REFORMULATION IN MENTORING, FOR ACTIVE LISTENING

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Reformulation is a a fundamental technique in mentoring that allows the mentor to deepen the mentee's understanding of the problem and to help the mentee find solutions. The idea is for the mentor to rephrase what the mentee has said, going a little further to explore the problem, its causes and possible solutions.

• An example of how rephrasing works might be when the mentee says: "I am very stressed because I don't know how to cope with my workload".
• The mentor could rephrase this by saying: "So you are experiencing stress due to your workload, could you tell me more about the specific tasks that are causing you problems?"

This rephrasing helps the mentor to go deeper into the mentee's problem and allows the mentor to ask more specific questions that can help the mentee find solutions.

Another use of rephrasing is to change a personal attack into a description of a problem or behaviour.

• For example, if the mentee says: "Juan is a disaster.
• The mentor could rephrase this by saying: "So it bothers you that John doesn't turn in his reports on time. How do you think you could help him get better at this?"

Reframing can also be used to change a list of past mistakes into future objectives.

• For example, if the mentee says: "Coordination between areas has been poor".
• The mentor could rephrase this by saying: "So we need to improve our coordination. What actions could we take to make sure that this doesn't happen again?"

Another use of rephrasing is to move from victim to perpetrator.

• If the mentee says: "My team is demotivated".
• The mentor could rephrase this by saying: "So you are finding it difficult to motivate your team, what actions could you take to improve your team's motivation?

Finally, rephrasing can also be useful in moving from accusation to collaboration.

In the example cited in the text, the mentor could rephrase the general's statement by saying: "I understand that you are concerned about the situation in Cuba. What measures could we take to avoid an escalation of the crisis? In this way, the mentor helps the general to move from accusations to a collaborative approach to finding solutions to the problem.

In short, reformulation is a very powerful tool in mentoringIt helps the mentor to deepen the mentee's understanding of the problem and allows the mentor to ask more specific questions that can help the mentee find solutions.

In addition, the reformulation can be used to change a negative attitude to a more constructive one, and to help people take responsibility and collaborate in problem solving.

Examples of how mentors can use reframing in mentoring entrepreneurs:

CHANGE A COMPLAINT INTO AN OPPORTUNITY

• Entrepreneur: "I can't get enough customers for my business".
• Mentor: "What strategies have you tried to attract new customers?"

TURNING A CONCERN INTO AN OBJECTIVE

• Entrepreneur: "I am very concerned about the profitability of my business".
• Mentor: "What are your short- and long-term financial goals?"

CHANGE A NEGATIVE AFFIRMATION INTO A POSITIVE ACTION

• Entrepreneur: "I don't have enough time to work on my business".
• Mentor: "How can you better organise your time to be more productive in your business?"

CHANGE A VAGUE DESCRIPTION INTO A SPECIFIC GOAL

• Entrepreneur: "I want to succeed in my business.
• Mentor: "What does success mean to you in specific terms? What are your specific objectives to achieve that goal?"

TURNING A PROBLEM STATEMENT INTO A SOLUTION

• Entrepreneur: "I don't have enough resources to grow my business".
• Mentor: "What resources do you need and how can you get them, and have you considered looking for investors or strategic partners?

I PROPOSE THIS FIVE-STEP LEARNING PROCESS FOR YOU TO LEARN TO REFRAME AS A MENTOR

STEP 1. UNDERSTAND THE CONCEPT OF REFORMULATION

The first step is to understand what reframing is and why it is an important tool in mentoring. The mentor should understand that reframing is a technique that helps to explore the mentee's problem and find solutions together.

STEP 2. IDENTIFY SITUATIONS IN WHICH REPHRASING CAN BE USED

The mentor should be able to identify situations in which rephrasing can be used. These situations may be when the mentee expresses a problem, a complaint, a feeling or a situation that needs to be clarified.

STEP 3. PRACTICE REPHRASING WITH CONCRETE EXAMPLES

The mentor should practice reframing with concrete examples. It is important that the mentor practises reframing with real situations so that he/she can better understand how it works and improve his/her skills.

STEP 4: PROVIDE FEEDBACK TO THE MENTOR

The mentor should be able to provide feedback to the mentee after the reformulation. The feedback should be clear and specific, and should help the mentee understand how the reformulation can help find solutions to their problems.

STEP 5: CONTINUE PRACTISING AND PERFECTING THE TECHNIQUE

Finally, the mentor should continue to practice and refine the rephrasing technique. Mentoring is a continuous learning process and the mentor must be willing to constantly learn and improve his or her reframing skills to better help the mentee.