THE FOUNDATION
What Mentoring Is:
- A two-way relationship. Mentoring works best between two parties that are committed to the relationship for an agreed period of time.
- Trusting and supportive. The mentor and mentee need to build a relationship based on trust and honoring their commitments.
- A mutual learning experience. Both parties should benefit from the time they spend together.
What Mentoring Is NOT:
- Consultancy. Mentors work on providing new perspectives and empowering the mentee to grow.
- Random. On the contrary, it’s planned and structured.
- For everyone. The process requires time and serious commitment.
CHOOSE HOW YOU WANT TO MEET:
- Face-to-face. If it’s doable, this is usually the best way to communicate and should be used as much as possible.
- Remote. Iif you’re unable to meet in person, then sessions can also be arranged online, by phone, or in some instances email.
RULES TO REMEMBER:
- Confidentiality. Anything said during the mentoring meeting is confidential and cannot be disclosed to outside parties.
- Responsibility. The mentor cannot make decisions concerning the mentee’s work or career. The mentee is the sole decision maker, where his responsibilities are involved.
FIRST MEETING AGENDA:
Get to know Each Other:
- Share info about your professional life.
- Learn something new about each other..
Set the Ground Rules:
- When, where, and how will you meet? (The recommendation is to have 1-2 meetings a month)
- How will you communicate between meetings?
- How will you capture the agreed actions/results of each meeting?
- How will you measure success?
Partnership Agreement:
- Agree upfront on what is confidential information and if or when it can be shared.
- Discuss how you perceive the boundaries of the mentoring relationship.
- Set the expectations for the relationship from the start.
Confirm the Next Steps:
- Schedule future meetings.
IDEAS WHAT TO DISCUSS DURING MEETINGS
Here are some topics you can draw on to spark the conversation:
- Mentor’s experience in the role, personal achievements, and success stories.
- Development of mentee’s leadership or professional skills: weak points, what, and how to improve.
- Questions and problem areas presented by the mentee that arise from everyday situations in the work environment.
- The analysis of the mentee’s professional decisions (those made and to be made).
- Professional growth and personal development in general.
ENDING THE MENTORSHIP PROGRAM
The official end date of the program is January 31 for the autumn round and June 30 for the spring round, but it may end earlier if the mentee’s goals are met.
While you and your mentee will likely continue to interact, it should be on a less formal basis.
HOW DO I REALLY KNOW THE MENTORSHIP IS WORKING PROPERLY?
Unfortunately, there isn’t a test that can tell you if you’re getting it right (apart from you telling each other).
You Should Be On Track If:
- You have regular meetings.
- You’re developing mutual understanding.
- You agreed on goals and objectives and feel that you are really working on them.
- You learned new things from your sessions.
- You feel that you’re developing both personal and professional skills.
- You’re not afraid to question and challenge each other in the discussions.
CONTACTS
Let your mentor/mentee know if you're unsure how to move forward or optimize the mentoring relationship. If you need further assistance, feel free to reach out to Inga Balžekaitė-Šaulienė.
If you have any questions at all, feel free to contact Inga at [email protected]