How can you set clear goals and expectations with a new mentee?

Introduction: Create a welcoming atmosphere. Goals and Objectives: Clearly define objectives aligned with mentee's career goals. Success Metrics: Establish measurable goals for tracking progress. Communication Plan: Outline channels and frequency for effective communication. Roles and Responsibilities: Clarify expectations for mentor and mentee participation. Timeline: Set a clear timeline with milestones for the mentorship. Feedback: Implement regular feedback sessions for continuous improvement. Development Plan: Collaborate on a personalized development plan. Resources: Identify relevant tools and support systems. Flexibility: Remain adaptable to evolving goals.

In order for trust to be built: 1. They must feel heard and 2. They must be able to relate to you People want to know that their thoughts, concerns, and feelings are not only acknowledged but also understood. Sharing experiences humanises you and makes you more approachable.

Assign your mentee with a challenging project & monitor his progress. Give him your feedback & always encourage him to do better.

Establish a relationship by effective communication. By using open-ended questions, active listening, and genuine interest, you can create a safe and supportive environment for building rapport and trust with your mentee. Additionally, sharing relevant stories and insights can help create a connection and foster mutual understanding. Remember, the key is to be respectful, supportive, and honest throughout the mentoring relationship.

As a mentor I would like to be mindful of not operating from the feeling of being superior to the mentee. It is very easy to fall in this trap and operate from there. And this is the inner work every mentor has to do to stay humble.

As a coach, defining the purpose and scope of mentoring is crucial. It involves understanding the 'why' behind the mentor-mentee relationship and setting SMART goals that resonate with the mentee's aspirations. Discussing session frequency, duration, format, and each party's roles ensures clarity and direction. This structured approach lays a solid foundation for a fruitful mentoring journey.

I prefer using the Grow model. The GROW model is a mentoring framework that helps mentors and mentees define the purpose and scope of their mentoring relationship. GROW stands for Goal, Reality, Options, and Way forward. Mentors and mentees use this framework to set specific and achievable goals, assess the current situation and challenges, explore different strategies and options, and determine the best course of action to move forward. By using the GROW model, mentors and mentees can have structured conversations, gain clarity, set realistic goals, and create actionable plans for the mentee's development.

Outcome matters. You pay for something, you receive something. Think as a consumer as well. Setting up expectations and scope of the mentoring is very important to ensure both parties understand the engagement and deliverables.

In my mentoring approach, I prioritize brutal honesty from the outset, ensuring my mentee understands the real challenges and opportunities ahead. I make it clear that I will hold them accountable, as this is key to their growth and achievement of set goals. This honesty sets the stage for a mentoring relationship grounded in reality, not just aspirations. By promising to maintain this level of frankness and accountability, I help my mentees navigate their journey with clarity and purpose.

Scoping your relationship, in regards to what the goal is and how you will engage with each other is critical. You want to ensure that the mentee understands your role and what they are accountable for, but done in an inspirational and supportive manner.

When I intake new clients, they must first complete a questionnaire that asks explicitly about the coachee's preferred approach to accountability and crucial conversations. Upon review of the questionnaire, we discuss it and then have another conversation focused solely on communication style, likes, dislikes, practices that bring out their best, and good or bad experiences with previous coaching that could help this engagement. We talk about tone, respect, intensity levels, feel and flow. I intentionally raise questions about fostering accountability respectfully and professionally. Every session, I ask questions to ensure I meet my client's needs, as the goal is to help my client win big, which is why clear expectations are vital!

Agreeing on goals in a mentoring relationship is crucial as it provides direction, purpose, and a clear roadmap for both the mentor and the mentee. It helps them understand what they want to achieve and aligns their efforts towards a common objective. Goals also provide motivation, measurement, focus, and accountability by serving as benchmarks for progress and success. By agreeing on specific and measurable goals, the mentor and mentee can track their development and allocate resources effectively. In summary, agreeing on goals sets the stage for a purposeful and effective mentoring journey.

When establishing clear goals and expectations with mentees, start by collaboratively defining specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) objectives. Ensure mutual understanding by discussing individual aspirations, strengths, and areas for development. Clearly communicate roles, responsibilities, and the mentorship's purpose, aligning expectations with realistic outcomes. Regularly revisit and reassess goals, fostering an open dialogue to address any adjustments or challenges. Encourage mentees to express their expectations, facilitating a shared commitment to the mentoring journey and enhancing the likelihood of successful goal attainment.

Reviewing and adjusting goals regularly is important in a mentoring relationship because it allows for flexibility and ensures that the goals remain relevant and achievable. By monitoring the progress and outcomes of the mentoring journey, both the mentor and the mentee can identify any areas that need improvement or modification. This process enables them to adapt their goals and expectations to better align with their evolving needs and circumstances. It also provides an opportunity to celebrate achievements, acknowledge challenges, and identify areas for growth and development. By regularly reviewing and adjusting goals, the mentoring relationship can stay on track and continue to be effective and impactful.

The process of change is complex. Mike Tyson said, "Everyone Has a Plan Until They Get Punched in the Mouth", talking about planning meets real world. To make the change process effective goals and action plans, strategies and tactics have to be adjusted regularly, based on: - Actual results and progress; - Objectives, that can change; - Adjusted expectations. There's always a way to achieve our goals if we ground our actions in the feedback reality gives us.

Connect. Even for a brief check-in. The more you show you care, the more they will KNOW you care. Building reliability and credibility through follow-up and follow-through is foundational to your relationship.

Seeking and providing feedback and support is crucial in the mentoring process. Feedback helps mentees identify strengths and areas for improvement, leading to personal and professional growth. Positive feedback and support motivate mentees, boosting their confidence and empowering them to overcome obstacles. It's a two-way learning process, where mentors gain insights from mentees, fostering a collaborative relationship. By creating a safe and supportive environment, mentors build trust and rapport, facilitating effective communication and development. Feedback also helps address concerns and provide necessary support, resources, or referrals.

Make feedback part of the mentoring relationship - at the end of each mentoring session leave 5-10 minutes to ask for feedback and give feedback. This way, mentee will get more comfortable with giving and receiving feedback. You can also ask mentee if they are looking for feedback in a specific area that they are trying to improve. One thing to remember is that feedback needs to be focussed on actions (use specific examples) and not on the personality.

Illuminate Vision through Storytelling: Use the power of storytelling to bring clarity and inspiration to goal-setting. Share your own experiences of overcoming challenges and achieving success through set goals. Consider weaving in anecdotes that embody the transformative power of setting clear objectives, creating a narrative that resonates with your mentee's aspirations and taps into their innate motivation. Create a Visual Roadmap: Foster an innovative approach by utilizing visual aids to map out the goals and expectations. Whether through infographics, mind maps, or vision boards, this approach can breathe life into the mentee's vision and provide a tangible representation of the journey ahead.

it’s important to clarify roles and responsibilities for the dynamic. for instance, conflating coaching with mentorship is a space where real harm, failed expectation, and misunderstanding can occur. mentorship is vastly different from coaching. while there is space for overlap, assuming that people are clear on the differences can cause disconnects and ultimately harm. for some, coaching is something brand new, and they are ill-prepared with the clarity and understanding to maximize effectiveness. it’s critical to make sure folx know what it is and isn’t, and how you’ll manage dynamics where the relationship oversteps the bounds of the role of coaching.