Elo Mentoring - The first step in the mentoring relationship
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The first step in the mentoring relationship


The 4 fundamental stages of the mentoring relationship are the beginning of the relationship, the development of the relationship, the heart of the relationship and the end of the relationship. When you meet a mentee, you begin to build trust with each other. In this guide, Elo explains in detail the elements that make up the first stage: trust.

Getting to know each other

  • Share information about each other’s personal and professional lives, so that you can recognize your compatibility.
  • Talk about the mentee’s needs and goals.

Establish mutual trust

  • You can use various icebreaker tools such as the MBTI personality test to get to know yourself better. This step is important because the more you know your mentee, the more you will be able to help him/her by taking into account the strengths, weaknesses and experiences that make him/her who he/she is today.
  • Create a climate of trust, respect and comfort in your relationships.

Getting organized with your mentee

  • Discuss the goals and expectations of the mentoring relationship.
  • Discuss your respective roles
  • Complete a Mentoring Agreement (if required by your mentoring program or if you wish to further formalize your collaboration)
  • Plan the logistics of the relationship (frequency of meetings, communication between meetings, division of virtual and face-to-face meetings, etc.)
  • Discuss next steps
  • Determine the date, time and location of the next meeting

Other actions to consider at the beginning of the mentoring relationship

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    Send a Linkedin invitation to your mentee to learn more about their profile, interests and activities.
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    Ask your mentee to share with you the objectives he or she has thought about for your first meeting or the topics he or she would like to discuss.
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    Plan the virtual meeting: agree on the date, time, and duration of the meeting. Do not schedule a meeting immediately after another meeting. Mentoring requires getting into the right frame of mind.
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    Prepare your heart and head: be prepared to talk about yourself and your journey. Your mentee will feel more comfortable opening up if you do too. You need to ask yourself what you could bring to the relationship.