Mentoring Expectations from a Mentor

Who doesn’t want to grow in life? Be it for your professional or personal development, having a mentor is a blessing. Mentors share their knowledge, expertise, and experience to support their mentees and provide guidance so that they can accomplish their goals. A mentoring relationship gives you an edge that distinguishes you from your peers.

“A mentor is someone who allows you to see the hope inside yourself.” – Oprah Winfrey

Just like any other relationship, mentoring also creates expectations. But if you do not articulate the expectations that you have from your mentor, it will lead to miscommunication, confusion, and disappointment, which can ruin the relationship. 

You and your mentor must discuss and clarify mentoring expectations at the beginning of the program. It will minimize the chance of getting into potential problems and maximize your time together.

Most mentees, who are new to a mentoring program, have this one question- what should I expect from my mentor?

Here we will discuss the top 3 expectations that a mentee has from their mentors.

1. Communication and Time Commitment Are Common Mentoring Expectations

Communicating in mentoring is the key to make the relationship work. A mentor is expected to initiate conversations with the mentee, set goals for the program, and schedule meetings for the mentoring sessions. A mentee also expects that his/her mentor will communicate his ideas, thoughts, suggestions, expectations, feedback, and criticism well.

It’s a mentor’s responsibility to make the mentee comfortable and gain trust so that the mentee can open up in front of them. And proper communication can build that trust.

Time commitment is also expected from a mentor. If the mentor doesn’t show up in the meetings on time, or frequently postpones or cancels on the meetings, the mentee will lose interest in the relationship. That’s why a mentor must set up sessions when he/she can meet and stick to the plan.

2. Mentees Also Expect Connections & Resources from their Mentors

Mentors are experienced individuals; they have connections in the industry. A mentee expects that their mentor will introduce them to industry professionals – who they might not have access to otherwise – for their career growth.

If the mentor is an external resource, they have access to a whole new network of professionals. The mentor is expected to connect the mentee with individuals who have the potential to boost the mentee’s development opportunities.

Mentors also provide all the resources a mentee needs to accomplish their goals. They suggest books, seminars, webinars, and also resources from the organization that can help the mentee.

3. Respecting Mentee’s Confidentiality Is One of the Most Common Mentoring Expectations

A mentor must be trustworthy. Maintaining the mentee’s confidentiality is the most common expectation that a mentee has from a mentor. If the mentee cannot trust the mentor, he/she will never be vulnerable, and the whole purpose of mentoring will be defeated.

Whatever the mentee shares, is expected to be kept in between the two. The mentor will not discuss any of the mentee’s problems or concerns with anyone else in the organization- be it a manager, a higher authority, or a colleague.

Beyond these mentoring expectations, you and your mentor may develop some expectations with time that are specific to your relationship. Having realistic expectations can support your career development. The key is, your expectations should not be left unsaid.

Also Read:

How to Find a Mentor – 5 Things to Remember

7 Ways to Create a Successful Group Mentoring Program

Top Mentoring Training Strategies for New Mentors