SupporTED is an independent program of the Harnisch Foundation and Renee Freedman & Company. TED logo used with permission.SupporTED Mentors FAQ

SupporTED Mentors FAQ

1. What is SupporTED?

SupporTED is a service created specifically to provide pro bono professional mentoring and mentoring support to TED Fellows and the TED Fellows program.

2. What are the requirements for becoming a SupporTED mentor?

Because the TED Fellows are extraordinary thinkers, they can be challenging clients who keep even the most experienced mentors working at the top of their game.

Potential SupporTED Mentors need:

• A minimum of 10 years of full time employment in your field
• At least one major career milestone or one substantial contribution to your career field
• When possible, we prefer a letter of reference or referral from a current SupporTED coach or mentor
• Some type of formal training, education, or certification
• To agree to abide by the applicable tenets of the ICF (International Coach Federation) Code of Ethics
• Willingness to provide at least 10 mentoring sessions per assigned mentee
• Willingness to be flexible with challenges of the assigned TED Fellow
• To conduct a thorough foundational first session where the agreement is discussed in detail and your relationship is formalized
• Agreement to stay in contact with the SupporTED team about your availability and SupporTED mentoring assignment status
• Access to Skype video conferencing

3. I realize that there is a requirement for at least 10 years of professional mentoring experience and at least one major accomplishment and one contribution to my career field. However, I know that I am competent to mentor a TED Fellow even though I don't meet that requirement today. I think you'd agree if you'd give me a chance.

Perhaps you’re right! And, we know that adhering to this standard means that some truly great mentors won’t be eligible to become a SupporTED mentor. However, we’ve chosen not to make exceptions for the following reasons:

• The experienced SupporTED mentors tell us how much they’ve had to stretch and expand their own capabilities to keep one step ahead of their TED Fellow. These mentors strongly urged us to adopt the standards, and their experience in mentoring TED Fellows is our best argument for adhering to this standard.
• We want to maintain our integrity. We made the rules and we play by the rules to ensure we are fair in our application of the standards. 
• These standards help us keep our agreement with the TED organization. We have promised that the SupporTED team will include only the most seasoned and experienced mentors.

4. What is the process for becoming a SupporTED mentor?

Please read the entire FAQ to ensure that you fully meet the requirements and are willing to fulfill the commitment for which we ask. Then complete the SupporTED Mentors Application. In a separate e-mail, send us a copy of your bio with a photo embedded.  

After we receive your bio, a member of the SupporTED team will evaluate your mentoring approach during a 60-minute interview conducted via Skype video. The interview will include a 30-minute mentoring session in which you provide mentoring on a specific focus area. If it is assessed that your skills and experience meet the SupporTED standards, you’ll be included in the SupporTED availability roster for selection when a TED Fellow that needs your specific skills and experience requests mentoring. 

5. When is a mentor considered a SupporTED mentor?

When a mentor has successfully completed one 10-session mentoring engagement with a TED Fellow and completed the Closure Questionnaire, then the mentor is considered a member of the SupporTED mentoring team.

6. Why should I volunteer for SupporTED? It seems that TED has the means to hire mentors.

The TED Community depends upon volunteers. You might be surprised to know that brilliant TED speakers are volunteers, too. The TEDsters who created the SupporTED program, Renee Freedman and Ruth Ann Harnisch, are professionals with a long history of pro bono service. They saw an opportunity via the offer of mentoring to support the TED Fellows in their world-changing projects. Being a TED Fellow can be an overwhelming experience. For some, the TED experience is the first time they’ve traveled outside their home country, the first time they’ve been on an airplane, and for at least one, the first time to stay in a hotel and sleep in the type of bed to which most people in developed countries are accustomed. The TED Fellows have stated that the availability of pro bono mentoring through SupporTED has changed their game and is one of the top highlights of the TED Fellows program. 

7. If I volunteer as a SupporTED mentor, will I have a better chance of being accepted to attend TED conferences?

Everyone’s application for a TED conference receives thoughtful consideration from the TED team. The SupporTED team is not part of this process. However, you may certainly ask Ruth Ann and Renee to use their names as TED references on your application.

8. I've looked at the list of TED Fellows on the TED website and I believe that I'm the perfect mentor for one of them. May I choose the TED Fellow that I mentor?

Please feel free to tell us when you see a TED Fellow that you feel would benefit greatly from your expertise. We can’t guarantee that you’ll be matched with that specific TED Fellow, yet, if your expertise is a great complement to the Fellow’s needs, we’ll make every effort to bring the two of you together.

9. I submitted my SupporTED mentor application and have not been interviewed or evaluated yet. What's up?

Although you might not have heard from the SupporTED team, we have your application. We receive more applications than we have demand for mentors. When we have a need for your expertise and background, we will surely be in touch with you. Please be prepared to wait -  it might take a few months.

10. I'm listed in the SupporTED mentor roster but haven't been assigned a TED Fellow yet. What's up?

Three factors influence this. First, we are diligent about making the best possible match for the TED Fellow. Second, not every TED Fellow chooses to take advantage of the SupporTED mentor offer. Third, there are may be more mentors in a given career field at any given time then TED Fellows requesting mentoring. Therefore, it is likely that there will be a wait for the TED Fellow whose needs match your expertise. When a TED Fellow who may most benefit from your expertise and background applies for mentoring, the SupporTED team will make the match.

11. Do you provide a contract that covers the mentoring relationship, or may I use the one that I usually use with clients?

Yes. There is a SupporTED Mentor Agreement posted on the website. This is the agreement SupporTED would like you to use in lieu of your usual contract.

12. The TED Fellow I'm mentoring has financial needs, or is running a nonprofit organization that needs money. Is it appropriate for me to provide financial support?

Direct payments to a TED Fellow, his / her nonprofit organization, or his / her for profit business are not appropriate. Direct payments alter the relationship between both the SupporTED mentor and the TED Fellow in a way that makes objectivity impossible and interferes with the mentoring. Contributions to TED Fellow projects via a crowd-funding source are permissible, if you desire. Crowd-funding sources that we support include: Kickstarter (founded by a TED Fellow), IndieGoGo, 33 Needs, Profounder, Greenfunder, Peer Backers, and AppBacker. When you are no longer in a mentoring relationship with the Fellow, you are free to make whatever choices you deem appropriate.

13. The TED Fellow I am mentoring has a for-profit business in which I'd like to invest. Is this a possibility?

While you are mentoring the TED Fellow, it is not appropriate to invest in a Fellow's business. It alters the Fellow-mentor relationship in a way that makes objectivity impossible. If the Fellow posts a project using on of the crowd-funding platforms listed above, you may support the project through that source. You may also connect the Fellow with potential angel investors and other resources.

14. Who pays for the cost of the mentoring calls?

This is a discussion for the mentor and TED Fellow to have at the outset of their mentoring relationship. SupporTED mentoring may be conducted in many ways, including telephone, Skype, Instant Message, e-mail, and in person. If there are exceptional circumstances, please contact the SupporTED team.

15. What if the mentoring relationship isn't working out?

If either you or the TED Fellow feels that the mentoring match is not a good one, tell us promptly. We will make other arrangements. Please share your thoughts about what should be considered in making the next match for you, and for the TED Fellow.

16. What are some of the challenges that might come up for the mentor of a TED Fellow?

• Sometimes your TED Fellow may miss a session without notice. Additionally, the TED Fellows are not always consistent in rescheduling appointments by giving 24 hours notice. Please be sure to reach a firm agreement with the TED Fellow regarding commitments made and the value of your time.
• The TED Fellows live in diverse, and sometimes remote, areas of the world. Their country, state / province, or city may not have the technological infrastructure enjoyed by developed countries. This may result in inconsistent access to the Internet or to the technology used to connect for mentoring sessions.
• Additionally, TED Fellows live and work in climate-challenged zones where natural disasters such as earthquakes and flooding have recently occurred. In these instances, the mentoring relationship may be disrupted.
• Many Fellows already have full schedules that become challenging to manage once they begin their TED Fellowship, fulfill TED Fellow program commitments, and become inundated with requests and opportunities that come as a result of attending a TED Conference as a Fellow. Consistent scheduling might be a challenge. Please be patient, ensure that the Fellow is making a scheduling commitment that can be kept, and use this ‘busyness’ as a mentoring opportunity.
• The work of many of the TED Fellows will inspire you and touch your heart. You cannot let it touch your wallet. Don’t be tempted to cross the boundaries of the gift of your mentoring engagement in to the realm of financial philanthropy. This is not only in violation of the SupporTED policy it is harmful to the mentoring relationship.
• Confidentiality is a paradoxical phenomenon with the TED Fellows. In alignment with the ICF Code of Ethics, you are prohibited from sharing their personal information outside of the mentoring relationship. However, they often DO want you to talk about their work with your friends and colleagues, especially when it might lead to a new resource or additional funding for their crowd-funding project. This is a conversation that should be conducted during the contracting session.

17. What acknowledgment will I receive for my volunteer service as a SupporTED mentor?

At the end of each calendar year, after we receive your completed Closure Questionnaire, your name will be listed on a dedicated web page of SupporTED Heroes.

18. Can I take a tax deduction for my volunteer service?

Please consult your financial advisor or accountant. Certain expenses may be tax-deductible.

19. May I use the SupporTED logo on my website or in my promotional material?

The use of the SupporTED logo is restricted and not available for use outside of official TED business. 

20. May I include my SupporTED service in my bio and on my website?

After your name has been posted on the SupporTED Heroes page, you are welcome to link that page to your website, list your pro bono service in your bio, and tell others that you are a member of SupporTED mentoring team that mentors TED Fellows.

21. I completed a SupporTED mentoring engagement and I'm ready for another? What do I need to do?

Contact the SupporTED team and we’ll note your availability on the roster listing. When a “best fit” comes along, we’ll match you to another TED Fellow.

22. When the 10 sessions of pro bono mentoring are complete, may I convert the mentoring into a paid gig?

No. It is a violation of the SupporTED policy to engage in a paid business relationship after your pro bono sessions are over. The trusting relationship between the TED Fellows and the SupporTED mentors relies on the purity of the gift. No catch, no hidden sales pitch, no cashing in later. If the TED Fellow would like additional mentoring, another mentor may be available through SupporTED. 

23. What are some typical subjects that the TED Fellows talk about with their mentors?

Requests vary based upon need. These are just a few of the requests we’ve had:

• Fundraising (non-profit and for-profit)
• Developing a sustainable business model
• Speaking skills
• Writing a business plan
• Networking, public relations, & building alliances
• Marketing & branding
• Setting fees
• Building credibility in their career field
• Structuring a 501c3 organization
• Legalities of their business
• Developing a board of directors
• Practical ‘how to’s’
• Financial wherewithal
• Having a thinking partner
• Strategic planning
• Decision making

24. Are there opportunities to learn about the experience and challenges of other SupporTED mentors?

Yes. The SupporTED team periodically conducts teleconferences for this purpose. The calls are open to all SupporTED mentors and mentors.

25. When is a mentor required to contact the SupporTED team?

• When there is a conflict with the ICF Code of Ethics or TED / SupporTED policy
• If the TED Fellow – mentor match is not good
• If the TED Fellow makes an inappropriate request of you
• If mentoring engagement is extended the beyond 10 sessions
• When the mentoring engagement comes to an end
• To let the SupporTED team know whether or not you desire to mentor another Fellow

26. What correspondence is appropriate to send to the SupporTED team (mentor@ted.com)?

Please ensure that all communication to the SupporTED team is related directly to the SupporTED program and your participation in it. Marketing and solicitation are strictly prohibited and may result in removal from the SupporTED program. Please do not send marketing materials, e-zines, newsletters, crowd-funding solicitations and announcements, chain letters, invitations to LinkedIn or Facebook, or anything else not directly related to SupporTED services. All e-mail received at coach@ted.com is seen by Renee Freedman, Ruth Ann Harnisch, and some members of the TED staff. For private personal and business correspondence please write:

• Renee Freedman (renee@reneefreedman.com)
• Ruth Ann Harnisch (ruthann@thehf.org)

27. Now that I've read this FAQ thoroughly, I'm ready to complete the application. Where can I find it?

By clicking this link, you will be directed to the application.

• TED Fellows
• SupporTED Coaches
• SupporTED Mentors
• SupporTED Heroes
• SupporTED Collaboratorium