The document discusses the importance of mentoring relationships and provides guidance on how to locate, initiate, and maintain these connections. It outlines the roles of mentors and mentees, the types of mentoring relationships available, and emphasizes mutual goals and accountability. Additionally, it covers appropriate behaviors for both parties and offers strategies for concluding the mentorship effectively.

1. The Quest for Inspiration:
Establishing and Optimizing Your
Mentee/Mentor Relationship

2. Introduction…
“Hello!”

3. Do any of these sound familiar?
• “I’m stuck in my career! I wish I knew what to do next.”
• “I have a million ideas but can’t determine the best one.”
• “I have goals but don’t know how to achieve them.”
• “I wish there were someone I could talk to about the way
this organization works! I can’t make sense of it!”
• “I just don’t feel like I get honest feedback from anyone.”
• “I feel like I’m missing the big picture!”
• “I’ve handed out 100s of business cards, but my
networking isn’t doing anything for me!”
• “My friends with mentors seem to progress faster.”
You might benefit by working with a mentor!

4. We said we’d do the following today…
Learn:
• How to locate a mentor
• How to initiate & maintain a relationship
• Specifics about mentor & mentee roles
• Why mutual goals & accountability are vital
So let’s get started!

5. Let’s discuss the following …
• What is mentoring?
• Are there different types of mentoring?
• Is a mentoring relationship right for you?
• Why do mentors engage in mentoring?
• Where can you find a mentor?
• How can you make the connection?
• How can you prepare for a mentoring relationship?
• How do you know what to work on with a mentor?
• What are appropriate “Do/Don’t” role behaviors?
• How should you conclude your mentoring relationship?
• How can you help others interested in mentoring?
“That’s a whole lotta info.”
Yep.
Hey. ‘Sup?

6. But before we do…
Feed your brain!

7. What is mentoring?
Teacher
FriendAdvisor
CounselorGuide
Role Model
“Mentor” was a character in “The Odyssey”
Def: To help define, understand, and pursue our goals.
Good mentoring inspires!

8. Why do mentors engage in mentoring?
Share “tacit” knowledge
Shape a legacy
Rejuvenate a career…
adding energy!
Give back… duty
Create a better world!
Grow!
Mentoring has mutual benefits

9. Are there different types of mentoring relationships?
Informal vs. Formal
One-to-One New hire… “newbie”
Peer-to-Peer
Cross-generational Group/Board of Directors

10. Is a mentoring relationship right for you?
http://wrinklefeet.blogspot.com/2013/07/being-grown-up-how-to-handle-crisis.html
Have you hit a plateau?
Aspire to a “next level”?
Uncertain about direction?
Open to collaborative learning?

11. Where can you locate a mentor?
Formal? Informal?
Volunteer Organizations
Professional Associations
Company Programs
Neighbors & Friends
Teachers/Professors
College AlumFormer Supervisors
Online Forums

12. And how do I make the connection?
Identify potential candidate(s)
If needed, request intro
Discuss mutual interests
Ask
You have nothing to lose, and everything to gain!

13. How can you prepare for a mentoring relationship?
Do you share values?
What do you hope to achieve?
What are your motivations?
Individually, then jointly determine…
Should you decide to move forward…
Speaking about personalities…

14. How can you “negotiate” the experience?
What are the ground rules?
• Time
• Frequency
• Means
How do you learn best? How will you assess?
Might a “charter” be of use?

15. What should you work on with a mentor?
Soliciting, receiving feedback
Curiosity and Inquiry
Honest self-assessment Reflection & Introspection
Goals and progress
Understanding “networking”
Identifying “life” lessons
Consider a journal…

16. Appropriate “do” and “don’t” role behaviors…
DO:
• Set goals
• Communicate
• Maintain contact
• Stay Professional
• Respect boundaries
• Respect “networks”
DON’T:
• Abuse the privilege
• Assume status
• Cross personal lines
• Expect “decisions”

17. How should you conclude your mentoring relationship?
Consolidate the learning
• Review, acknowledge progress
• Did you achieve goals?
• What was most valuable lesson?
• What else remains?
• What did you learn about yourself?
Integrate: Apply what you’ve learned
Celebrate! Express gratitude!
Evaluate: Has partnership evolved? Friendship?
“Concluding” can simply mean moving to a new phase…

18. How can you help others?
Volunteer!
Create a program
Create conditions and environments that favor mentoring
Connect and Introduce

19. In review… we discussed the following!
• What is mentoring?
• Are there different types of mentoring?
• Is a mentoring relationship right for you?
• Why do mentors engage in mentoring?
• Where can you find a mentor?
• How can you make the connection?
• How can you prepare for a mentoring relationship?
• How do you know what to work on with a mentor?
• What are appropriate “Do/Don’t” role behaviors?
• How should you conclude your mentoring relationship?
• How can you help others interested in mentoring?
We covered a lot.
Cool. Whoa!

20. Did we do the following today??
Learn:
• How to locate a mentor
• How to initiate & maintain a relationship
• Specifics about mentor & mentee roles
• Why mutual goals & accountability are vital
I think we did this!

21. Remember…
It’s been an honor and a pleasure!
russblaine@gmail.com