The mentor-mentee relationship can be likened to that of a painting, with the mentor providing the broad and clear strokes of direction and the mentee filling in the details. To continue the analogy, the colours are the skills that are being built as you work together. As a partnership, you\u2019ll be using a broad range of techniques to create a piece of art.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This kind of teamwork, of course, requires a lot of collaboration. It requires both parties to understand one another, work with one another, and help one another. Without building this remarkable relationship, the masterpiece will never be successfully completed. But how can you create this kind of collaborative mentor-mentee relationship?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There\u2019s a lot of discussion on the characteristics of a good mentoring relationship, we\u2019ve compiled this guide to the most essential elements that both sides agree with completely.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
First on our list of keys to a successful mentoring relationship is the importance of maintaining open communication. This is a no-brainer, and yet it\u2019s also the hardest of the lot.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Everyone knows that without communication a relationship simply cannot work. You need to talk to teach, clarify and understand. You need to communicate to understand viewpoints, give feedback<\/a> (and receive it), improve, and build up. So why is it so hard?<\/p>\n\n\n\n Life can get in the way of so many good things if we allow it to. Hours rush by and time disappears. Before you know it, you haven\u2019t spoken to each other in weeks. Whose responsibility is it to re-open communication?<\/p>\n\n\n\n Many would say it\u2019s the responsibility of the mentee. After all, if they really want to learn, they\u2019d keep the lines of communication open. But it\u2019s also the responsibility of the mentor. If enough time goes by, the mentee may be put off reopening those lines. Sometimes, a little bit of encouragement can go a long way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n There are ways you can improve the lines of communication if needed too. Dropping your mentor or mentee a quick message or email is an easy way to re-open the lines of communication if you haven\u2019t spoken for a while.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Periods of inactivity in your mentor-mentee relationship can be avoided by setting specific times in the calendar when you talk. Once a week for an hour can go a long way, whether it\u2019s via phone, Zoom or another video conferencing app, or even by meeting up for lunch or a coffee. By taking the initiative to set up something regular right at the start of the relationship and making it a priority to stick to it, you\u2019re setting lines of communication that will improve your relationship after every meeting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Taylor Lautner once said: \u201cHonesty and Loyalty are key. If two people can be honest with each other about everything, that\u2019s probably the biggest key to success.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Both parties in a mentor and mentee relationship need to be honest with each other. \u201cWhy wouldn\u2019t they be?\u201d, I hear you ask. When you think about it, we all have a tendency to be slightly dishonest with ourselves and others. Do any of these phrases sound familiar?<\/p>\n\n\n\n Such dishonesty, even in these small ways, can cause problems in the mentor-mentee relationship. For example: if a mentor doesn\u2019t want to give honest feedback because of its negative connotations, then the mentee will never improve; if the mentee says they can meet a goal in a certain period when they really can\u2019t, they\u2019re going to miss targets or find themselves under immense stress; if either side hears something and promises the other that they\u2019ll remember it and then doesn\u2019t, that can start breaking down trust in the relationship.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Honesty needs to be in the small things as well as the big things. Be clear with each other on what you can and can\u2019t achieve. Make it clear at the start of the mentoring relationship that honesty is expected from both sides, no matter what that honesty means. Even if it\u2019s feedback that can hurt, it\u2019s essential to the growth of your mentor-mentee relationship, and you\u2019ll both be closer to it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Mentoring goals<\/a> should be reachable. The mentee can expect the mentor to help them set the right type of goals and the mentor can expect the mentee to reach them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In a game of football, each member of the team expects them to play their part. That\u2019s how the game will be won. If any member is too busy inciting the crowd or checking his phone, they aren\u2019t playing their part and they\u2019ll lose the respect of their team. Why?<\/p>\n\n\n\n Those expectations mean a lot! To not live up to the achievable expectations that have been set out for you is to disrespect the other person – it will undermine the mentor-mentee relationship, eventually ending it completely unless something is done.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Tips for mentors:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Tips for mentees:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Respect is one of the most important characteristics of a good mentoring relationship of all. Both the mentor and the mentee invest a lot of time and effort into making the partnership work, reaching the necessary goals and doing projects together, so both sides need to respect the effort that the other is putting in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Respect means showing honour to one another, being mindful of each other\u2019s needs, cares and feelings. It also means speaking with respect, listening carefully and being patient.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you admire someone, you don\u2019t look down on them or lecture them, and you give them a chance to speak, even if they\u2019ve done something you don\u2019t agree with. Respect is about being considerate, thoughtful and polite, no matter who they are, what their standing is or where they\u2019re from.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Respect in a mentor-mentee relationship needs to go both ways. It\u2019s easy to admire and respect a mentor, as you wouldn\u2019t have asked them to be a mentor if you didn\u2019t respect what they had achieved. In turn, mentors should respect their mentee for their potential and what they could become.<\/p>\n\n\n\n To be respectful of each other, it\u2019s good to first note all the positive qualities about each other. While you may not naturally respect them, searching for positive qualities helps you to build your respect. Some practical things you can both do to improve respect include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Setting boundaries is another of the keys of a successful mentoring relationship – it\u2019s crucial so that both sides know where they stand. As a result, misunderstandings are less likely and frustrations can be avoided. But what kind of boundaries are we talking about?<\/p>\n\n\n\n Ready to embark on your next mentor-mentee relationship? Career Navig8r\u2019s online mentoring platform makes it easy to build a collaborative partnership that works for both parties.<\/p>\n\n\n\n2. Honesty<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
3. Goals and Expectations<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
4. Respect<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
5. Boundaries<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Create a Mentor-Mentee Relationship That Works For You<\/h2>\n\n\n\n