
Mentorship programs play a vital role in employee job satisfaction, retention rates, and career development. According to Forbes, 70% of U.S. Fortune 500 companies have mentoring programs. Learning from successful examples can help employers better train mentors for their teams. This article will contain best practices regarding mentorship you can implement today.

In this article:

[Benefits of mentoring programs](#benefits-of-mentoring-programs)

1.  [Always provide honest feedback](#always-provide-honest-feedback)
    
2.  [Start a mutually beneficial relationship](#start-a-mutually-beneficial-relationship)
    
3.  [Be a good motivator](#be-a-good-motivator)
    
4.  [Analyze improvement areas](#analyze-improvement-areas)
    
5.  [Gather feedback](#gather-feedback)
    
6.  [Pick leaders](#pick-leaders)
    
7.  [Match mentors and mentees carefully](#match-mentors-and-mentees-carefully)
    
8.  [Have a robust support system](#have-a-robust-support-system)
    
9.  [Come up with rules](#come-up-with-rules)
    
10.  [Conduct a training session](#conduct-a-training-session)
     
11.  [Show recognition](#show-recognition)
     
12.  [Track feedback and performance](#track-feedback-and-performance)
     

[Provide the best mentoring program](#provide-the-best-mentoring-program)

## **Benefits of Mentoring Programs**

Mentorships are excellent opportunities for new or less competent workers to learn from more experienced colleagues. Leaders can guide the mentees through different job specifics and boost their skills, procedures, and workplace relationships.

Overall benefits of these programs include, but are not limited to:

- Better leadership skills
- A more productive workforce
- Ability for feedback
- Broadened networking
    

To achieve most of the benefits, it’s important to take the mentorship program seriously. These best practices will help you get there faster.

* * *

## **1\. Always Provide Honest Feedback**

Everyone appreciates transparency. Mentees are in a mentoring program because they need to learn or improve their skills. They expect clear, transparent, and frequent feedback. As a mentor, you want to engage in authentic, direct communication with your mentees.

Include practical advice and positive feedback the mentee can apply immediately. Ideally, you can ask the mentee about the specific feedback type they prefer. Maybe their ideal communication style is different from what you had in mind.

* * *

## **2\. Start a Mutually Beneficial Relationship**

Mentees can only improve through the mentorship program if their benefits are also valuable to you. It’s important to have clear goals for the mentor-mentee relationship. Think about how you can learn from your mentee about your industry, their generation, new technology trends, and more.

* * *

## **3\. Be a Good Motivator**

Motivating your mentees along the way is crucial for the success of the mentorship program. Inspire them to try new things, engage them in honest dialogue, and show them you’re confident about their abilities. Praise is a major [motivation booster](https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/why-praising-people-work-so-important-aleksander-gozdek/) and can also help increase the employee’s self-esteem.

* * *

## **4\. Analyze Improvement Areas**

Identify the specific [improvement areas](https://mentorlyblog.co/http-mentorlyblog-co-home/5-ways-to-invest-in-yourself/) you want your team to make. Complete this step at the beginning of the program to achieve the best results. For example, you may want to set mentorship goals for sales teams to help newcomers boost their sales revenue numbers.

* * *

## **5\. Gather Feedback**

Always ask employees for feedback. Do so at every step of the mentoring program. You can send surveys to ask about changes the participants would like to see in the program. The survey can also be about the work areas where they need extra guidance or any general questions they may have. The responses you receive as part of the feedback can help fine-tune your mentorship program goals.

* * *

## **6\. Pick Leaders**

Not everyone can be a [mentor](https://mentorlyblog.co/http-mentorlyblog-co-community-news/how-to-be-a-better-mentor-the-secrets-to-active-listening/). Select employees with the strongest leadership skills in your team for the role. You can test their decision-making, communication, and problem-solving skills to find the ideal candidate.

Also, not all employees benefit from becoming mentors. Pick the ones who have space for professional growth and who you know will be motivated for the role. After all, the success of the mentorship program will, in good part, depend on your mentors’ abilities to host it.

A good mentor should have multiple of the following qualities:

- Advanced listening skills
- Investment in growth and education
- Readiness to devote time to the program
- Strong feedback capability
- Positive outlook
- Integrity and honesty
- Adaptability and resilience
- Proper industry knowledge
* * *

## **7\. Match Mentors and Mentees Carefully**

Depending on the extent of the program and the team’s size, you may have to put extra effort into pairing mentees with the right mentors. Some employees are used to working more closely together, while others aren’t.

A good example would be hiring a senior marketing specialist to work with a younger marketing team member. A bad example would be hiring a new young marketing employee with a person from your financial or HR department.

Finally, it’s important to consider the improvement areas before pairing people, as well as the ongoing dynamics of their professional relationships. Pair mentees with people with whom they have a productive and positive relationship.

* * *

## **8\. Have a Robust Support System**

If you’re working with a large team, have at least one person supervise the program. Maybe the mentees will want to adapt or change the mentorship match. An employee may feel like they could better improve with another mentor instead of the one they received. They can reach out to the supervisor and ask for a change.

* * *

## **9\. Come Up With Rules**

Setting rules is important for the mentorship program to run smoothly and efficiently. Set different procedures for mentees, mentors, and supervisors. You can also set up a rubric where mentors can evaluate the mentees’ performance. As a result, all members stay informed about mentorship practices. You also get a quality structure to ease communication.

* * *

## **10\. Conduct a Training Session**

Ensure everyone understands their roles and possibilities in a mentorship program. You can make these things clear by organizing mentorship training. You can use that time to introduce team members to mentors, explain the procedures, and share documents. The training is perfect timing to help mentees get comfortable in front of their mentors and vice versa.

* * *

## **11\. Show Recognition**

Recognition is among the leading drivers of [employee engagement](https://hbr.org/2021/03/research-a-little-recognition-can-provide-a-big-morale-boost/), as per Harvard Business Review research. Recognize the success of your mentors and mentees from the very first day of the program. You can go a step further and introduce rewards for participants that achieve their goals. Chances are, employees who don’t participate in the program will also want to join.

* * *

## **12\. Track Feedback and Performance**

Tracking the performance and feedback is crucial in understanding the success of your mentorship program. After the training has been going on for a specific time, you can assess its effectiveness. Ways to do this include sending out surveys, conducting group meetings, or reviewing mentee performance.

* * *

## **Provide the Best Mentorship Program – Invest in a Mentoring Software**

Organizing a top-notch [mentoring program](https://mentorlyblog.co/http-mentorlyblog-co-mentorly-news/how-to-a-guide-to-starting-your-own-mentorship-program/) can be challenging. With so many activities, performance tracking, and other tasks to think about, employers often get lost and don’t even know where to start. Luckily, you have a Mentorly subscription and our team is and software are here to help! You can now create an inspiring, effective, and well-organized mentoring program with all of the support you need.

Get more guidance on planning, guiding and scaling your program, reach out to us on live chat, or email [support@mentorly.co](mailto:support@mentorly.co).


This article will contain best practices regarding mentorship you can implement today.

Mentorship Best Practices: Lessons From Industry Leaders


In this article:

[Why belonging matters](#why-belonging-matters)

[What is mentorship?](#what-is-mentorship)

[Importance of mentorship for employee retention](#importance-of-mentorship-for-employee-retention)

[Importance of mentorship for career development](#importance-of-mentorship-for-career-development)

[Benefits of mentorship programs for employers](#benefits-of-mentorship-programs-for-employers)

[Potential challenges of mentoring programs](#potential-challenges-of-mentoring-programs)

[Mentoring software to build the best programs](#mentoring-software-to-build-the-best-programs)

![](/images/help/articles/the-impact-of-mentorship-on-employee-retention-and-career-development-1.png)

# **Why belonging matters**

According to a [study](https://www.td.org/press-release/new-research-by-atd-mentoring-helps-employees-and-leads-to-better-business/) by the Association for Talent Development, higher employee retention is among the top benefits of mentoring programs. Higher employee retention is more important than ever in modern workplaces with waning employee loyalty and more frequent job hopping.

When employees feel connected to the organization and have a sense of belonging, they’re more likely to stay. Studies show that mentorship programs can, indeed, make employees more loyal. [Deloitte](https://www2.deloitte.com/content/dam/Deloitte/global/Documents/About-Deloitte/gx-millenial-survey-2016-exec-summary.pdf/)’s fifth annual millennial survey showed that almost 2/3 of survey takers would stay at their companies longer if offered mentorships.

* * *

## **What Is Mentorship?**

Mentorship or mentoring programs tap into senior or high-performing employees’ existing skills, experience, and knowledge. The goal is for their knowledge and skills to be transferred to people that undergo a mentoring program.

There are three ways to implement mentoring:

- Distance mentoring – Meeting from remote locations
- Individual mentoring – In-person meetings
- Group mentoring – A group of mentees participating in a program with a single mentor
    

With mentorship, you get to assist the decision-making process of your employees, refine their points of view, and help them adjust better to the new work environment. You’ll find more on the benefits of mentorship below.

* * *

## **Importance of Mentorship for Employee Retention**

Many companies struggle with unfulfilled potential, increased turnover rates, and disengaged workers. Employee turnover has slowly become a predominant challenge for businesses worldwide. There are at least seven reasons for this behavior:

- Hiring entry-level workers who don’t plan to stay for long
- Hiring minimum-wage workers
- Offering lower compensation than the competitors
- Poor project and people management
- Easy access to job listings on the web for employees
- Different priorities for workers
- An increase in remote working opportunities
    

While not all of these reasons are in the control of the employer, some of them certainly are. The lack of proper mentorship is an important factor in employees leaving their jobs. In fact, almost [94%](https://learning.linkedin.com/resources/workplace-learning-report) of employees would stay at their current job if they received more chances to learn and grow.

Mentorship is an excellent opportunity to promote growth and boost the self-esteem of employees. A [Center for Creative Leadership](https://www.ccl.org/articles/leading-effectively-articles/mentoring-at-work-how-and-why-to-make-it-work-for-your-organization/) study showed that employees who participate in mentorship activities stay at their company the longest. These workers also have the highest job satisfaction.

* * *

## **Importance of Mentorship for Career Development**

Mentorship offers employees a unique opportunity to learn from teammates or professionals with more experience in a particular field. A [mentor](https://mentorlyblog.co/http-mentorlyblog-co-community-news/how-to-be-a-better-mentor-the-secrets-to-active-listening/) can provide support, guidance, and valuable advice. All of this helps fine-tune and develop a new employee’s skillset. As a result, the employee has a better career path and can get the proper training to work with tools that can help them succeed.

According to [CNBC](https://www.cnbc.com/2021/10/14/1-in-4-workers-quit-their-job-this-year-according-to-new-report.html#:~:text=Work-,1%20in%204%20workers%20quit%20their%20job%20this%20year%E2%80%94here's,are%20getting%20wrong%20about%20retention&text=At%20least%20one%20in%20four,the%20people%20analytics%20firm%20Visier/), people are changing jobs at unprecedented rates. The lack of quality mentoring programs is certainly a major contributor to that problem. A Bureau of Labor Statistics study shows a [57%](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/pdf/jolts.pdf) turnover rate. Of that number, 25% is due to voluntary turnovers.

Also, according to the [Association for Talent Development](https://www.td.org/press-release/new-research-by-atd-mentoring-helps-employees-and-leads-to-better-business/) study, the same percentage of employees (57%) who participate in mentorship programs say the experience was very effective and helped them learn and achieve professional goals.

Mentoring offers tremendous [benefits](https://mentorlyblog.co/http-mentorlyblog-co-home/5-ways-to-invest-in-yourself/) for employees. It also adds diversity to the workplace and puts performance and quality first. What best evidence to prove that than the [CNBC survey](https://www.cnbc.com/2019/07/16/nine-in-10-workers-who-have-a-mentor-say-they-are-happy-in-their-jobs.html/) saying nine out of ten workers with a career mentor are happy with their current jobs?

As an organizational executive, you should realize that your employees are your biggest asset. When you connect them in a mentorship program, they become committed to boosting organizational productivity and performance.

* * *

## **Benefits of Mentorship Programs for Employers**

A [Society for Human Resource Management](https://lrshrm.shrm.org/blog/2017/10/essential-elements-employee-retention/) reports that employers often have to spend up to nine months of their employee’s salary to find a replacement. An employee who earns $60,000 can cost up to $45,000 to hire a replacement.

A similar study by the [Center for America Progress](https://templatearchive.com/cost-of-turnover/) shows that one lost employee can cost the company up to 16% of that employee’s salary for hourly employees. For unsalaried workers, the percentage can go to a whopping 213% for highly trained individuals. As an example, a highly trained worker who makes more than $120,000 per year could cost the company more than $250,000.

Employers don’t only benefit from mentorship programs in the financial aspect. The lower turnover rate, higher productivity, and increased satisfaction of employees help the organization in the long run. A mentored employee is more connected to their company, has higher chances of staying loyal, and is more likely to work hard.

Before employers start a mentorship program, they should prepare actionable objectives they can measure to track the impact on employee retention. Some key performance indicators to measure include retention rates, engagement activities, satisfaction scores, and skill development targets.

* * *

## **Potential Challenges of Mentoring Programs**

[Mentoring programs](https://mentorlyblog.co/http-mentorlyblog-co-mentorly-news/how-to-a-guide-to-starting-your-own-mentorship-program/) can be of tremendous help to boost employee retention and career development. However, there are potential challenges worth considering when organizing a mentoring program in a traditional way:

- Success measurement and assessment
- Communication management
- Matching bias
    

Luckily, mentoring software can help eliminate these challenges and boost the effectiveness of your next mentorship program. The matching biased is eliminated using smart mentor matches. The software also allows easy communication and has KPIs you can measure effortlessly. Programs such as Mentorly have all it takes to transform your “okay” program into a robust experience for employees to value forever.

* * *

## **Don’t Neglect the Importance of Mentorships – Rely on Mentoring Software to build the best programs!**

Mentorship is a win-win for both employers and employees. The approach to mentorship programs can make all the difference in how employees interact and view their employers. So if you’re looking to increase employee loyalty and satisfaction, consider mentorships as essential parts of your organization.

The stats mentioned in this article indicate that mentorship plays a crucial role in employee retention and career development. As an employer, it’s your responsibility to use all available tools and implement a mentoring software or platform to boost employee engagement.

You’re in luck! As a Mentorly enabled program, we help you facilitate mentorship programs, up-skill your people, and boost the overall job satisfaction and productivity rate of employees. Use it for remote mentorship, professional networks, or skills development in one or multiple departments.

[Learn more here about how Mentorly is the best fit for mentorship](/en/help/program-manager/mentorly-the-best-fit-for-mentorship)


Taking a closer look to understand the connection between mentorship and employee retention and career development.

The Impact of Mentorship on Employee Retention and Career Development


In this article:

[Diversity and inclusion in the workspace](#diversity-and-inclusion-in-the-workspace)

[Promoting diversity and inclusion through mentorship](#promoting-diversity-and-inclusion-through-mentorship)

[Many benefits of mentoring for diversity and inclusion](#many-benefits-of-mentoring-for-diversity-and-inclusion)

[The power of mentoring relationships](#the-power-of-mentoring-relationships)

[Mentorly - The all round solution for effective mentorship](#mentorly-the-all-round-solution-for-effective-mentorship)

![](/images/help/articles/the-link-between-diversity-and-inclusion-and-effective-mentorship-1.png)

Diversity and inclusion are vital for the success of any modern business. The two factors also have an undeniable link with effective mentorship. An organization that creates a welcoming environment for all individuals fosters a feeling of acceptance and safety. When a mentee feels respected, valued, and supported, they engage in authentic conversations and relationships, all of which are keys to effective mentorship.

An organization that prioritizes diversity and inclusion also creates an atmosphere of understanding. [Mentors](https://mentorlyblog.co/http-mentorlyblog-co-community-news/how-to-be-a-better-mentor-the-secrets-to-active-listening/) and mentees can openly share their experiences and perspectives. As a result, mentors can provide support and guidance according to every individual’s needs.

* * *

## **Diversity and Inclusion in the Workspace**

Before we dive any deeper, let’s outline what diversity and inclusion in the workspace are and why they are important:

- Diversity means including a broad variety of people of different ages, locations, etc., in a workforce.
- Inclusion means factoring every team member equally.
    

There are different ways companies can promote diversity and inclusion in the workplace:

- Hire a designated Diversity and Inclusion Director.
- Conduct sensitivity classes and training.
- Tie diversity goals to retention and succession planning.
- Launch a mentoring program.
    

Many managers take it for granted that every individual navigates the world differently. The truth is that personal and physical characteristics affect the way employees experience life and work, creating a wide range of perspectives.

It may seem like a no-brainer that solving problems and understanding methods or experiences requires accounting for all these perspectives. But some managers may think that the amount of differing opinions prevents them from implementing diversity in the workplace.

However, a study by Cloverpop found that the decision-making process improves in teams with higher team diversity. Teams consisting of a wide range of geographic locations and ages are [87%](https://www.forbes.com/sites/eriklarson/2017/09/21/new-research-diversity-inclusion-better-decision-making-at-work/?sh=6d6a6884cbfa/) more efficient at making business decisions.

So how does the mentoring program actually help with diversity and inclusion?

* * *

## **Promoting Diversity and Inclusion Through Mentorship**

The Harvard Business Review published [research](https://hbr.org/2018/03/5-things-we-learned-about-creating-a-successful-workplace-diversity-program/) that shows that in order to create a successful workplace, it’s important to create more opportunities to ensure continued engagement. Engagement opportunities are available in numerous forms. Mentorship programs are a great option. If your goal is to retain talent, mentoring is vital to achieving that.

Mentoring programs are also a great place to start if you want to promote diversity and inclusion in your workspace. Diversity-driven mentoring programs aim to empower and support minority employees, develop their skills, and increase their leadership succession.

Many people report that mentoring is an important part of their careers. The Heidrick and Struggles partner David Pruner [explains](https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/study-women-and-minorities-value-mentoring-programs-but-findings-reveal-opportunities-for-improved-effectiveness-300575517.html/) that companies that aim to attract, retain, and engage talent from ethnic minorities should implement a formal mentoring program. He explains that it’s ever more important for businesses to address the demand and recognize diversity and inclusion as the key driver of a healthy corporate culture.

The [same study](https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/study-women-and-minorities-value-mentoring-programs-but-findings-reveal-opportunities-for-improved-effectiveness-300575517.html/) shows that women and minorities more often report the importance of mentoring programs in their careers. A third of women (30%) and 23% of men stated the importance of such programs.

Mentoring for inclusion significantly impacts the tech industry, where [41%](https://www.linkedin.com/news/story/techs-age-discrimination-problem-4752828/) of workers experience age discrimination. Additionally, 32% of workers fear getting fired because of their age.

All businesses should have it as their primary goal to promote a diverse and inclusive workforce. The best way to enact that change is by creating a mentoring program with people already in the business.

A mentoring program teaches people in a company or organization how they can learn from each other and grow together and share knowledge and experiences. But more on the benefits of mentoring in the next section.

* * *

## **The Many Benefits of Mentoring for Diversity and Inclusion**

There are numerous benefits of mentoring for diversity and inclusion:

- Mentees can hear new ideas and different ways of thinking.
- Mentees can also get advice that comes from the expertise and experience of inclusion barriers.
- Guiding new employees through their development and behavioral goals.
- Creating a culture of personal and professional growth.
- Developing high-performing workers on an equitable level.
    

A mentoring program allows all sides to move from theoretical diversity training experience to using it in practice. The only way to truly change a behavior is to apply it in practice. It’s often not enough to just understand how that behavior works in theory.

Also, mentoring can help change the work culture in a profound yet subtle way for both the mentor and mentee. The mentee can share their challenges in the workplace, and the mentor can help bring change due to their connection with people who can remove barriers.

A mentoring program can promote a diversity-accepting culture far beyond the formal training program. Mentees often become mentors to others. They model the experience they had and transfer it to other employees.

* * *

## **The Power of Mentoring Relationships**

Mentoring relationships are often [powerful.](https://mentorlyblog.co/http-mentorlyblog-co-community-news/3-famous-mentoring-relationships/) The mentor develops a long-lasting commitment to the mentee. The process supports commitment to inclusive behaviors and diversity and enhances decision-making activities.

During this mentorship program, you’ll support your workforce into being better leaders, developing skills and knowledge, and allowing them to approach diversity and inclusion in an authentic way.

You can use a mentorship program to identify new talent while fostering an organization’s growth culture and inclusive leadership.

* * *

## **Mentorly – The All-Around Solution for Effective Mentorship**

Every organization should invest in long-term mentoring for diversity and inclusion to become a staple of all relationships inside that organization. In other words, the first steps toward mentoring investment can get you a long way. But it’s not all that simple.

Organizing a successful [mentoring program](https://mentorlyblog.co/http-mentorlyblog-co-mentorly-news/how-to-a-guide-to-starting-your-own-mentorship-program/) takes time. Doing the task manually often means getting lost in the notes, goals, and structure. That’s why more businesses have started to rely on mentoring software for assistance.

We are here to help! Since you’ve made the wise choice to be supported by Mentorly, we are your go-to tool to connect and empower your people on many levels. Our software can help create, manage, and track mentorship sessions in an easy-to-use and intuitive interface. Use your unique branding, create an account in seconds, integrate the tool with your business software, find numerous mentorship resources, and more.

For more support on shaping your program, contact support@mentorly.co.


Highlighting the benefits of mentorship on diversity and inclusion.

The Link Between Diversity and Inclusion and Effective Mentorship


1.  [Tip No. 1- Set Expectations](#tip-no-1-set-expectations)
    
2.  [Tip No. 2-Take an Interest in your Mentee](#tip-no-2-take-an-interest-in-your-mentee)
    
3.  [Tip No. 3-Keep Building Trust](#tip-no-3-keep-building-trust)
    
4.  [Tip No. 4-Engage in Active Listening](#tip-no-4-engage-in-active-listening)
    
5.  Tip No. 5-Provide Resources
    
6.  [Tip No. 6-Celebrate Success](#tip-no-6-celebrate-success)
    
7.  [Work on Mentorship Relations](#work-on-mentorship-relations)
    

![](/images/help/articles/how-to-shape-a-successful-mentorship-relationship-1.png)

People tend to enter mentorship relationships once they’re comfortable with each other’s goals. But is that always enough to guarantee a successful mentorship relationship? It’s not because being a mentor implies a connection more profound than someone might have with their business coach or teacher.

To succeed as a mentor, you must learn to outline your journey and shape the relationship in such a way that it’s helpful and validating for both sides. To offer assistance towards this end, the following six tips will aim to help you create successful relationships guaranteed to give both parties what they seek.

![](/images/help/articles/how-to-shape-a-successful-mentorship-relationship-2.jpg)

![](/images/help/articles/how-to-shape-a-successful-mentorship-relationship-3.png)

## **Tip No. 1 – Set Expectations**

Figuring out what you and your mentees want from a mentorship relationship is easy enough. But what comes next requires more effort.

The first tip to shaping a successful mentorship relationship is [setting expectations](/en/help/for-mentees/how-to-set-an-agenda-for-your-session). You must set expectations right from the start because each relationship is unique. You should understand what the mentee wants to determine if you’re the best mentor for the job. It’s your duty to acknowledge if you’re ready to commit and if the mentee is up for entering a mentorship with you.

Discuss and set a time limit and figure out the frequency at which you should meet. Settle the metrics you’ll use going forward to measure the quality of the relationship and success. Determine how involved you should be and if your mentee wants or needs a hands-on mentor.

Maybe you take a step back and intervene less frequently. You won’t know until you clarify the situation. Clear communication is key when setting expectations and the most professional way to approach building a successful mentorship relationship.

![](/images/help/articles/how-to-shape-a-successful-mentorship-relationship-4.png)

## **Tip No. 2 – Take an Interest in Your Mentee**

Of course, every mentor is invested in making their mentees successful, yet that’s not always enough. One of the secrets to nurturing successful relationships with a mentee is taking a genuine interest in them as people. Knowing a mentee on a more personal level will allow you to give much better advice.

Remember that being a mentor is different from being a life coach or a business coach. Genuinely knowing and understanding your mentees is crucial for building a strong relationship. It’s easy to figure out someone’s dream job or preferred lifestyle, but a true mentor wants to know about the things that make them who they are.

![](/images/help/articles/how-to-shape-a-successful-mentorship-relationship-5.png)

## **Tip No. 3 – Keep Building Trust**

Even if a mentorship relationship starts out well, it can hit some speed bumps along the way. Earning trust is one thing but maintaining and building more trust is different. Successful mentorship occurs when you can maintain a safe environment for your mentee because the safer they feel, the more they’ll voice their concerns, issues, challenges, and opinions.

Helping people is about getting them to be open, transparent, and genuine when communicating with you. You don’t want them to tiptoe around deep issues! Therefore, you should never stop building trust. Sometimes you might have to say something your mentees won’t like to hear. It could be imperative for their personal and professional growth.

You can only do that in a safe environment with trust and transparency.

![](/images/help/articles/how-to-shape-a-successful-mentorship-relationship-6.png)

## **Tip No. 4 – Engage in Active Listening**

[Active listening](/en/help/mentorship-resources/mentoring-tips) is such an essential skill for a mentor. Flexing this muscle gives you a deeper understanding of your mentee. You make them realize that you’re listening, hearing, and learning about what makes them tick by listening before you speak, reading between the lines, and considering body language cues.

Focus on clarifying everything your mentee shares. The clearer the message, the easier it is for you to relate, formulate better responses, and steer your mentee in the right direction. It’s vital for a successful mentorship relationship, as, without it, you could be missing the point of what your mentee tries to tell you. And there isn’t a long way to go from that to offering bad advice.

![](/images/help/articles/how-to-shape-a-successful-mentorship-relationship-7.png)

## **Tip No. 5 – Provide Resources**

[Communication](/en/help/mentorship-resources/conversation-prompts-and-questions) and sharing your own experiences and wisdom aren’t the only ways to help a mentee be successful. To make the most out of the relationship, you must provide resources the mentee can use to grow. It could be making introductions with people in their field, signing up a mentee for a new project, especially if you work together, maybe it’s new reading material, or taking them through a hypothetical scenario.

Find resources that provide context and align with the goals and expectations set at the beginning of your relationship. You could even send your mentee on a quest to do their own research to uncover relevant and valuable information.

![](/images/help/articles/how-to-shape-a-successful-mentorship-relationship-8.png)

## **Tip No. 6 – Celebrate Successes**

You’ll find that mentorship relationships have different stages of success. Many achievements will happen along the way before your mentee reaches the level of success indicated at the start of your relationship, and as a mentor, you must be there every step of the way.

Make your mentees aware of small achievements and successes as they happen. They might be so caught up with the experience they won’t notice all the smaller positive results. Celebrate those successes and use them as opportunities to show your approval, validate mentees, make them see the value of the relationship, and push them harder to reach their main objective. This behavior is enough to satisfy their need for validation and your own psychological desire for recognition.

![](/images/help/articles/how-to-shape-a-successful-mentorship-relationship-9.png)

## **You Have to Work on Mentorship Relations, Not Make Assumptions**

Mentoring is more of a calling than a task, job, or profession. But oversimplifying it won’t do you any favors. As noble as being a mentor can be, mentorship takes work as much as having passion and wanting to help. But you also need enough time to commit and take an interest in your mentee.

There must also be something in it for you, a benefit of some sort, to motivate you. Mentorship is always a two-way street, a relationship not that different from dating. Thus, it takes work and planning to ensure you and your mentee are on the same page and heading in the right direction.

![](/images/help/articles/how-to-shape-a-successful-mentorship-relationship-10.png)

# **Suggested Articles**

Check out our article on [Mentorly: The Best Fit for Mentorship](/en/help/for-mentors/mentoring-tips)

Learn more about [Active Listening](/en/help/mentors/how-to-be-a-better-mentor-the-secrets-to-active-listening)


In this article, we share amazing tips on how to build a successful mentorship relationship.

How to Shape a Successful Mentorship Relationship


1.  [Knowledge and Encouragement](#knowledge-and-encouragement)
    
2.  [Goal Setting and Accountability](#goal-setting-and-accountability)
    
3.  [Mentor Fulfillment](#mentor-fulfillment)
    
4.  [Organizational Benefits](#organizational-benefits)
    
5.  [Network Expansion](#network-expansion)
    
6.  [Trust and Constructive Feedback](#trust-and-constructive-feedback)
    
7.  [Early Mentorship Can Broaden your Horizon](#early-mentorship-can-broaden-your-horizon)
    

![](/images/help/articles/the-advantages-of-professional-mentorship-1.jpg)

Mentorship is quickly becoming one of the most important relationships people can enter to make the most out of their personal and professional journeys. It offers tremendous benefits for both parties and can help them extend their networks, grow as people, and find fulfillment faster.

A proper understanding of the advantages of professional mentorship should make it easier to decide whether to become a mentee or to mentor someone in the workplace.

![](/images/help/articles/the-advantages-of-professional-mentorship-2.jpg)

## **Knowledge and Encouragement**

![](/images/help/articles/the-advantages-of-professional-mentorship-3.jpg)

A mentor acts as a knowledge source equipped with crucial information and insights in a particular niche. Such understanding of how to develop useful skills and perform tasks can help mentees improve themselves quicker than going through months or years of trial and error. But a mentor doesn’t just offer guidance. They provide ongoing encouragement.

Learning to develop skills from an experienced mentor can help mentees progress faster than peers who don’t have guidance. But even professional assistance and mentorship in the workplace won’t prevent the occasional struggles. Some goals are harder to reach than others, and mentees can still experience a loss of confidence. However, mentors are there to provide support and encouragement, instill confidence in mentees, and keep pushing them to accomplish what they set out to achieve.

![](/images/help/articles/the-advantages-of-professional-mentorship-4.jpg)

## **Goal Setting and Accountability**

Setting goals can be harder than many people believe, especially when they don’t have a long history of doing it correctly. Professional mentorship enables mentees to visualize specific and realistic goals and create a blueprint for how to succeed. Mentors intervene to clarify the process of goal setting and help focus mentees on creating the right goals and a system to track and measure progress.

Furthermore, mentorship creates the perfect environment for accountability. Setting goals is one aspect of achieving one’s personal or professional desires. Sticking to the plan, putting in the work even when it’s difficult, and staying focused are the elements that matter the most. This is where mentorship is beneficial.

A mentor is in the perfect position to keep a mentee accountable, focused, and true to their priorities based on the goals they set. Mentors can intervene directly or maintain accountability passively, knowing that their presence and guidance serve as extra motivation for the mentee to do the work, improve, and succeed!

![](/images/help/articles/the-advantages-of-professional-mentorship-5.jpg)

## **Mentor Fulfillment**

![](/images/help/articles/the-advantages-of-professional-mentorship-6.jpg)

It’s easy to assume that a mentorship relationship benefits only mentees. In reality, professional mentorship in the workplace is advantageous for all stakeholders in a company. Teaching and guiding a mentee pushes mentors to develop new skills, hone existing skills, and become even better at what they do.

A great example of this is [active listening](/en/help/mentorship-resources/mentoring-tips), which is a key ingredient to a successful mentorship relationship. Working with one or more mentees puts mentors in a position to develop active listening skills so they can offer the best advice.

In addition, sharing knowledge and helping someone else succeed does a lot for a mentor’s self-worth. Fulfillment through teaching is a powerful motivator and can create a deeper sense of purpose or responsibility, especially for someone who has already achieved a lot in their career.

![](/images/help/articles/the-advantages-of-professional-mentorship-7.jpg)

## **Organizational Benefits**

A successful mentorship relationship can positively affect entities existing outside this relationship. For example, companies with mentorship programs benefit from having their more experienced members teach and guide newer talent. The faster someone develops in their role and learns vital skills, the quicker they can add value to the company.

Emphasizing mentorship in a professional environment also sends a strong message from the leadership to other employees. It says that the company values the development of its employees and is willing to invest time and resources to make everyone perform better.

This should help with employee retention and minimize turnover while simultaneously improving the efficiency of any talent acquisition efforts. Any company with a strong focus on career development and mentorship is an attractive workplace for new and highly qualified employees.

![](/images/help/articles/the-advantages-of-professional-mentorship-8.jpg)

## **Network Expansion**

![](/images/help/articles/the-advantages-of-professional-mentorship-9.jpg)

Making connections is one of the best ways to learn new skills, discover lucrative opportunities, and reach goals that once seemed impossible. No one can do everything independently, and working with people with complementary skills and knowledge is the quickest way to overcome obstacles and get the desired results.

Mentors can introduce mentees to the right people in their fields, connect them with experts, and create opportunities to further their growth and skill development.

A strong network of experts can be a priceless tool for career advancement. That’s why mentees must [pick a mentor](/en/help/for-mentees/finding-a-mentor-and-booking-a-session) with experience in their niche. They will have both the knowledge and connections to guide and assist the mentee in their development and ensure consistent progress toward their goals.

Besides, as mentees gain more connections, they become new connections themselves for their mentors, helping them expand their network with skilled individuals.

![](/images/help/articles/the-advantages-of-professional-mentorship-10.jpg)

## **Trust and Constructive Feedback**

The give-and-take nature of an open mentorship relationship helps build trust between the mentor and mentee. This can give mentees more peace of mind about their career trajectory and encourage them to accept guidance. Moreover, having someone to trust can instill more confidence and make it easier to set ambitious goals and tackle complex obstacles.

Trust facilitates more constructive feedback. Of course, mentors must encourage their mentees and keep them motivated. Yet trust and open communication leave plenty of room for constructive feedback. Mentors who earn the trust of their mentees can get their messages across more easily, say the tough things that mentees might not like to hear, and ensure the guidance registers with the mentee. This is a great way to uncover weaknesses and turn them into strengths.

![](/images/help/articles/the-advantages-of-professional-mentorship-11.jpg)

## **Early Mentorship Can Broaden Your Horizon**

There’s no right or wrong time to enter a mentorship relationship. Everyone has their own reasons for needing a mentor or wanting to share their knowledge and develop more interpersonal and leadership skills. But given its numerous advantages, enlisting in a mentorship program sooner than later can help fast-track one’s social, personal, and professional development, opening new doors and creating more opportunities.

![](/images/help/articles/the-advantages-of-professional-mentorship-12.jpg)

## **Suggested Articles**

Learn to [Plan an Effective Mentorship Session](/en/help/mentors/planning-an-effective-mentorship-session)

Check out our article on [Getting Started with Mentorly](/en/help/for-all/getting-started-with-mentorly)


Find out how beneficial professional mentorship can be as this article breaks down very interesting points.

The Advantages of Professional Mentorship


1.  [Passive vs. Active Listening](#passive-vs-active-listening)
    
2.  [Five Key Secrets to Active Listening](#five-key-secrets-to-active-listening)
    

![](/images/help/articles/how-to-be-a-better-mentor-the-secrets-to-active-listening-1.png)

Starting a new mentorship may feel rocky at times - you or your mentee might sense that something’s off. You can’t always put your finger on it, but it just doesn’t seem to gel. Of course, not all mentors can guide everyone, but there’s always room to improve as a better mentor for your mentee.

Sometimes, the problem can be easily fixed by simply learning to listen better, and that’s where active listening comes in. It’s a simple concept to understand, yet also easy to get wrong if you don’t know its secrets.

Here’s what active listening is and the five key elements you must get right to achieve better results for your mentees.

![](/images/help/articles/how-to-be-a-better-mentor-the-secrets-to-active-listening-2.png)

## **Passive vs. Active Listening**

![](/images/help/articles/how-to-be-a-better-mentor-the-secrets-to-active-listening-3.jpg)

Not all listening techniques are equal or accomplish the same thing. When you started mentoring, passive listening was probably your go-to strategy. But it’s not really more effective than just hearing what your mentee has to say - here’s why.

When we engage in passive listening, we’re not reacting. Sure, we allow others to speak without interrupting them, but are you really paying attention? You’re probably not as attentive as you think you are because you can’t properly register the message being conveyed to you.

Unfortunately, communication can’t be a one-way street, and understanding someone takes more than hearing their words. This is where active listening comes in.

**Active listening is a two-way communication strategy where you convey that you understand what your mentee is trying to say.**

At the same time, you’re paying attention to more than words to contextualize and process the message. Doing this will make the conversation more genuine, build trust, and create a more comfortable environment for the mentee where they can open up and experience new realizations.

![](/images/help/articles/how-to-be-a-better-mentor-the-secrets-to-active-listening-4.png)

# **Here are five key secrets to active listening that will make you a better mentor.**  

## **1\. Paying Attention**

Active listening works best when you give your mentee **your undivided attention and take in their message.** You’ll want to maintain eye contact and pay attention to your mentee’s body language and avoid preparing a rebuttal or conversing with a third party - even when you’re in a group mentorship session and someone might be trying to get your attention.

Acknowledging the messages conveyed through both non-verbal and verbal communication is a crucial part of active listening and will provide more insight into your mentee.

## **2\. Show You’re Listening**

Two-way communication strategies require some back and forth. But how do you do that if you’re supposed to give your undivided attention and allow your mentee to share their story uninterrupted? **You can use body language like nodding, smiling, and various other gestures and facial expressions as indicators to demonstrate that you’re listening to what a person is saying.**

**Adopt an inviting posture** and avoid crossing your arms to help your mentee open up. Occasionally, you can throw in verbal comments like “aha,” “carry on,” “yes,” and others to show you’re listening without interrupting the message. You can accomplish a lot with the faintest gesture and a brief verbal comment without interrupting the mentee’s train of thought.

## **3\. Defer Judgment**

You might not always agree with your mentee, and there’s nothing wrong with offering a different perspective or advice - it’s inevitable! But you can still do it in a constructive manner by deferring judgment until such a time when it’s appropriate.

You have to **pick the right moment to intervene** in a conversation and share your thoughts. At no point should you do it while your mentee is talking and sharing something. That may work in casual conversations, but you’re a mentor. Your goal is to provide value!

With that in mind, **avoid interrupting the speaker**. For one, it’s a frustrating act. Secondly, it may prevent you from hearing and understanding the complete message. Keep any counter arguments until it’s your turn to speak or the other person asks you to interject.

## **4\. Offer Feedback**

Don’t be afraid to offer feedback even if you don’t fully understand the message. Active listening is a skill you must master, and it takes time. However, if you’re unsure what you took from your mentee’s story, reflect back on the message, perhaps by **paraphrasing and asking for clarification on points that confuse or elude you.**

Only then will you be ready to provide feedback at a high level, as a mentor should. This is a particularly sound strategy if you have a tendency to respond emotionally to what someone might have to say. It’ll help you **keep an open mind, clarify the message, and give you a chance to provide better feedback** without going off-topic.

## **5\. Formulate Appropriate Responses**

Remember your goal and duty as a mentor: You’ll be taking someone under your wing to guide, teach, and nurture. That’s the opposite of putting them down or attacking their opinions. Your mentees want to be understood before you offer your help and expertise.

It’s crucial to **be open and honest with your responses**. But whatever opinion you share, you must do it respectfully. Don’t make assumptions about how a person wants to be treated. Don’t treat others how you would like to be treated because you believe it’s the best way.

Take your cues from active listening and hear what the other person is conveying with oral and non-verbal communication. Whether they want to or not, they’ll give you clues on how they like to be treated and spoken to, and you can use that information to respond appropriately.

![](/images/help/articles/how-to-be-a-better-mentor-the-secrets-to-active-listening-5.png)

## **It’s All About Two-Way Communication**

Five simple adjustments to your active listening strategy will make you a master of this skill and a better mentor. You must show you’re listening, pay close attention to all verbal and body language cues, postpone judgment, offer feedback, and come up with appropriate responses, but most importantly, you should keep in mind what active listening is all about.

This means turning communication with your mentee into a two-way street. This allows you to truly hear what the other person has to say, so you can come up with helpful responses. Simultaneously, it lets the other person know that you’re really focused, listening, and understanding the message. It’s an invaluable assurance that they’re not wasting time and you’re actually there to help.

![](/images/help/articles/how-to-be-a-better-mentor-the-secrets-to-active-listening-6.png)

# **Suggested Articles**

Check out our article on [getting started with Mentorly.](/en/help/for-all/getting-started-with-mentorly)

Mentors are you ready to start your sessions? [Add availability](/en/help/for-mentors/adding-availability) to your calendar.

![](/images/help/articles/how-to-be-a-better-mentor-the-secrets-to-active-listening-7.png)

# **Have any questions or need any assistance?**

Not to worry, we’re here to help!

You can contact the Mentorly support team by going to the Help tab found on your personal dashboard and clicking Go to Live Chat.


This article focuses on tips to be an active listener during your mentoring session.

How to Be a Better Mentor: the Secrets to Active Listening


Here are a few steadfast ways to make the most of sessions and mentors' precious time and expertise.

![](/images/help/articles/making-the-most-of-mentorship-1.png)

1.  [Understand your wants and needs](#understand-your-wants-and-needs)
    
2.  [Set an agenda for your session](#set-an-agenda-for-your-session)
    
3.  [Take advantage of Messaging tab](#take-advantage-of-messaging-tab)
    
4.  [Follow up](#follow-up)
    

* * *

## Understand your wants and needs

Once you're ready to book a session with a mentor, you'll both need a roadmap to make the most of your time together. While an agenda may seem like overkill, it's a great way to clearly communicate what you need from your mentor, making sure to get all of your important points across.

## Set an agenda for your session

Here's a simple session outline to get you started:

**1 Hour Session (60 minutes)**

- Introductions - 10 min.
- Long term objective and session objective - 5 min.
- Current situation check-in - 5 min.
- Problems and/or fears - 10 min.
- Previous efforts/trials - 10 min.
- Questions - 15 min.
- Homework and scheduling a follow-up session - 5 min.
    

You can include this upon booking and/or share it via your Messaging tab once you've booked your session. Not only will you feel more prepared for your video call, but your mentor will greatly appreciate the time and consideration you put into clarifying your needs, which will only help them help you MORE!

## Take advantage of Messaging tab

If you've had a session, a message thread between you and your mentor has automatically been created. This is a great way to 1) ask any brief follow up questions you may have and 2) schedule your next session together. If your mentor has limited availability to answer your inbox questions, it may be best to book a second session with them.

Also, during your sessions, you can chat and all of your exchanges and notes will be saved straight to your inbox - so all of your communication stays in one place!

## Follow up

Mentorship is a two-way street. While your mentor will follow your lead, they invest a lot of time and thought into you and would greatly appreciate an update from time to time to know how you're doing and how work is progressing.

The bond between a mentor and a mentee is a very special one, worth nurturing over time.

![](/images/help/articles/making-the-most-of-mentorship-2.png)

# More resources for mentorship:

Check out [our conversation prompts and questions](/en/help/mentorship-resources/conversation-prompts-and-questions) for your next session.


Tips for an improved mentorship experience for mentees

Making the Most of Mentorship


Mentorship can often resemble dating - it's not always a perfect match!

Thankfully, we've assembled a few practical tips to help you develop a strong relationship with your mentee and make the most of your sessions together.

![](/images/help/articles/mentoring-tips-1.png)

## 1\. Come prepared

Prepare yourself in advance by jotting down some notes and any questions *y*ou may have to guide structure the conversation. When your mentee booked with you, they'll have included an intro message so you'll have an idea of what they'd like to discuss during your session together.

## 2\. Practice active listening

This is probably the most important muscle to flex as a mentor! It's essential that you remain focused on what your mentee is communicating to you, to ensure you properly understand what is being said and implied.

We often feel the need to jump in and relate a thought or experience and sometimes even negate what we hear, but we may be missing the point. A good tip is to repeat what you think you understood from the exchange. Either you will have understood correctly or your mentee will try to clarify himself or herself.

Active listening essentially requires that you be aware of your communication skills and to be empathetic to the situation. Even your body language is key, so make sure to nod and face your mentee straight on with arms uncrossed. This way, you'll be able to establish a bond of trust with your mentee and let the excellent mentor within you emerge!

## 3\. Take lots of notes

This almost goes without saying: A lot can be said in an hour-long session, so be sure you have a trusty pen and paper on standby. Hold onto these notes should you like to remember what was said during your session with your mentee and track their progress.

## 4\. Keep introductions short and dive right in

Even though you have 30 minutes to an hour to talk, you'll want to make the most of your time together. We suggest you take at most 5 minutes to introduce yourselves then jump right into the meat of the conversation.

A handy way to transition is to ask your mentee how they would like to use their session, what they would like to discuss, and bring up some questions or thoughts you have after reading their introduction message sent prior to your session together.

## 5\. Be flexible, patient, and respectful

Going into your session with your mentee, you'll likely have a bunch of questions you'd like to ask them after reading their first message. That means you're well prepared, which is excellent!

However, this may also set expectations. Remember that your mentee should lead the session and this can take all sorts of twists and turns. A little flexibility and patience on your part will go a long way to making your mentee feel at ease, a win-win for both of you!

## 6\. Express optimism, not cynicism

Your mentee may come to you with very lofty goals and ambitions. While you may want to provide them with a realistic view of their industry, of its opportunities and limitations, be careful not to immediately shut down your mentee's opinions or dreams.

Instead, provide valuable insight that can help broaden their understanding and give them tools that will help them concretely build towards their goals.

## 7\. Value character over competency

Mentoring is more than imparting skill-based knowledge or checking off a list. Sure, it's important for your mentee to be aware of certain skills required for a specific task or project, but as a mentor, you should also privilege character traits that will help your mentee achieve a more well-rounded approach to their work, such as patience, curiosity, exploration, forgiveness and perseverance.

## 8\. Know when to move the conversation along

If general conversation and career guidance aren't flowing naturally, asking about your mentee's specific projects is a great way to go. See if they need any feedback to help move their project forward and go from there.

## 9\. End on a high note

Towards the end of your session, a friendly countdown will appear to indicate the amount of time you have to wrap things up.

If you had a great session, say it! Feedback is really important both for yourself as a mentor and your mentee. Don't be shy to ask how you did or if you could have improved in any wa*y* and definitely provide some positive feedback and words of encouragement to your mentee.

If you'd like to follow up with them down the line, let them know!  


![](/images/help/articles/mentoring-tips-2.png)

# More resources for mentorship:

Find out why Mentorly is [the best fit for mentorship](/en/help/mentorship-resources/mentorly-the-best-fit-for-mentorship).


Here are our best tips for being a mentor.

Mentoring tips


1.  [Planning your session](#planning-your-session)
    
2.  [Agendas Simplified](#agendas-simplified)
    
3.  [Conversation Prompts for Mentees](#conversation-prompts-for-mentees)
    
4.  [Conversation Prompts for Mentors](#conversation-prompts-for-mentors)
    

![](/images/help/articles/planning-an-effective-mentorship-session-1.png)

## **Planning your Session**

Not everyone knows what to expect when going into a mentorship meeting - this applies to both mentees and mentors. Each video call is different from the last, and time is of the essence.

For that reason, creating an agenda is critical for both parties involved because they should understand exactly what they want to discuss, accomplish, learn, and prepare for the next session. Creating and managing agendas isn’t always a straightforward process, which is why we’re here to help!

![](/images/help/articles/planning-an-effective-mentorship-session-2.png)

## **Agendas Simplified**

Perhaps you’re unsure how to make an agenda because you don’t know where to start or how it should look once completed. An agenda generally contains a list encompassing topics and talking points, as well as action items or activities to go over during a meeting. When you book a session with your mentor, you’re asked to list a few things you’d like to cover during your session.

Check out our [Setting an Agenda for your Session article](/en/help/mentorship-resources/setting-an-agenda-for-your-session) to learn more.

![](/images/help/articles/planning-an-effective-mentorship-session-3.jpg)

Agendas are often used in mentorship relationships to maximize each mentor and mentee meeting and get better results by presenting a plan for staying on topic, not wasting time, and clearly outlining the scope of each meeting.

But remember that a mentorship relationship, especially a successful one, rests on the shoulders of two-way communication. Therefore, you’ll want to focus on using conversation prompts to outline the meeting as clearly as possible.

![](/images/help/articles/planning-an-effective-mentorship-session-4.png)

# Conversation Prompts for Mentees

![](/images/help/articles/planning-an-effective-mentorship-session-5.jpg)

As a mentee, you might need some reassurance that you’re talking to the right mentor. A large part of a successful mentorship relationship is about surrendering some control to your mentor and opening up about various issues. This is easy to do with some carefully selected conversation prompts. You can find a list of conversation prompts and questions in our [Conversation Prompts article.](/en/help/mentorship-resources/conversation-prompts-and-questions)

## **Bonding-Oriented or Discovery Prompts**

Although initial meetings should clearly establish goals and roles, it’s not a bad idea to have constant reminders of both the differences and similarities.

One topic of discussion for the agenda could be the mentor’s personal journey. Something as simple as “tell me more about yourself” is a conversation prompt used in many meetings to learn a bit more with every session.

Getting closer to a mentor requires sharing. You’ll likely tell them a lot about your past experiences and perceived strengths and weaknesses but will want to hear something similar in return to ensure you’re on the same page and have something relatable in common.

## **Goal-Oriented Prompts**

You can also talk about new skills you want to acquire and hone, or about goals you may have in your personal life or professional career. This will help mentors understand what you’re looking to achieve in each meeting.

## **Feedback-Oriented Prompts**

Since the whole point of mentorship is to get an outside perspective and preferably expertise and guidance to grow, you’ll likely want some feedback too. Instead of listing a bunch of virtues and flaws, ask the mentor what they believe are your strengths and weaknesses.

This will provide you with insight into yourself, a chance to reflect on your experiences, and indicate whether the mentor is actively listening. By clearly outlining your goals and finding common ground, the feedback will be more relevant to the scope of the meeting instead of generic advice.

## **Optional Update Prompts**

If this isn’t your first mentorship meeting, you’ve likely worked on your growth since the previous session, and it won’t hurt to carve some time out of the meeting to discuss anything new that’s happened. You can present new challenges, mention accomplishments, and anything else that ties into the overarching agenda topic of discussion.

![](/images/help/articles/planning-an-effective-mentorship-session-6.png)

# Conversation Prompts for Mentors

Mentors can take charge during meetings, but that happens very rarely. Mentorship relationships are most successful when the mentor adopts an active listener role, doesn’t interrupt, and focuses on fully understanding the message before replying. Therefore, agenda conversation prompts can look a bit different for mentors.

## **Edification-Oriented Prompts**

If you’re uncertain about the quality of your advice, make sure you understand the message. A simple “Here’s what I’m hearing” followed by a “but is that what you’re trying to say?” are powerful conversation prompts that indicate you’re wary of giving feedback and advice until you’re absolutely clear about what the mentee is trying to say.

## **Own Experience Prompts**

Based on what you know about a mentee, only some of your own experiences and parts of your journey may apply to their situation. Unless you’re two peas in a pod, you want to use your knowledge and insight into the mentee to prepare some personal experiences to share that they might draw valuable information from.

## **Get Feedback on the Session**

Don’t be afraid to ask the mentee how they feel the relationship is progressing. Save mentorship-oriented feedback conversation prompts for the end of the meeting. These should be further down on the agenda and will help create better meeting agendas moving forward.

## **Validation Prompts**

If a mentee shares recent successes, they do it because they seek validation. Mentors should celebrate wins, even small ones, to give the mentees a real sense of progressing in the right direction by using validation-oriented conversation prompts.

## **Personal Insight Prompts**

Many mentees will talk exclusively about their professional lives, goals, and challenges, but avoid going deep into themselves as people. Yet mentorship relationships work when the mentor takes a genuine interest in the mentee as a person.

Learning about what makes them tick strengthens the bond and makes both parties more involved and committed to the process. Asking about their lives or how professional challenges might have impacted their social interactions can yield relevant information.

Since mentees are unlikely to willingly offer this information or could be oblivious to its value, it’s up to mentors, to you, to dig a bit deeper. These conversations show a more vested interest, foster trust, and open up new possibilities for offering assistance.

## **Planning, Openness, and Clarity Are Keys to Successful Mentorship Meetings**

![](/images/help/articles/planning-an-effective-mentorship-session-7.jpg)

Mentors and mentees can meet a few times a week or only once a month -but even the lowest session frequency can produce amazing results if the meetings are carefully planned. Mentees should be open and structure their agenda around their most important conversation topics while aiming to achieve at least one minor goal per section.

Mentors must curate their agenda around conversation prompts that clarify the mentee’s message, so they can offer the best advice in a specific scenario.

If you can get these things right every time, each mentorship session will go smoothly and accomplish far more than a discussion with no clear topic or end in sight.

![](/images/help/articles/planning-an-effective-mentorship-session-8.png)

## **Have any questions or need any assistance?**

Not to worry, we’re here to help!

You can contact the Mentorly support team by going to the **Help** tab found on your personal dashboard and clicking **Go to Live Chat**.


This article talks about how to effectively plan for your mentorship session. We also share different conversation prompts.

Planning an Effective Mentorship Session


![](/images/help/articles/the-science-of-giving-back-why-mentoring-will-make-you-happier-1.jpg)

There are many reasons to become a mentor. This noble and healthy path can add value to people’s lives and have a therapeutic effect on the mentor. Giving back can do more good for you than you realize, and here are some examples to prove that mentoring will make you happier.

![](/images/help/articles/the-science-of-giving-back-why-mentoring-will-make-you-happier-2.png)

## **It Decreases Stress**

Volunteering, giving practical help, or even providing someone with emotional support can make you happier yourself. Volunteer work has been associated with health benefits for a very long time. That’s because it goes a long way toward [decreasing stress](https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/07448481.2015.1015028).

Focusing your attention on someone else and improving their lives is what mentoring is all about. It just so happens it will likely improve your overall health. At the very least, it will help alleviate stress - which helps keep your serotonin levels within optimal ranges and make you feel happier.

![](/images/help/articles/the-science-of-giving-back-why-mentoring-will-make-you-happier-3.png)

## **It Improves Social Connections**

Mentoring is all about giving, but it’s far from a one-way experience. Mentorship is a partnership, and it involves back-and-forth communication. This kind of cooperation and collaboration can create a deep social connection between mentors and mentees.

Your exchanges become the basis of instilling a sense of trust in each other. The more you trust someone, the closer you get. As you earn their trust in response, your social interactions quickly improve, creating a strong social connection based on positive collaboration.

This is essential for good mental health. Mental health, positive social interactions, and earning trust have all been associated with a sense of satisfaction and accomplishment.

![](/images/help/articles/the-science-of-giving-back-why-mentoring-will-make-you-happier-4.png)

## **It Makes You More Successful**

Giving back is usually rewarded, and that’s why many mentors are successful. The simple act of [giving](https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/0963721413512503#ref-15) something of yourself or sharing your experience will bring you more success. Whether you’re directly rewarded by someone you help or others is irrelevant - your success ultimately comes from an increased desire to improve yourself so you can benefit your mentees even more.

## **It’s a Validating Experience**

What else can you do to improve yourself? Mentoring is an excellent answer! **Being a mentor allows you to guide someone on their own path toward success.** You can foster another person’s sense of validation and self-worth and improve their life.

Doing that says a lot about your impact, experience, and personality and shows that your success can come from your mentee’s success. Their validation can be your validation and mark of approval that you’ve done something great. It’s one of the easiest ways to feel validated and happier about who you are and what you do.

## **You Learn More About Yourself**

Looking at your experiences objectively is one of the most difficult things you can do. Some go their entire lives without seeing the past in a different light. But what if you could do that consistently? Just imagine how many moments and experiences have shaped you into the person you are today.

Mentoring can be an exercise in self-discovery. Using your experiences to teach and guide others means sharing your experiences. Doing it out loud and not with the express purpose of self-reflection can help you see things more objectively.

Likewise, you might re-evaluate memories that should’ve had a more significant impact on your character.

It’s one of the many ways you can reshape your perception of self and gain valuable insight into what makes you tick. Think of it as getting out of your headspace for a while and learning what truly makes you happy.

![](/images/help/articles/the-science-of-giving-back-why-mentoring-will-make-you-happier-5.png)

## **You Keep Improving**

Sometimes happiness is hindered by a sense of stagnation. After spending years knowing there’s more to do, a sense of stagnation can quickly affect your happiness levels.

Mentoring is a [development process](https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10956-009-9180-4), as much for you as it is for your mentees. As a mentor, you keep working on your communication skills, you learn new things about yourself, and you get to master active [listening](/en/help/faq/how-to-build-an-impactful-mentorship-program).

You can polish your leadership abilities and increase your emotional intelligence. Mentoring others to succeed in their fields constantly boosts your own reputation and develops your capacity to provide useful feedback. As it stands, **mentoring is one of the few ways to keep pushing your limits and notching up new achievements.** If achievements make you happy, mentoring will make you happy!

![](/images/help/articles/the-science-of-giving-back-why-mentoring-will-make-you-happier-6.png)

## **Suggested Articles**

Check out our article on **Making the Best of Mentorship**


Dive into this article to see why mentoring boosts happiness and the benefits that comes with mentorship.

The Science of Giving Back: Why Mentoring Will Make You Happier


At Mentorly, we're committed to providing a platform where mentorship can flourish. The first step to getting the best of our platform is to make sure you're using a browser that's supported by our website.

For your best experience using Mentorly, we recommend using the latest version of Chrome, Safari or Firefox.  
  
**Good to know:** We currently do not support Beta or Test versions of browsers.

**Are you using a personal computer and need to update your browser?** Here's how to get the latest version of the following:

[Chrome](https://support.google.com/chrome/answer/95414?hl=en&co=GENIE.Platform%3DDesktop)

[Safari](https://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-update-safari-browser-on-mac)

[Firefox](https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/update-firefox-latest-release)

**Are you using a work computer and need to update your browser?** Contact your company's IT department for assistance.

* * *

# Need help?

Mentorly prides itself on its highly responsive customer service and technical support - **our support team is available Monday - Friday, 9am - 5pm EST**.  
  
Simply click on the **Help** tab on the bottom left of your personal dashboard, and reach out to us on Intercom by clicking on '**live chat**', or contact us at [support@mentorly.co](mailto:support@mentorly.co). We'll be happy to help!

![](/images/help/articles/what-browsers-are-supported-by-mentorly-1.png)


Make sure you're connected with the right tools.

What browsers are supported by Mentorly?


(FOR SXSW & SXSW EDU ATTENDEES)

Hi SXSW & SXSW EDU Mentors! This is your mini guide to holding optimal mentorship sessions on Mentorly during SXSW and SXSW EDU Online.  

# WHAT TO EXPECT

**SXSW EDU Online Mentor Sessions** takes place March 9 – March 11, 2021. The SXSW EDU program facilitates purpose-driven, one-on-one connections between experienced professionals and solution-seeking attendees.

**SXSW Online Mentor Sessions** take place March 16 – March 20, 2021 and give registrants the opportunity for one-on-one meetings with experts in a specific field. Mentor Sessions are divided among Interactive, Film, Music, and Convergence tracks, which are all part of the SXSW Conference.

Attendees - mentees in this case - will be able to book **15-minute** sessions with you.

Though Mentorly is accessible via mobile, in order to hold optimal sessions, **we strongly recommend using a computer with a webcam and finding a quiet location with a strong and reliable Internet connection**.

  
In either case, you will need to **1)** **ensure your device's browser is up to date** and **2) that your webcam is properly connected**.  
  
**⚠️** Mentorly supports all up-to-date browsers except 🚫 **Microsoft Edge/Internet Explorer** and some 🚫 **Bluetooth devices** such as ear pods may conflict with the platform, so we recommend disconnecting them prior to holding your sessions.

#   
WHAT TO DO

As a mentor, your main objective is for mentees to book sessions with you, but first - we need to get you set up!  
  
Below are the steps you should follow to optimize your experience on Mentorly. You can also view this webinar for a live walkthrough of the platform.

* * *

## ① Sign Up

To sign up to one of the mentorship portals below, you can do so via the SXSW & SXSW EDU Online event platform.

☞ Click **[SXSW EDU Online Mentor Sessions](http://mentors.sxswedu.com/)** to access the portal.  
  
☞ Click **[SXSW Online Mentor](http://mentors.sxsw.com/)** [**Sessions**](https://sxsw.mentorly.co/en/) to access the portal.

  
Once entered, you will be directed to your dashboard where you can complete the steps indicated below.

Your **Mentorly Dashboard** is your very own control center where you can:

  
→ Modify your profile settings

→ Update your availability  
→ Review and access your session bookings  
→ Join your video calls

→ Review your experience

→ Contact live support

* * *

## ② Your Profile

Mentorly has integrated SXSW Online and SXSW EDU Online platforms to pull your most relevant bio information and display it on your very own Mentorly profile page.  
  
To view you profile page, head to your **Dashboard > Profile tab.**

* * *

## **③ Add Availability**

To get bookings as a mentor, you need to **make yourself available**, which means adding available time slots to your profile and keeping them up-to-date. That way, mentees can book with you right away.  
  
On your dashboard, head to **Availabilities** and **drop and drag** the time slots you wish to create. i.e.: If you drop a new event at 10am and drag until 3pm, then 20 x 15-minute session slots will be created. This means you will likely end up having multiple back-to-back 15-minute sessions for an hour or two, or more! You can duplicate times once added.  
  
→ [How to update your Dashboard Calendar](https://intercom.help/mentorly/en/articles/4899828-how-to-add-availability-to-your-dashboard-calendar)  
  
**Note:** If you don't update your availability, mentees **CANNOT** request or suggest times to book with you.

![](/images/help/articles/sxsw-sxsw-edu-mentor-guide-1.png)

For example, the following mentee below, Max, has decided to book with mentor Ryan on the 14th of March from 10:30am to 10:45am.

![](/images/help/articles/sxsw-sxsw-edu-mentor-guide-2.jpg)

Max must add a **booking message** in order to confirm his session with Ryan.

![](/images/help/articles/sxsw-sxsw-edu-mentor-guide-3.jpg)

Ryan will be able to review the booking and any links that were shared on the > **Sessions Tab** on his personal dashboard, like this example below.

![](/images/help/articles/sxsw-sxsw-edu-mentor-guide-4.jpg)

**Note:** You will **not** be required to approve or decline a request, however you can **cancel** a session if necessary, by clicking the **3 dots** in the top right corner of each booking.

* * *

## ⑤ Before joining your session

When a session has been booked with you, an **email notification** will be sent to your external email associated with your account.  
  
It will direct your attention to the details of the session booking, including: the name of your mentee, their booking message, the start time and **the link to the session**.

Since sessions are roughly 15 minutes in length, that leaves very little time to join your next session. It will be crucial to have ready access to your **Dashboard > Sessions Tab** in order to keep track of your sessions and join your next call.  
  
→ Before joining your session, we recommend you [test your computer setup](https://mentorly.co/prepare).

* * *

## ⑥ Join your session

When ready to start your session, click JOIN CALL on your session booking on **Dashboard > Sessions Tab > Future >** first booking at the top of the page.  


![](/images/help/articles/sxsw-sxsw-edu-mentor-guide-5.jpg)

You can always join your sessions **10 minutes in advance** if ever you want to make sure you're properly set up when the clock starts.

🚨 There's a countdown timer in the top left corner of your session window. Keep an eye on it as the session will **automatically** end at the designated time.

**Note:** Clicking the 🏴 icon will signal an issue with a specific Inbox thread and Mentorly will be directly notified.

→ [How to Join Your Session](https://intercom.help/mentorly/en/articles/4918762-where-and-how-to-join-a-video-session)

* * *

## ⑦ Reviewing your experience

The SXSW team would love to know how you appreciated your experience connecting with your mentees and using the Mentorly platform.  
  
After each session, you will be prompted by 3 questions with ⭐️ ratings:  
  
1) ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ **Rate how you enjoyed connecting with your mentee.** A less than 3-star rating will require you to leave a comment.

  
2) ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ **Rate the platform.** Once again, 3 stars or less will require you to leave a comment.  
  
3) ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ **Leave** **additional feedback (optional).**  
  
These ratings and reviews will be shared with both the SXSW and Mentorly teams.

![](/images/help/articles/sxsw-sxsw-edu-mentor-guide-6.png)

* * *

## ⑧ Where to go for support

Mentorly prides itself on its highly responsive customer service and technical support, which is principally offered via [Intercom](https://www.intercom.com/) in both English (and French) and which will be available during event hours.

**For technical questions**, reach out to Mentorly’s team via the **Intercom message icon below**, usually found at the bottom-right corner of the webpage:  


![](/images/help/articles/sxsw-sxsw-edu-mentor-guide-7.png)

Questions, concerns, and feedback can also be directed to [info@mentorly.co](mailto:info@mentorly.co).

**For EDU program questions**, please email [programming@sxswedu.com](mailto:programming@sxswedu.com).

**For SXSW program questions**, please email [sessions@sxsw.com](mailto:sessions@sxsw.com).

* * *

# What's next?

- [Mentoring Tips](/en/help/for-mentors/mentoring-tips)
- [Program Member collection](https://intercom.help/mentorly/en/collections/807636-program-member)


How to use Mentorly to prepare and hold your mentorship sessions

SXSW & SXSW EDU Mentor Guide


1.  [For Marketplace users](#for-marketplace-users)
    

## FOR MARKETPLACE USERS

\*Please note that you have to set your payment information before booking your session.  


1.  Once you have found the mentor you are looking for, click on **View profile** and then **Book a session.** You will be able to choose an available date in the calendar or you can **suggest another time**  
    
    
2.  Choose the session length (30 or 60 minutes) and then the time. The calendar is timezone smart 😎  
    
    
3.  Click on **Next** and be sure to fill out **What you would like to cover** with a detailed booking message or [session agenda](/en/help/mentorship-resources/setting-an-agenda-for-your-session)  
    
    

![](/images/help/articles/how-to-book-a-session-with-a-mentor-1.jpg)

By clicking **Confirm**, your mentor will receive an email notification of your booking request, and will be asked to either **Approve** or **Decline** the booking. That response is sent to both you and the mentor.

If the booking request is **Approved**, you will see the booking on your personal dashboard in the **My Sessions** tab page. You will be able to **Join call** from there 10 minutes prior to your session.



![](/images/help/articles/how-to-book-a-session-with-a-mentor-2.png)

If the booking request is **Declined**, you may [chat with your mentor in your Inbox](https://mentorly.co/inbox) to reschedule, or start browsing for another mentor.

* * *

#   
What's next?

- [How/where to join your session](/en/help/marketplace-member/where-to-join-your-video-call-session)
- [Prepare your computer (a day or 10 min) before your session](https://intercom.help/mentorly/en/articles/4169262-troubleshoot-audio-can-t-hear-and-video-can-t-see-issues)
- [Marketplace Member collection](https://intercom.help/mentorly/en/collections/2780229-marketplace-member)


After finding the mentor you want, what to do and what to expect next

Mentors

All Articles (13)