How can you establish expectations with a mentor or coach?

1 Identify your goals and needs

Before you reach out to a potential mentor or coach, you should have a clear idea of what you want to achieve and what kind of help you need. Do you want to learn a specific skill, such as budgeting, marketing, or design? Do you want to explore new opportunities, such as different types of events, clients, or venues? Do you want to improve your performance, such as managing stress, time, or teams? Write down your goals and needs and prioritize them according to your urgency and importance.

2 Find a suitable mentor or coach

Once you have defined your goals and needs, you can look for a mentor or coach who can match them. You can use various sources, such as your network, professional associations, online platforms, or recommendations from peers. When you contact a potential mentor or coach, introduce yourself, explain your goals and needs, and ask if they are interested and available to work with you. You should also check their credentials, experience, and style to see if they are compatible with yours.

3 Agree on the terms and boundaries

After you have found a mentor or coach who agrees to work with you, you should discuss and agree on the terms and boundaries of your relationship. This includes the frequency, duration, and mode of your sessions, the topics and agenda of your conversations, the expectations and responsibilities of both parties, the feedback and evaluation methods, and the confidentiality and ethical standards. You should also set a timeline and milestones for your progress and review them regularly.

4 Communicate openly and respectfully

Communication is the key to a successful mentorship or coaching relationship. You should communicate openly and respectfully with your mentor or coach, sharing your challenges, achievements, questions, and feedback. You should also listen actively and attentively to their advice, insights, and suggestions. You should be honest, humble, and curious, and avoid being defensive, arrogant, or dismissive. You should also respect their time, expertise, and boundaries, and show your appreciation and gratitude.

5 Implement and reflect on your learning

The ultimate goal of mentorship or coaching is to help you learn and grow as an event producer. Therefore, you should implement and reflect on your learning from your mentor or coach. You should apply what you learn to your current or future projects, experiment with new ideas and approaches, and measure your results and outcomes. You should also reflect on your learning process, identify your strengths and weaknesses, and seek feedback and improvement.

6 Adjust and end your relationship

Mentorship and coaching relationships are not meant to last forever. They are dynamic and flexible, and they should adapt to your changing goals and needs. You should regularly evaluate your relationship with your mentor or coach, and adjust it if necessary. You may want to change the frequency, duration, or mode of your sessions, the topics or agenda of your conversations, or the expectations or responsibilities of both parties. You may also want to end your relationship if you have achieved your goals, if you have outgrown your mentor or coach, or if you have encountered any issues or conflicts. You should end your relationship gracefully and respectfully, thanking your mentor or coach for their support and guidance, and maintaining a positive and professional connection.

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?