How to: Prepare your Mentee for a Mentoring Session

Successful mentoring involves building a quality relationship between mentor and mentee. While it is often assumed that the mentee drives the progress of a mentoring relationship, the mentee needs to invest equal time and effort on their part to make it a productive two-way communication. The most satisfied mentees are the ones who recognise that each meeting has the potential to help their mentors advance their careers too.

Here are some tips for the mentor on how to prepare your mentee for a mentoring session:

1. Initial contact with your mentee

Once you have accepted the role of the mentor, introduce yourself to the mentee.

2. Encourage the mentee to think about what he/she wants to achieve 

The mentee needs to think about what they want from the mentoring relationship and what role the mentor will undertake.

3. Inform the mentee what the mentoring process entails

Clarify with the mentee the extent of the mentoring relationship and the time period it will cover.

4. Define the strategy for contact

The mentor and mentee need to reach an agreement on the means and frequency of contact throughout the mentoring period. Decide if both parties want to meet casually or in a formal setting.

We hope that this article is helpful. Do you have any tips you would like to add?

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