Which of the following is NOT a skill required to be an effective mentor?

Being an effective mentor requires a foundation built on several essential skills, including the ability to provide constructive feedback, active listening, and self-awareness.

Constructive feedback skills are crucial as they allow the mentor to guide the mentee's development, helping them identify strengths and areas for improvement in a supportive manner. Listening skills are equally important, as they enable the mentor to fully understand the mentee's concerns, aspirations, and challenges, fostering a deeper connection and more meaningful guidance. Self-awareness is vital for mentors, as it helps them recognize their own biases, strengths, and weaknesses, thereby allowing them to approach the mentoring relationship with clarity and empathy.

In contrast, manipulation is not an appropriate or effective skill for mentoring. Mentoring is fundamentally about fostering growth, trust, and mutual respect, rather than exerting control or leveraging relationships for personal gain. Thus, selecting manipulation as the option that does not belong aligns with the core values of mentorship, which prioritize genuine support and ethical guidance.