Overview
Has a mentor had a profound impact on your life? How about several of them? I’ve been very fortunate to have many different types of mentors throughout my life and career. Mentoring is up there in importance with parenting and teaching. From the business perspective, it’s extremely effective. I’ve worked at companies with robust mentoring programs and those with none whatsoever. Guess which ones were the most successful?
In this article, we’ll expand on the mentor checklist in the screenshot above, discussing why mentoring is important, different types of mentors, mentor best practices, and mentor meeting agenda items.
Why mentoring is so important
There are several reasons why mentoring is important, so let’s dive into the main ones.
It expedites onboarding
When you’ve started a new job, you were probably a bit overwhelmed with processes and policies to learn, systems to learn, people to meet, paperwork to fill out, etc. Mentors help you focus on what’s important and share crucial resources. They give you someone to shadow to see how the culture works. It’s interactive, as opposed to just reading what to do, which is not.
It helps pass on tribal knowledge
So much valuable information is held in the heads of employees. While it’s good to document important process-related details, there’s not always a place for all the valuable intel. Mentors help pass along best practices and key nuggets of information that would otherwise be unshared.
It builds strong relationships
You’re not just building a relationship with your mentor – often they are a bridge to many other people that can support you along the way. Having someone you can go to – who isn’t your boss – is extremely valuable, especially when they can advocate for you.
It strengthens accountability
Mentors make great accountability partners. When you know you’re going to have to attest to what you said you were going to do, you’re much more likely to get it done. Mentors help challenge you and hold yourself accountable.
It supports feedback and growth
Building on accountability, mentors can offer priceless feedback to make sure you’re on the right path to achieving your goals – and that they are the right goals. Bilateral feedback is one of the best tools we have for continuous growth.
Different types of mentors
Most people thing of mentors as “that guy who showed me the ropes.” That could be the case, but there are many flavors of mentors, so let’s look at the common ones.
The Sage
The sage is someone who can impart general wisdom across all aspects of life. It’s often a family member or a close family friend. One of my mentors who fits this category was between my age and my dad’s age. He was an awesome sounding board for life issues like relationships and career paths. If you have kids, try to find a mentor like this for them. They won’t be comfortable coming to you for everything, but a sage mentor could literally save their life!
The Surgeon
The surgeon is an expert in your current field or one that you’d like to move to. They are among the very best at what they do and can offer what has made them successful and things they’ve learned the hard way. Sometimes surgeon mentors can help determine that a path is not right for you.
The Sponsor
The sponsor is someone who can advocate for your ideas, your reputation, and your potential. They can help you get the resources you need to perform at your best. They generally have the clout to make things happen you just can’t do on your own. Sponsor mentors can be extremely valuable for progressing your career,
The Sidekick
The sidekick is a friend or colleague in a similar role or scenario. Being able to bounce ideas, successes, failures, and frustrations with someone going through similar experiences at a similar time gives them great insight. This is often very informal and reciprocal, and can be a lifelong relationship.
The Student
The student is a mentee to the mentor. The mentee can also be a great source of advice and feedback to the mentor because of the nature of the relationship. I’ve had several incredible discussions with mentees that shaped my mindset and helped me improve on different areas.
Best practices for mentoring
Whether you have an existing mentorship framework you’re looking to refine, or just starting to build one, there are several best practices worth considering.
Establish a mentorship framework
If you’re going to have a mentorship program, formalize it with a framework, including best practices (like these!), defining what good/not good look like (with relevant examples), and include a comprehensive list of steps to complete when relevant (i.e. for onboarding).
Set clear mentorship expectations
Determine the meeting timing and frequency (between weekly and monthly is most common). Define the purpose of the mentorship. Set SMART goals where it’s appropriate. Identify what’s off-limits and what isn’t.
Require mutual commitment
Not everyone wants to be a mentor and mentee, and that’s okay. But when you are, commit to it. Show up. Complete and follow up on action items. Follow the pillars of commitment: focus, involvement, development, gratitude, and accountability. If life changes that you can’t commit to the mentorship, show the respect and be proactive about it.
Ensure it’s a two-way street
Mentees should asl a lot of questions, but so should mentors. Mentors should challenge mentees with constructive feedback. Mentees should leverage mentors’ advice and connections when it makes sense.
Stick to an agenda
It’s easy to get derailed and chat about irrelevant items. That’s okay, as long as you’re also taking care of business. Include standing items to keep you focused. Schedule sufficient time for each topic. Include a general Q&A session for unplanned items.
Write it down
It’s always good practice to take meeting notes, but it’s crucial for mentorship in order for the mentee to grow. Document your progress (it could be quite helpful for performance reviews!). Write down questions to discuss at the next meeting as soon as you can so you don’t forget them.
Mentors should teach mentees to fish
If you just give your mentee the answer, you’re not helping them as much as if you help them think through the answer – a valuable and repeatable skill. The best mentors teach mentees to think and develop systems and mindsets (even if different from their own). Mentees should be prepared to communicate what works, what doesn’t, and what they’ve learned.
Determine how to measure progress
Set SMART goals, and break them down into milestones. Review your progress as a part of the agenda. It’s okay to adjust them if necessary and speed up or slow down.
Leverage multiple types of mentors
It’s worth repeating the above – a variety of mentors can be priceless. Your boss should ideally not formally be your mentor, though they can share some of the role type. Gathering diverse perspectives is often quite valuable to help with major decisions. Remember the five types: Sage, Surgeon, Sponsor, Sidekick, and Student.
Pay it forward
Once you’re ready, consider taking on your own mentee(s) to keep the chain moving and making your whole group stronger. Provide your mentor – and anyone managing the overall mentor program – with feedback based on your experience. And whatever you do, commit to continuous improvement!
Common mentor meeting agenda items
It’s often helpful to have a mentor meeting agenda template handy to ensure everything is covered. Think of it like a packing list for a big trip. Here are some items worth considering.
Review prior action items
There’s a lot going on – it’s helpful to recap just like you might see on a TV series.
Review goal progress
If nothing else, there’s a psychological benefit to seeing your progress that is motivating.
Check off completed tasks
It’s a granular step in reviewing goal progress. Focus more on where you’re going than on where you’ve been.
Discuss challenges encountered
We tend to grow most when we encounter and overcome challenges. If you don’t discuss them with someone who’s likely been there, you’re missing out on a great opportunity!
Celebrate successes
Just as discussing challenges is beneficial, the same can be said about celebrating successes. It’s motivating and builds positive momentum.
Open Q&A time
It’s helpful to have some time that isn’t structured, even it’s just chatting about the smaller aspects of life. It generally feels good to connect with others!
Set goals for the next meeting
Don’t leave without setting goals and action items for your next meeting. Think of it as your map on a long trip.
Confirm the next meeting date and time
It’s helpful to be proactive rather than realize at the last minute you have another commitment like a doctor visit.
Summary
Having a mentorship program is one of the best initiatives you can undertake. Having a structured program with clear expectations and tools for success makes it that much better. It’s such an efficient and impactful way to share knowledge, get newer people up to speed, and facilitate continuous growth. Even if it’s not from the professional perspective, mentors are great to bounce wild ideas, life challenges, and career aspirations off of.
How have mentors made a positive impact on your life? Please share your thoughts in the comments below!
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