“The delicate balance of mentoring someone is not creating them in your own image but giving them the opportunity to create themselves.” - Steven Spielberg
The mentor's primary role is to help their mentee refine and make progress on development plan goals. Mentors should help their mentees gain exposure to new information, business areas, career paths and colleagues/leaders. The mentor may also guide, suggest, teach, challenge, and coach using their experience, expertise, and knowledge to positively influence the mentee's career development.
Mentor DO's
- Plan on meeting with your mentee once per month (on average).
- Be approachable, inclusive, empathetic and encouraging!
- Actively listen and seek to understand your mentee's unique career aspirations and development goals.
- Invite your mentee to meetings or activities, as appropriate.
- Make introductions to others in your network.
- Keep information shared confidential.
- Establish open and honest communication and a forum for idea exchange.
- Foster creativity and independence.
- Help build self-confidence and offer encouragement.
- Provide honest and timely feedback.
- Provide opportunities for your mentee to talk about concerns and ask questions.
- Share your experience and perspectives.
Mentor DON'Ts
- Try to give advice on everything. You're not expected to have all the answers!
- Chase your mentee if they're not taking initiative to drive the relationship.
- Encourage your mentee to be totally dependent upon you.
- Provide your personal history, problems, animosities, successes, failures, etc. unless they are constructive contributions.
- Ignore your mentee when you're busy. Communicate and let them know a better time to reach you.
- Criticize.
- Contact your mentee's manager. You're a development partner for your mentee.
