Mentorship can help you grow your business, but it takes time to build trust. The key is to communicate clearly with your mentor and follow their advice.

Show your mentor that you value their advice by taking notes during meetings and implementing them in your work. Mentors appreciate seeing that their advice has positively impacted you and your success.

Set Clear Goals

Whether you’re a mentor like an expert on entrepreneur Larry Gaynor or even a mentee, setting clear goals is essential. This will help you to focus on what you need from the mentoring relationship.

It’s also important to recognize what the mentor can teach you. This may be a new skill, an understanding of their business, or an insight into their experience.

Clear goals will also allow you to give the mentor timely feedback. This is important for their development and will show that you value the time they’re investing into the relationship. It will also let them know you’re eager to learn from their expertise. This will create a strong foundation for the connection.

Be Prepared for Meetings

During the first meeting, providing your mentor with background information, including your professional experience, is helpful. It’s also important to share your initial career goals, so your mentor can better understand what you’re looking for from the mentoring relationship.

It’s also wise to prepare for the first meeting by researching the person and company. Be sure to note their education, work, and volunteer experiences and explore the types of projects they’ve taken on in the past.

You’ll want to establish a schedule of meetings (Zoom, phone, or in person) and stick with it. This will help you stay on track and ensure your conversations are productive. Make it a point also to thank your mentor at the end of each meeting.

Be Flexible

A mentor is a valuable tool for sharing knowledge on both a small scale (the nitty-gritty details of workplace successes) and a large scale (how to build a fulfilling career). Mentorships can also lead to more networking opportunities and improved job-related well-being and self-esteem.

Flexibility’s essential when working with a mentor, especially when rescheduling meetings. It’s best to be flexible and willing to change your approach if needed, even if it means redefining the goals of your mentoring relationship.

Ismail’s example reflects that the mentorship experience can be just as rewarding for the mentor as it is for the student. Mentors gain something vital from this role, such as learning new skills and being shaken out of their comfort zone.

Show Respect for Your Mentor’s Time

A mentor generously donates their time and expertise to you, so you must show them respect. Do not text them outside of scheduled meetings, and permanently save your questions for the sessions you agree on together.

Mentors also need positive feedback and acknowledgment. Be sure to congratulate them on their successes and tell them how much you admire their work.

If the relationship is not working, be open and honest about it. Explain that your goals have changed or that you need a different type of mentorship. Then work with them to close out the relationship politely and respectfully. This will be best for everyone involved. This could include reshaping the goals of the relationship or simply ending it. Whatever the case, thank your mentor for their help and support.

Be Open to Change

A mentor can make a difference by giving mentees the confidence they need to be successful. They may have to challenge a mentee’s beliefs or provide a new perspective. It’s important for mentors to understand the mentees’ needs and goals and to work toward those measurable, long-term goals together.

Mentors should also be open to change in how they approach the mentoring relationship. They should focus on the mentee’s needs and the mentees’ goals rather than their own experiences.

Mentees should ask questions about their mentors’ approaches to achieving a goal or even if there is a better way to go about something. Mentees should also be open to receiving harsh feedback and learning from it. It’s a big part of growing as an entrepreneur.