Building effective mentoring relationships
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This document provides guidance on how to build effective relationships with mentors. It defines a mentor as an experienced advisor who shares their time and expertise without pay to help advance a mentee personally or professionally. It recommends that mentees clarify their needs, seek out potential mentors through their network and events, ask mentors directly for guidance, agree on terms of the mentoring relationship, and thank their mentors. Specific tips are provided for communicating needs, finding mentors, asking mentors, setting expectations, and being a good mentee through open communication and completing assigned tasks.
Building effective mentoring relationships
- 1. How to Build Effective Relationships w/ Your Caroline Cummings Venture Catalyst caroline@oregonrain.org
- 2. What is a mentor? Someone with a skill you desire who is willing to share their time and expertise with you to help you advance personally or professionally. An experienced and trusted advisor. They don’t get paid – that’s a Professional Coach!
- 3. Become a great mentee! 1. Clarify 2. Seek 3. Ask 4. Agree 5. Thank
- 4. Clarify your needs: • Do you know what you don’t know? • Get specific • Choose some skills you want to learn • You’ll probably need two mentors • Etc…
- 5. What I know: What I don’t know? (and is needed in your startup) Programming UI/UX Hiring Firing … Making cold calls Digital Marketing Fundraising Financials …
- 6. Seek out mentors: • Networking events • Meet-ups • Linkedin (ask for intros) • Ask Friends/Family • Make cold calls (or ask for intro) • Don’t just seek out someone you admire – they must have a specific skillset you need exposure to • Make the intention to find one…
- 7. Date Before You Mentor!
- 8. Ask them to mentor you: • If you can’t ask – you can’t sell! • Be ready to share what it is about this person that you want to get exposure to • Sometimes the word “mentor” scares people • Share who you are and what skills you’re missing to be successful • Have they mentored before?
- 9. Agree on terms: • How often? • What term? • Rules of engagement? • What if scenarios • Types of things they’ll ask you to do? • What success looks like in the relationship? • Etc…
- 10. Dos and Don’ts of Being an Awesome Mentee DO: Be honest Communicate Be assertive Be creative Do the work! DON’T: Ask to sign NDAs Disappear or Flake Out Hold back Withhold info Stay if it’s not working
- 11. Example of homework you’ll get from mentors: • Survey your customers (or who you think your customer are) • Write a one-page exec summary • Develop/Update a pitch deck • Interview CEO of another company who is in your space, but not a competitor
- 14. Go Find Your Caroline Cummings Venture Catalyst caroline@oregonrain.org