Give constructive criticism

Being a mentor, you wield tremendous power in shaping the life of an individual. Use it wisely and in a way that builds them up. Criticism in your feedback is welcome, but make sure that it is constructive. Vague comments like “This is horrible work; do better” serve no purpose. They can hurt your mentee without giving them adequate reasoning or suggestions for improvement, and even lead to the termination of your mentoring relationship.

Instead, tell them what is great about their work and what areas they can improve. Provide actionable criticism in a polite and non-threatening way. Ultimately, mentorship must be a safe space where mentees are not afraid to make mistakes.