Agenda for Mentoring Meetings

Agenda for your first mentoring meetings

Aims:

1. Establish trust
2. Agree on goals
3. Set ground rules
4. End on a high note

 

1. Establish trust

Building your mentoring relationship around trust is the key to success! Here are some good starting points to help you get to know each other:

• Introduce yourself and your work
• Discuss your local business community , environment and culture
• Introduce your family
• Introduce your support network – who helps out in difficult times?
• Who is your hero and why?

2. Discuss general goals

This is a two-way learning experience, so developing your goals together will help ensure you start off on the right foot:

• Think carefully about what you would both like to learn.
• Then set out 3 general goals to help you track your progress, taking into account:

• Mentee’s interests and potential areas for development
• What the mentee hopes to achieve
• How the mentor can help
• What the mentor would like to gain
• How you would like your business and life to change as a result of this relationship
  • Once you have agreed on general goals, we suggest you discuss more specific objectives on a regular basis. Your objectives will emerge and take shape as your relationship develops.
  • As your objectives develop, remember to list them on your calendar and update the list regularly!

3. Set ground rules

Clear, shared expectations and processes are important. Discuss rules and logistics and, at a minimum, agree on:

• The confidential nature of your conversations
• Methods of communication:
• Planned frequency and duration of meetings on the platform
• Agreement on availability for brief, ad hoc conversations via email or chats
• How to communicate what makes you feel uncomfortable
  • How you plan to give constructive feedback and support to one another
  • How you will measure progress
  • Boundaries, “no-go zones”, such as requests for funding

4. End on a high note

Good practice is to:

• Review the meeting – Have you made a good start? Any questions?
• Confirm when you will next meet/talk/chat
• Agree on your next topic in advance. Choose something engaging that interests both of you, such as:
  • How to start writing a business plan
  • Getting the most out of the platform
  • Learning from each other’s business cultures
• Agree on the agenda and share it prior to your next meeting – the mentee can take the lead on this task.
• Have fun! Mentoring relationships should be rewarding for both parties, so relax and enjoy it!