (strengths/weaknesses, interests – and seek theirs) - Explore network (provide connections) -Engage with other mentors, as appropriate
5. Identifying goals/smart goals – Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, Time based (SMART)	- Ask open questions - Check understanding - Invite questions - Endorse question asking	- Elicit mentee goals (short term/long-term, structuring ideas…) - Discuss the concept of SMART goal (introduce a compact) - Encourage transparency about accountability - Discussion of potential obstacles in attaining goals
6. Providing and eliciting feedback	- Ask open questions - Check understanding - Acknowledge - Encourage expression of feelings - Clarify - Restate - Provide a rationale - Review next steps	- Encourage transparency - Make specific and timely observations instead of general feedback - Acknowledge differences in perspectives (Third-story modeling) - Communicate a safe space - Allow time to integrate
7. Communicating empathically	- Encourage expression of feelings - Acknowledge - Validate - Normalize - Praise mentee efforts	- Silence - Active listening
8. Closing the conversation	- Summarize content and experience of meeting - Check understanding - Ask open questions - Review next steps	If appropriate: - Offer to talk with other mentors/colleagues - Plan next interaction - Adapt to evolving roles

Goal To provide mentors with communication skills necessary to guide mentees to achieve their objectives, which may include formulating career goals, planning how to achieve career and personal goals, learning skills necessary to succeed in career goals, finding resources, and having a sponsor/champion for their career advancement