A mentorship typically morphs into different relationships over time, but it is very important to have an idea of what I want at the beginning of a meeting. • How can I become better at managing people who do not report to me? What you talk about, and the one on one meeting questions you ask, make all the difference in the performance of your team. Based on her work with hundreds of thousands of women, she developed a pragmatic and powerful roadmap that guides women to become the leaders they aspire to be. 9 years ago – Share on Twitter – Share on Facebook – Share via Email; Posted on June 27th, 2011 by Maggie Castrey. Award-winning speaker and researcher • CEO of Be Leaderly • Author of Woman of Influence: 9 Steps to Build Your Brand, Establish Your Legacy, & Thrive (McGraw-Hill), EY & Citi On The Importance Of Resilience And Innovation, Impact 50: Investors Seeking Profit — And Pushing For Change, Michigan Economic Development Corporation With Forbes Insights, 803,000 Americans Filed For Unemployment Last Week: 70 Million Sought Unemployment Benefits Since The Pandemic, President Trump Calls For $2,000 Stimulus Checks And Says The $600 Is A ‘Disgrace’, 5 Personal Branding Lessons From Global K-Pop Sensation BTS, Five Striking Personal Branding Lessons From K-Pop Sensation Blackpink, 2020 In Review: The Top 3 Most Expensive Hiring Mistakes, Being A Whistleblower: What’s Protected And What’s Unlawful, Twitter Erupted In Anger Over The Scant $600 Offered To Americans While Billions Given To Foreign Countries, Ten Questions To Reflect On 2020 To Grow Leadership Agility, How Doing Laundry Made Me More Productive, Seven Paths To Success As A Freelance Entrepreneur. Mentorship is a scarce resource that not all have access to. Don’t write off the relationship too quickly, even if it seems like it may have run its course. Some questions to consider: 1. You may opt-out by. How did you handle it? Meeting your mentor for the first time can be a daunting prospect. For example, you could inquire: “How did you get to where you are today?” or “How did you land your current role?” But you could also ask more specific questions that address your career objectives and concerns. Ask your mentor to tell a story from his or her career. Keep track of your journey with meeting notes and actions. Below are four types of questions to ask your mentor, along with 10 related examples for each type. As mentor, you are the guardian of the relationship because of your experience and knowledge. Ask questions such as: • How am I viewed? What are some keys to success? 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. FLiP Mentoring Program. • I have been asked to facilitate a team-building activity at a staff retreat. 4 Types Of Questions To Ask A Mentor. their answers from question four). How did you recover? • I'm considering a career transition. Discuss with your mentor which goals you can work towards together, and the required first steps. And give this list to those whom you mentor, encouraging them to use it to maximize the value of the time you spend together. You’ve illuminated their overall goals and honed in on the challenges they face—now, it’s simply a matter of aligning those areas with your specific skills, expertise or resources. 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. How did you bounce back? • Think back to five years ago. 1) What are you most excited about right now? People have a natural tendency to focus on the things that they do best (i.e. And the answer was “Yes!” But a year into the relationship, those monthly mentoring sessions might not invigorate you like they used to, and aren’t quite as energizing for the mentor, either. 7. The first meeting with your mentee is an opportunity to start building your relationship and identifying subjects that warrant further discussion. Share your professional goals and, as relevant, your life situation. Consider your own experience and strengths, and what you’ll bring to the relationship. Some questions to consider: 1. This discussion-starter opens the conversation on a positive note. • Do you have a template that you use for long-range visioning and strategic planning? Can you tell me about a time when you had a difficult boss? • Can you tell me about a time when you had a difficult boss? 7. Can you weigh in to help me make a final decision? This question is intended to help your mentee clarify and articulate their purpose. Jo Miller is a globally renowned authority on women’s leadership. © MicroMentor Copyright 2020. What does that mean? Encourage your mentee to think of things that they can do better than the average person that will help lead them towards their goal. Is there a skill you’re currently working to enhance, such as project management, long-term strategic planning, delegating, or public speaking? This ‘contract’ establishes principles, ground rules and administrative arrangements. Why are they in the business that they are in? What drives them to do the work that they do? How did you handle it? • I’ve heard that taking a stretch assignment could help my career trajectory. • When trying to gain buy-in to implement a new program, what tactics have worked for you? 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. What’s the best advice you can give to help plan a career rather than simply work to keep a job? The five questions I recommend are: 1. It doesn't hurt if you write down your questions in advance! Check-in time. 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. Question #3: What are you currently doing well that’s helping you get there? How did you learn to embrace failure? But sometimes you really want to go deep with the questions you ask your mentor. Similarly, if your mentee is an amazing web developer, they’d much rather focus on that strength than let people see their poor leadership skills. • How could I have communicated my idea more clearly? Before the meeting, think about what you want to learn from the mentor. 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 … For example, if you are an incredible soccer player, you’d much rather show off that capability than let people see you struggle in a baseball game. How did you land your current role? You may not get through all of them, but that way you'll have something to get the conversation started. The first mentor-mentee meeting is often characterized by anticipation and nervousness. What topics should you discuss in your first mentoring session? Jo shares this proven process in her book Woman of Influence: 9 Steps to Build Your Brand, Establish Your Legacy, and Thrive (McGraw Hill, 2019.) 2. • My performance review is coming up. With these four types of questions and their accompanying examples, you’ll never sit through another mentoring conversation wondering if the other person is finding the discussion useful. What are the most important things you will focus on before w… 5. • How can I stay connected to key influencers who do not work in same office or geographical area? Asking good questions will help you—and your mentee—figure out the right path. 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.”. • Who are the people I need to align with in this organization to achieve success? Tell me about a recent setback and how you recovered? Mentor and Mentee Questions and Tips. 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? Can you tell me about a time when you had a difficult boss? Ask your mentee for a short bio to introduce themselves. 4. This is a great way to pinpoint your mentee’s core strengths. • Am I viewed as high-maintenance when I send my boss weekly status updates? After starting with the obvious question: “How do you think others perceive me?” become more specific, so your mentor can assist by “holding up the mirror” and providing detailed feedback on how your actions and communication are impacting the way others see you. Others feel inferior to their mentor, owing to their deficit in experience. Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own. Stories. • What’s the most important leadership lesson you’ve learned and how has it proven invaluable? It may be useful to allow more time for this meeting than subsequent discussions. When asked in this order, these questions provide a great framework for determining your mentee’s business challenges—which in turn, can help you deliver better guidance as a mentor. MicroMentor is the world’s largest community of entrepreneurs and volunteer business mentors. 2. What are the pros and cons? • What do you wish you had known before taking your first management role? Did you envision your career as it is today? by Theresa Bradley-Banta. For example: • I tried to delegate a task last week and it did not go well. What do you do to constantly challenge your underlying beliefs and assumptions? 1. That means when you find a mentor, you have to ask engaging questions. 2. To guide you through this process, we’ve identified six key questions, designed to get the conversation started. 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. Sample Agenda for First Mentoring Session. taking a stretch assignment could help my career trajectory. Mentors are very busy. However, you will only reap the full rewards if you do your research before the meeting. Ask your mentor to tell a story from his or her career. When it comes to succeeding in life and in business, you should never be afraid to ask questions. Have conversations with your mentor gotten repetitive? These questions should ensure the most important things get discussed during each meeting. Question #5: What can you do differently to overcome those challenges? You don’t want to spend your first meeting or phone call talking about the weather, so you think of a problem your connection might be interested in solving. This is about helping your mentee prioritize the right things. Your mentee’s answer should help reveal their passion for their profession. The real rewarding work begins when you have your first official meeting. 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. At your first meeting, let your mentor know you’ll be tracking success and stay committed to it. Think back to five years ago. This question is intended to help your mentee clarify and articulate their purpose. Although your mentor doesn’t need to know everything about you, openly share your hopes and fears. Both parties want to make a good first impression. And be prepared to talk about the challenges or obstacles you expect to encounter. It’s important for your mentees to recognize their weaknesses and the challenges that are standing in the way of their success. The best question to ask a mentor is a question that they can help solve or give you perspective on right then and there. This can be helpful to your mentee and also help you better understand the guidance and direction they need. • Was there ever a role you applied for and landed, but weren't 100% qualified to do? Typically, first meetings allow the mentee and mentor to get to know a little bit about each other, attach a face to a name and gain a bit of comfort. The problem with this tendency is that while your mentee may boast a phenomenal work ethic, if they are not focusing their hard work on the right things, they will be very limited in their progress. Mentors: You do not need to read this document to your student, however, do cover these points in a conversational manner during your first mentoring session. Why are they in the business that they are in? Below are four types of questions to ask your mentor, along with 10 related examples for each type. Hey, everybody likes to talk about themselves! That way, if you like how you’re perceived, you can embrace it and take steps to strengthen that positive perception. How do you encourage innovative ideas? For me ask yourself what your biggest challenge is at the outset of the business that might be daunting. 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