Mentoring Best Practices – Part Two

Mentoring can be a powerful and rewarding experience for both the mentee and the mentor. Here are some further best practices to help you make the most of your mentoring relationships.

Best Practices for Mentors:
1. Take a genuine interest in your mentee’s progress and development.
2. Establish two-way open communication.
3. Utilize active listening (L4) skills.
4. Make yourself available for questions.
5. Build confidence and trust.
6. Be honest and transparent.
7. Share personal experience and knowledge. Provide examples of personal successes, setbacks & challenges.
8. Introduce your mentee to clients / management / peer network.
9. Be open to hearing a different perspective from your mentee.
10. Demonstrate and model how you do things.

Best Practices for Mentee:
1. Take initiative to make the most out of the relationships.
2. Be curious.
3. Come prepared with area of focus and questions you want to work on.
4. Use active listening (L4) skills.
5. Be open and receptive to feedback.
6. Contact your mentor when you have a question.
7. Offer feedback about what’s helpful for you.
8. Think of ways to apply what you learn on a daily basis.
9. Cultivate the relationships based on interest, trust and confidence.
10. Communicate with your supervisor.

What to do when we do get together?
1. Get acquainted. Build the relationships first.
2. Discuss your current role and responsibilities, past positions and key experiences.
3. Tell a short version of your career story-line.
4. Find personal information that you are willing to share (hobbies etc.).
5. Share your strengths, aspirations & development needs.
6. Build schedule. Set the next three meeting. Consider logistics.
7. Ask each other what will make this a rewarding experience.
8. Negotiate expectations and agreements.
9. Make the meeting focus relevant to support your development needs and plans.
10. As you progress, expand the range of activities. Include shadowing, attending a business meeting, advice on a project/assignment and more.
© Aviv Shahar