The topics you discuss during mentoring sessions should be centered around the specific goals you and your mentee agreed upon for the relationship. The illustrative questions below provide a good basis on which to begin your discussions:
Professional Development
- What successes have you had in your job recently?
- Why were they successful?
- When you need to persuade or motivate others, what is your strategy?
- Which relationships are particularly difficult for you at work?
- Where and how could you improve the effectiveness of your team?
- What tough decisions have you had to make in your job recently?
- What opportunities or challenges do you feel they created for you?
- What decisions are easiest for you to make and which ones are the most difficult? Why?
- How do you solicit feedback regarding your performance?
Career Guidance
- What prompted you to take your current job?
- What skills would you like to develop?
- What do you see as the next logical step for your career?
- What doubts do you have around being able to reach the next step?
- What is your long-term vision for your career?
Personal Development
- What are your current strengths and development areas? What steps are you taking to improve there?
- What individuals, books, experiences, or events have most impacted who you are?
- About what are you passionate (work-related or not)?