Mentoring minute: you have found a mentor… now what do you do? Published Dec. 18, 2022 By Tara White, Air Force Life Cycle Management Center Personnel Directorate When I think of mentoring, I am reminded of a quote from John C. Maxwell, “One of the greatest values of mentors is the ability to see ahead what others cannot see and to help them navigate a course to their destination.” This summer the concentration was on “How do I find a Mentor.” Now that you have found a mentor, what do you need to do to ensure you have a successful mentoring relationship? 10 Steps for a Mentoring Relationship Schedule the meetings. Most of our leaders are very busy and have packed schedules. Make setting-up meetings easy on them. Provide dates and times you are available or work with their admin to set up the mentoring session. Set Expectations. Be specific with your mentor on what you want to get out of the relationship. Your mentor should understand what you are looking for, or they will not be able to help you. Also, you need to know what your mentor expects to get out of the relationship. Be prepared. You have scheduled the meeting, now make sure you are on time and ready for your session. Bring a notebook and pen for taking notes. Seek knowledge, ask questions- soak up the mentor’s knowledge. Think about what you want to accomplish for each session. Write down notes, questions, or topics you want to cover. Don’t forget to write down what your mentor says. It will be hard to reflect on the session if you forget what they say. Be you, don’t fake it. Your mentor needs to see you where you are, if you fake your knowledge, personality, or try to be someone you aren’t. Then they are not helping the real you. The mentor can help you reach those goals, so be real, not fake. Ask for feedback. This is a big one, mentors can help bring in different perspectives. Ask for feedback on problems/projects you are working on. Tell them your ideas and ask what they think about them. Take notes. By taking notes you are bringing a piece of the conversation back with you to review again. If you have your notes and do not understand, you can reach out to your mentor and go over them again. Show progress. Each mentoring session let your mentor know how you used information from the previous session. This will show your mentor how you took their guidance and put it to use towards your goals. Commit to the Process. Mentoring is a process of growth, and growth does not happen instantly. Not a good fit. Sometimes the most prepared mentor and mentee are just not a good fit. Again, do not fake it if there is a problem. Be specific and clear, it may not work with the two of you, but they may be able to help you find a mentor that does meet your needs. Mentors and mentees can create and or update their profiles in the MyVECTOR mentoring module at https://myvector.us.af.mil/. If you have any questions, please contact the AFLCMC POC, Ms. Tara White, tara.white.6@us.af.mil, AFLCMC/DPD. More information on Mentoring can be found at the AFLCMC Mentoring SharePoint, Workforce Development - Mentoring - All Documents (dps.mil).