Meeting your mentor for the first time can be a daunting prospect. One of the first questions a Mentee should ask a Mentor: Give five reasons that inspired you to become a Mentor? • What do people say about me when I’m not in the room? Why are they in the business that they are in? How did you land your current role? Mentor Guidelines and 80 Questions to Ask Mentee. © MicroMentor Copyright 2020. What’s the most important leadership lesson you’ve learned and how is it valuable? And give this list to those whom you mentor, encouraging them to use it to maximize the value of the time you spend together. She’s dedicated two decades to helping women advance into positions of influence by leveraging their leadership strengths. Think back to five years ago. 6. Discuss with your mentor which goals you can work towards together, and the required first steps. • How did you develop the skill of speaking so engagingly in front of groups? • I'm considering a career transition. How did you proceed? taking a stretch assignment could help my career trajectory. Your first meeting with your mentee. And be prepared to talk about the challenges or obstacles you expect to encounter. How did you handle it? What you talk about, and the one on one meeting questions you ask, make all the difference in the performance of your team. Don’t write off the relationship too quickly, even if it seems like it may have run its course. Consider what you want to get out of the mentoring relationship — this is a two-way street. • Think back to five years ago. This can be helpful to your mentee and also help you better understand the guidance and direction they need. That way, if you like how you’re perceived, you can embrace it and take steps to strengthen that positive perception. With your mentee, choose a few goals and first steps. Did you envision your career as it is today? 5. How did you handle it? Why are corporations who claim to engage in diversity and inclusion fail to retain BIPOC employees? Toth adds that during your first meeting, you should “formally set up your communications plan, or how and how often you will communicate with each other. Since we learn best by doing, in order to figure out what to work on with a mentor, you need to be clear on two things: What you want to be able to do or do better; Which of those things overlaps with your mentors’ expertise and interests What are the most valuable questions to ask a mentor about career path? • What’s a good methodology or tool for project management and tracking team commitments? • When trying to gain buy-in to implement a new program, what tactics have worked for you? Use questions like these to ask your mentor for advice and resources to help you polish that skill: • How can I become a more assertive negotiator? • Was there ever a role you applied for and landed, but weren't 100% qualified to do? Below are four types of questions to ask your mentor, along with 10 related examples for each type. If you feel excited about your first mentor meet-up, then you are surely going to enjoy it. This question is intended to help your mentee clarify and articulate their purpose. their answers from question four). Hey, everybody likes to talk about themselves! Both parties want to make a good first impression. Sample Agenda for First Mentoring Session. Others feel inferior to their mentor, owing to their deficit in experience. • Which leadership skills were the most difficult to develop? Although your mentor doesn’t need to know everything about you, openly share your hopes and fears. One of the greatest gifts you can give yourself is the gift of self-awareness, meaning the ability to see yourself as others view you. One on one meetings are a cornerstone to any effective manager <-> team member relationship from small startups to giant companies. How did you land your current role? What is the most important thing we need to discuss today? Of course, no one likes dwelling on the negative, but you can’t overcome obstacles without first identifying what they are. Did you envision this is where you would be? Often, it’s not the relationship that’s stale–you just need some fresh material to discuss. When your mentor asks you, “How can I help?” it’s easy to have a brain freeze if you haven’t thought it through beforehand. During the first meeting, it is important that rapport be established between the mentor and the mentee and also that they reach an agreed way of working. • My boss said I need to be more strategic. The first meeting with your mentee is an opportunity to start building your relationship and identifying subjects that warrant further discussion. • Could you offer feedback on ways to improve my executive presence? 1) What are you most excited about right now? Are there any 'rules' that both mentor and mentee should follow? As a mentor, you’re aware of the skills you have to offer, but you need to be able to assess how your expertise can be best applied. Ask direct questions to learn more about your mentor’s experiences. 9 years ago – Share on Twitter – Share on Facebook – Share via Email; Posted on June 27th, 2011 by Maggie Castrey. The relationship that evolves between you and your mentee over a period of time is crucial to the success of the mentoring journey. MicroMentor is the world’s largest community of entrepreneurs and volunteer business mentors. • What practices can you recommend for dealing with nervousness when speaking to groups? When you first enter into a new mentoring relationship, it can be difficult to know where to begin. Tell me about a recent setback and how you recovered? 2. This question is designed to unearth your mentee’s aspirations and identify their business objectives. What are your most significant accomplishments since we last met? Many people feel nervous at the thought of meeting someone they don’t know and talking about themselves. Open this photo in gallery: Here are 10 questions you can ask her to take the pressure off you and make the most of your meeting. 3. In my article 23 Fun Questions to Ask Your Mentor I list some questions that help lighten up the mentoring session. Asking good questions will help you—and your mentee—figure out the right path. If you don’t like how you are currently perceived, you can take steps to shift that perception to a more positive one that supports, rather than undermines, your career and leadership goals. 3. Provide context to help your mentor understand you. This is a great way to pinpoint your mentee’s core strengths. It doesn't hurt if you write down your questions in advance! What type of preparation do you most appreciate seeing from your employees? • What do you wish you had known before taking your first management role? Your first meeting is vital because it will set the tone of the relationship. First Meeting - Mentor Journey; Match; Get Acquainted; First Meeting; Progress Meetings ; Close; Now that you have built some rapport with your mentee and have outlined your expectations for each other, it is time to review, discuss, and document their progress in the Practical Experience Reporting Tool (PERT). As mentor, you are the guardian of the relationship because of your experience and knowledge. • Can we role-play asking for a raise and a promotion? • When I presented at the last meeting, how did I do? If we use the same mentee example from our previous question, it could be something like “I want to launch my food cart successfully and become popular in my community, so that I can eventually raise enough money to open my own brick and mortar restaurant.”. Some questions to consider: 1. To do so, you need to think about what setting would feel comfortable for both of you, and plan out some conversation starters — knowing that these are tools if you need them, not a formula. their answers from question three) and spend less time addressing their weaknesses (i.e. Relevant discussion topics might be clarification of roles and responsibilities, formal aspects of the mentoring relationship, and perhaps cooperation and collaboration with other mentees at the school. The best place to start is with a good foundation of questions to use when you meet. It’s also a great opportunity to learn more about what makes your mentee tick. For example, you can say, “I’d love to learn about your career path” or “What do you realize in hindsight about how you achieved … • Who are the people I need to align with in this organization to achieve success? You may not get through all of them, but that way you'll have something to get the conversation started. So rather than add another mentor to your network, here’s a different challenge: Revive an existing mentorship by preparing thoughtfully for each session with your mentor. How do you encourage innovative ideas? www.jomiller.com/book, © 2020 Forbes Media LLC. First off, congratulations on finding a mentor. I liked having an open phone line, where you can call at any time yet being aware and respectful if you cannot spend time at that moment due to other commitments. All Rights Reserved, This is a BETA experience. Be ready to suggest some realistic timelines. These questions provide an excellent first step toward building a successful mentoring relationship, helping you effectively assess how and where you can really help your mentee and their business. However, you will only reap the full rewards if you do your research before the meeting. What is your mentee’s ultimate goal? Guidelines for the First Mentor/Mentee Session. But sometimes you really want to go deep with the questions you ask your mentor. 5. From your perspective, how is this mentorship going? For example, a mentee who is launching their own food truck might say something like: “I want to share my love for authentic Cajun food with my community.”. Have conversations with your mentor gotten repetitive? Here is a simple, but extraordinary, list of questions to use when talking with your mentor. The real rewarding work begins when you have your first official meeting. 3. Questions to Ask a Mentor. To guide you through this process, we’ve identified six key questions, designed to get the conversation started. What is your business case for an organisation to engaged in cross-cultural mentoring? Sticking to a budget? Mentorship is a scarce resource that not all have access to. When it comes to succeeding in life and in business, you should never be afraid to ask questions. How did you recover? She’s dedicated two decades to helping women advance into positions of influence by leveraging their, Jo Miller is a globally renowned authority on women’s leadership. Tell me about a recent setback and how you recovered? Keep track of your journey with meeting notes and actions. Ask questions such as: • How am I viewed? 4 Types Of Questions To Ask A Mentor. Before the first meeting. Did you envision this is where you would be? 2. First things first: Becoming somebody’s mentor is definitely worth your time. What am I doing well and what can I be doing better? Establish Meeting Times (approximately 10 min) Discuss times, dates, and places for meetings. Questions and suggestions for mentees to share with their mentors. by Theresa Bradley-Banta. Most entrepreneurs come into that meeting fully energised, with a lot of ideas. Some questions to consider: 1. Your mentee’s answer should help reveal their passion for their profession. 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