Mentoring and personal and professional developmental cycle.

Question outline

1.Professional self◦

  • Why general practice?
  • ◦Tell me about your role in the practice - what role do you undertake?
  • ◦What role do you enjoy most?
  • ◦What do you feel about general practice now?
  • ◦Can you describe the most difficult incident/event in the practice in the last six months?
  • ◦What was your response?
  • ◦How do you think your partners and staff view you?

2.Future hopes◦

  • Where do you want to be in five years' time?
  • ◦Are you on course for achieving this?
  • ◦What do you identify as your personal strengths?
  • ◦Can we identify what forces will hinder your future plans?
  • ◦What forces will act positively on future plans?
  • ◦What do you see as your greatest achievement?

3.Social self◦

  • How do you spend your time when not working?
  • ◦How would your best friend describe you?
  • ◦What do you get from your social interests/activities?
  • ◦Do you feel you actively make time for outside interests - or simply use what time is left after work commitments are fulfilled?
  • ◦What do you look for in your relationships with friends?

4.Personal self

  • 1.Tell me about the people who most influenced your formative years.
  • 2.What characterises your own upbringing?
  • 3.What sort of person would you describe yourself as being?
  • 4.What events/circumstances do you find most stressful?
  • 5.Who do you turn to for support?
  • 6.To whom do you offer support?

5.Educational experience◦

  • What has been your most enjoyable educational experience?
  • ◦Why was it enjoyable?
  • ◦Can you give me an example of a negative learning event?
  • ◦What effect might this have had on you?
  • ◦What is your preferred style of learning?
  • ◦What are            ◾your strengths in learning?◾your limitations in learning?
  • ◦In what areas would you like to increase skills and knowledge?

6.Future plans◦

  • Can we define 3 objectives for your professional development?
  • ◦Can we clarify learning needs related to these objectives?
  • ◦What would you see as being obstacles to your professional development?
  • ◦What would you see as our future working agenda?
  • ◦Are there other areas of discussion you would like to develop, or return to?

Developmental interviewing

Establishing phase

  • Non verbal
  • Listening◦without interruption


On-going phase

  • Agendas
  • Assessment
  • Resolution
  • Open questioning
  • Non-judgmental
  • Mentee's agenda defined
  • Boundary keeping
  • No redirected thinking

End phase

  • Reflecting
  • Analysing
  • Setting objectives
  • Summarising