How to organize a mentoring session?

How to organize your mentoring sessions? The key to the success of an effective and useful session can be found in 4 steps divided into different time pillars. We present them to you in this article.

Step 1: Personal and professional contact

It's important to begin each session by asking "How are you doing?", "How was the last few weeks since the last meeting? These simple questions allow you (as a mentor or mentee) to understand your current concerns and the state you're both in. Furthermore, it is at this stage that you need to clearly define each other's expectations and the purpose of the meeting. The goal here is to lay the groundwork for the session and ensure a friendly and fruitful exchange.

Step 2: Discuss the issues or challenges

Once you are comfortable with each other, it's time to focus on the core of the mentoring session. If you are a mentee, address the priority topics. To help you know if you should bring up this topic or discuss something in particular with your mentor, ask yourself these questions, "If I just had a 20-minute meeting, should I talk about...?", "If the session ends and I don't bring up point Y, will that impact my current challenges?". If you are a mentor, make sure you remember to ask the most important questions.

Step 3: Adjusting priorities

After discussing the current challenges together. This is the ideal moment to review the objectives and priorities that have been set. Question together if you want to maintain them, if they should be adapted or if it is better to change them. To do this, you should consider the mentee's current needs and agree to set aside a goal if it is no longer useful at this time.

Step 4: Summarize the session

Provide feedback on what was said, done and decided, as well as feedback on the meeting. Did the meeting meet your expectations?

Improve your future meetings by determining the follow-ups and actions that both of you will have to accomplish before your next meeting. You will save time and reach your goals faster.

Determine the date, time, format and topic to be discussed. If you make any changes, let the other person know quickly.

Good mentoring!

Source: Chouinard, Y. (2016, 22 novembre). ÊTRE MENTOR(E) L’art de la transmission et de l’accompagnement. Programme de mentorat. http://www.portailrh.org/mentorat/documentation/mentors/Formation_Mentors_20161122_MEC.pdf