User Guides

How to Prepare for Your Mentoring Meeting as a Mentor

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Your mentee is responsible for most of the preparation for their mentoring meeting; however, here are some things you can do to make it more productive -

1. Be in the right frame-of-mind:

  • Take time before your meeting to reflect on your mentee’s progress-to-date. Is the relationship working as expected?
  • Be fully present. Eliminate distractions (especially your phone!).  

2. Review the agenda and action plan:

  • Your mentee should have sent you an agenda before your meeting. It should include a timeline, an update from your last meeting, and input needed from you. Be prepared to suggest any needed changes to the agenda.
  • Review the action plan and tasks set from your last meeting and ask for an update at the beginning of your session.

3. Goals: 

  • Review the stated goals and milestones from your initial meeting and reflect on your mentee’s progress-to-date. 

4. Your Action Items: 

  • Have you done your action items from the last meeting? Be prepared to provide an update. 

Your mentee should be setting the agenda and sending an invite before each meeting. Be prepared to help them at first if necessary. Ensure you have synchronized your calendar so you can set up a date, time, topic and set an agenda for your session. You can also choose your preferred video conferencing platform so that you don’t have to set up new meetings every time you schedule a mentoring session.

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How to Build the Relationship with Your Mentee

Time you spend building rapport and trust with your mentee will improve the success of the journey.
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Time you spend building rapport and trust with your mentee will improve the success of the journey. 
Here are key components you need to build that relationship -

1. Confidentiality in both directions is key. Do not discuss anything your mentee shares with you unless you have their permission. Remind your mentee of confidentiality at the beginning and end of every session. 

2. Building rapport and trust are essential. Here are some ways you can build trust.

  • Don’t rush. Spend enough time in the beginning getting to know each other, rather than rushing into goal setting and solutions. 
  • Do your research about your mentee so you’re not starting cold. Acknowledge their strengths.
  • Believe your mentee has the best answers within themselves. Your job is to ask the right questions.
  • Follow through – do what you say you are going to do.
  • Be prepared to be vulnerable – don’t just share your hero stories. Also share the times you failed.
  • Ask for and be open to feedback from your mentee.
  • Be non-judgmental.
  • Listen a lot! Talk a little.
  • Ask open-ended questions

3. Ask open-ended questions to get to know your mentee.

  • What are your values? 
  • What do you believe are strengths? 
  • What are you passionate about? 
  • What motivates you? 
  • What are you most proud of? 
  • What successes have you had? 
  • What have you taken away  from your failures?