What are some examples of open-ended questions that can spark creativity and innovation in your mentee?

The best Mentors and teachers in the world teach their mentees and students how to think critically about the topic that they are mentoring them on. To do so is like teaching people how to build a fishing pole, not giving them a fish and not just giving them one fishing pole. I like to do this with my entrepreneurial mentees because business is a living breathing art and science and it's always evolving. In business, you must stay ahead of trends to keep your eye on an ever-moving target. I consider the best skill that a Mentor could possibly teach their mentee is to have the critical thinking skills to be adaptable because when you can adapt, you can thrive no matter what business climate, cultural climate or topic.

The best mentors support, encourage, and drive their mentees to carefully think through their choices and whatever it is they are doing both personally and professionally each day. They spark growth and introspection in their mentees.

Find the problem only you can solve. I love asking folks what problem they currently solve at work, at home, in the world. Then, what do they want to solve for in the future. These answers help me understand current state v. future state, and if there is clear direction on the path forward.

Encouraging people to think outside of their comfort zone and to experiment allows for growth and adaptation, both of which are needed more than ever given the dynamics of today's world.

Another way to frame this question could be "How can we improve upon the current solution and take it to the next level?" This question challenges your mentee to think about ways to innovate upon existing solutions and make them even better.

The learner's curiosity is the foundation and the purpose of research training and mentoring. See: Phillips WR. Pursuing Personal Passion: Learner-Centered Research Mentoring. Fam Med. 2018;50(1):41-46. https://doi.org/10.22454/FamMed.2018.952474.

One thing that helped me once I found "the problem only I could solve" was to schedule regular conversations with those who were experiencing it. For instance, I believe everyone benefits from having access to female mentorship. So now when meeting new contacts, regardless of gender, title, or experience-level, I ask them to tell me about their female mentors. The answer gives me insight into the individual before me, but also ignites my own passion for the work.

Another way to ask this question is "What are some potential unintended consequences of this solution, and how can we mitigate them?" This question encourages your mentee to think about the broader implications of their solution and consider how it could impact other areas.

It is always best to assume that one's views could be inferior to others'. Hence be critical and learn from their viewpoints. Listen carefully to ideas/suggestions. Try to assume the role of the other person to gain better insights/understanding. Try to see what they are seeing within their circumstances... If you are open minded, you can learn a lot about different personalities (of bosses, competitors, clients, family), their motivations and yourself (for self development). My book contains many decades of research into over 20k famous people. You may be that proverbial "square" peg in the "oval" hole without your realisation. And this can cost you time, money and efforts.