A: It's up to the mentor to make sure that communication is open and honest. In order to do that, you need to bear in mind cultural differences, age, sexual orientation, religious affiliation, and native geographic area of your mentees.

A: Basically, just know something about who you're communicating with, and if you're not sure, ask questions! Not knowing enough about your mentee can get you into a lot of trouble. Cross-cultural miscommunications are bound to happen when you think of your own culture as 'normal'; remember that while they may be 'other' to you, you are 'other' to them.

A: Yes, it could be viewed that way, but if you preface any question with a caveat that you are trying to gather information to help you understand better and that you are sorry in advance for any offense taken you can usually short cut resentment. Most people want to talk about their culture and share information, but only if they are certain that the person they are talking to is not hostile to their interests.

A: It's important to realize that knowing what to say and when to say it is not just a matter of being polite or being 'politically correct', it's a matter of being taken as credible, taken as someone who others can understand, relate to, interact with, and work with effectively.

Understand that you can, and should, learn from your mentee. Part of being a good mentor is the willingness to be the student sometimes instead of the teacher.

The main thing to remember in all cross-cultural interactions, including mentoring, is don't presume anything. What you think you know or have read or have been told, or even have observed about another person's culture may or may not be true in the case of your mentee. You are establishing a relationship with an individual, not a culture, race or religion.