How can you empower your mentee to make their own career choices?

1 Understand their needs

The first step to empowering your mentee is to understand their needs, motivations, and aspirations. What are they looking for in a mentor? What are their strengths and weaknesses? What are their short-term and long-term goals? How do they prefer to learn and communicate? By asking open-ended questions, listening actively, and showing empathy, you can build a trusting relationship with your mentee and tailor your mentoring style to their needs.

2 Provide feedback and resources

The second step to empowering your mentee is to provide constructive feedback and relevant resources. Feedback helps your mentee to recognize their achievements, identify their areas of improvement, and set realistic expectations. Resources can include articles, books, podcasts, courses, events, or contacts that can help your mentee to learn new skills, expand their knowledge, or explore new opportunities. By providing feedback and resources, you can help your mentee to grow their confidence, competence, and curiosity.

3 Encourage reflection and action

The third step to empowering your mentee is to encourage reflection and action. Reflection helps your mentee to evaluate their progress, assess their challenges, and celebrate their successes. Action helps your mentee to apply their learning, test their ideas, and take risks. By encouraging reflection and action, you can help your mentee to develop their critical thinking, problem-solving, and decision-making skills.

4 Support their autonomy

The fourth step to empowering your mentee is to support their autonomy. Autonomy means giving your mentee the freedom and responsibility to make their own choices, take their own initiatives, and learn from their own mistakes. By supporting their autonomy, you can help your mentee to develop their self-reliance, self-motivation, and self-direction.

5 Challenge and stretch them

The fifth step to empowering your mentee is to challenge and stretch them. Challenge means pushing your mentee to step out of their comfort zone, try new things, and overcome obstacles. Stretch means helping your mentee to reach their full potential, achieve their goals, and exceed their expectations. By challenging and stretching them, you can help your mentee to develop their resilience, adaptability, and creativity.

6 Celebrate and acknowledge them

The sixth and final step to empowering your mentee is to celebrate and acknowledge them. Celebrate means expressing your appreciation, recognition, and gratitude for your mentee's efforts, achievements, and contributions. Acknowledge means giving your mentee the credit, respect, and visibility they deserve. By celebrating and acknowledging them, you can help your mentee to develop their self-esteem, self-worth, and self-efficacy.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?