Mentoring Expectations
Mentor/Protege Mutual Expectations
Successful mentor-protégé relationships should be fulfilling and beneficial for all involved. Use these tips for a more effective and productive relationship:
- Keep communications open
Mentor: Help your protégé set realistic expectations. Also, if you know you will be unavailable because of business or personal travel, let them know.
Protégé: Be upfront. Let your mentor know what your goals are and what you hope to take away from the program.
- Offer support
Mentor: Encourage communication and participation. Help create a solid plan of action.
Protégé: Remember that your mentor is there for you, but is only a guide.
- Define expectations
Mentor: Help set up a system to measure achievement.
Protégé: Review your goals. Make sure your mentor knows what to expect from you.
- Maintain contact
Mentor: Respond to your e-mails. Answer questions and provide advice, resources and guidance when appropriate.
Protégé: Be polite and courteous. Keep up with your e-mails and ask questions.
- Be honest
Mentor: Be truthful in your evaluations, but also be tactful.
Protégé: Let your mentor know if you don’t understand something or have a differing opinion.
- Actively participate
Mentor: Engage in your own learning while you are mentoring, collaborate on projects, ask questions and experiment.
Protégé: Listen. Ask if you can observe your mentor’s work if they are local.
- Be innovative and creative
Mentor: Share your ideas, give advice and be a resource for new ideas.
Protégé: Offer ideas on what activities and exercises you can do together.
- Get to know each other
Mentor and Protégé: Remember that people come from diverse backgrounds and experiences. Get to know each other on an individual basis.
- Be reliable and consistent
Mentor and Protégé: The more consistent you are, the more you will be trusted.
- Stay positive
Mentor: Recognize the work the protégé has done and the progress made.
Protégé: Remember that your mentor is offering feedback and not criticizing.