Mentoring

Stages of mentoring

The early stages of a mentoring relationship

In the early stages, the mentor and mentee need to get to know each other and discuss the direction they might take. They will each be 'testing the water' and making sure that they can work effectively together. They will each want to know something of the other's background and experience. The mentor will help the mentee to express him/her self about matters relating to work and to explore personal goals and ambitions.

At the end of each meeting, it will be important to summarise what they have discussed, any agreements they have made and what they may talk about in the subsequent session(s). It can be helpful to have a written summary of the sessions. If either of the partners is keeping a learning journal, this would also be a place to record thoughts and feelings about what has happened.

Later stages of a mentoring relationship

During mentoring there should always be a joint assessment of the mentee's strengths and needs and expression of their short and longer-term goals and ambitions. As the relationship develops, the mentor and mentee explore ways of understanding their organisation and of achieving goals within it.

The mentor can often act as a source of information about people and resources that can be helpful for the mentee's learning. The mentor is there to help the mentee to develop confidence and motivation to move forward by developing effective responses and solutions to the challenges of working life. The mentee assumes increasing responsibility for his/her own career development.

Finishing a mentoring relationship

A mentoring relationship does not continue indefinitely but is usually set up for an agreed length of time. For example, it may last during the probationary period for new staff and the purpose of the relationship is to establish the mentee as an autonomous member of staff. A large part of the mentoring can be linked with a probationer's Personal Development Plan.

In the later stages it is useful for the pair to review what has been achieved and whether there are any outstanding issues. They may decide to continue the relationship informally, the mentor remaining interested in the mentee's progress and the mentee knowing that another colleague is interested in their development. At this stage the mentor and mentee become equal colleagues, meeting less frequently and without the formal structure of institutional mentoring.