Podcast Mentors
Podcast Mentors: Avoid These Costly Mistakes in Cross-Cultural Mentorship
Author: Charlie Ocean
Mentorship is one of the pathways through which talented podcasters from marginalized backgrounds can gain access to opportunities and spaces that have historically been inaccessible to them. Award-winning podcaster and LGBTQ+ inclusion and equity consultant Charlie Ocean, MSW (they/them), shares some best practices for mentors to remember in these professional relationships - and how to move through them!
Podcasting is becoming more accessible with recent technology. However, the industry is still a work in progress regarding providing equal or equitable access to networks, knowledge, and opportunities for podcasters with underrepresented identities. And this is where mentors come in.
Those who volunteer to mentor are motivated to share their knowledge and networks to level the playing field. They already understand the power of sharing resources and are ready and willing to do so. For this reason, mentors can play an important role in helping the podcasting industry become more accessible and welcoming to Black, indigenous, immigrant, Latin/e, Asian, LGBTQ+, femme, nonbinary, disabled, and other historically marginalized talent and stories.
However, it’s a delicate balance for mentors. Because it’s not just talking about sharing or passing the mic; it’s about ensuring the whole mentorship relationship is a positive experience for everyone involved, especially the mentee.
If you’re reading this, you already get that. However, mentoring someone facing barriers that you may not be familiar with requires effort and care. And I’m happy to provide tips to help you better support your mentees.
First, let’s think of the mentorship structure differently, starting with the dynamic.
Traditionally, the flow of support, knowledge, and resources in a mentor/mentee relationship is one-directional, from Mentor —> Mentee
But consider a peer-sharing approach, with a two-way exchange: Mentor <—> Mentee
Why this shift?
The peer-sharing approach positions the mentor as equally receptive - to feedback, ideas, and perspectives. And when a mentor arrives to the mentorship space from a place of humility and openness to feedback, this strengthens the foundation of trust necessary for a thriving mentor-mentee relationship.
From this foundation, let’s explore ways to earn, build, and maintain trust with your mentees.
Always remember that individuals do not represent their communities. No culture is monolithic. Assuming that all people from a single community or identity share the exact same experiences or perspectives erases other aspects of their background and experiences. Acknowledge your mentee’s individual challenges or barriers. Don’t reduce them to only one aspect of their identity (see: Kimberlé Crenshaw’s work on intersectionality). Active listening techniques can bolster these efforts. And if you’re not sure what a label or phrase your mentee uses to describe themselves means, you can ask, “What does that mean for you?” for a personalized answer. Your mentee may or may not have an answer in the moment, but showing care and curiosity demonstrates openness to learning.
Practice asking for and using correct pronouns and pronunciations. Regardless of the reason for the error, using the wrong name, pronouns, titles, etc., has a real emotional impact and can wear down trust and communication if you do not show attention and care for your mentee in this way. Using a person’s correct name and pronouns is a sign of respect. It may take practice. Here are some exercises to divert the effort from your mentee so you can feel prepared. And remember - if you make a mistake, just quickly apologize, self-correct, thank your mentee for their patience, and move forward! Here’s a great article for that.
Be sensitive to - and work on preventing - common mistakes you may not realize you’re making. Microaggressions are the more subtle, daily ways that people of marginalized identities are made to feel excluded. For example, it’s well-documented that women tend to be interrupted more than men. You can work on curbing these biases and habits by intentionally self-monitoring them in your interactions with your mentee, as well as addressing them outright if you observe them happening in the spaces you share with your mentee.
Create safer spaces. Safer spaces are feedback-friendly. Keep an ongoing feedback loop open by showing your genuine openness to feedback from the start. Ask open-ended questions to elicit feedback. Do some self-reflection to notice how prepared, supported, and comfortable you are should a mentee share that they experienced a microaggression from you or a peer. If you feel that your mentee’s needs for safety and support are beyond your current capacity, reach out to the systems set up for your mentorship program. You are not alone.
Be flexible! Everyone learns, works, and communicates in a style unique to them. If you find yourself miscommunicating, it could be that your mentee isn’t clear on your language choice or communicates differently from you. Perhaps they are neurodivergent, or the language you’re using is not their primary written or spoken language. Or maybe your cultural references or idioms are unfamiliar or even mean totally different things. These are just examples of possible reasons for communication differences. And this is where flexibility comes in. Find commonalities through neutral or fun discussions. Try different communication methods to see what works - maybe live calls are best to assess tone better and ask clarifying questions, especially with sensitive topics, or perhaps a carefully crafted email is better for you both.
Never stop learning! Stay informed about various issues, identities, and ever-evolving language relevant to those in your communities, especially those to which your mentees belong. It will only benefit you and your mentee. If your mentee’s communities or identities are new or different from yours, embrace the opportunity to learn from the writers, researchers, and advocates from their spaces who have taken the time to share knowledge and tips! Take time to research what you might not know about your mentee. Thanks to the internet, there’s more representation than ever of a diversity of experiences and identities beyond those similar to yours. But also, see #1!
Check yourself! One of my podcast guests, Mark S. King, shared a helpful acronym he first heard from his mentor, activist Waheedah Shabazz-El:
WAIT, as in “Why Am I Talking?”
Actions speak louder than words. Instead of talking about your allyship to people with marginalized identities, let your allyship behaviors (such as those in this article) speak for themselves. And anyway, thinking before we choose to speak is always a good practice.
Pobody is nerfect, and this isn’t an expectation of mentors! We’re human, and being human is… well, messy. But by shifting to a peer mentorship model mindset, holding yourself and others accountable for addressing and correcting mistakes, knowing how to receive feedback, and remaining open to learning, you’ll set the stage for a thriving mentorship dynamic.
About the author:
Charlie Ocean, MSW (they/them), is the host of the 3x award-nominated Allyship is a Verb podcast. They’re also an award-winning LGBTQ+ trainer, speaker, and consultant providing services as founder under their small business, Gender Sexuality Info, LLC.