ABSTRACT
Giving feedback is often seen as a mentor’s primary role, and it is an important aspect of interactive mentoring. However, the chapter shows how giving feedback, like every other aspect of the mentoring relationship, is a collaborative process. The chapter considers various modes of communication that are either face-to-face or virtual, and gives advice about which may work best when engaging in feedback interactions. Mentors are presented with a number of types of feedback interventions, ranging from directive to facilitative, and are encouraged to choose from the range based on the needs of their mentees while aiming for the facilitative end. The chapter also discusses pragmatics for feedback, the cultural and personal factors that may influence how much mitigation is needed in feedback interactions. In the end, mentors are given the opportunity to analyze their feedback interactions and design both their own intervention style and a pragmatics for feedback scale.
