Making the most of your mentoring relationship

Dr. Wael Badawy, P.Eng., IntelliView Technologies Inc., CA, and Umm Al Qura University, KSA – Calgary, AB, CYBF Mentor

Mentoring relationships can formal or informal, and often between a younger and an older, more experienced person. The roles of mentors vary greatly depending on the type of business, the structure of the relationship and the participants involved. These relationships also evolve. Over time, a mentor can become a role model, supporter, partner, policy enforcer, an advocate or a friend.

To make the most of a mentoring relationship, it should be structured in a friendly yet professional way. Mentors and mentees should discuss their expectations at the beginning of their relationship and regularly throughout it. It is important for a mentor to understand the mentee’s personal and professional goals. That way, they can work together to develop a plan of action to reach those goals within an appropriate timeframe. To make the most of their time together, the mentee should come to meetings prepared with questions.

To get the most out of the mentoring relationship, both parties must remain flexible and open to change, but still be willing to maintain some structure and stick to an agreed-upon plan.