@Arnie Grahl just posted a fantastic blog:
How (not to) Kill A Mentoring Relationship Before It Even Begins.
I've only had one official mentoring relationship, and like Arnie's experience, it lasted only one meeting. So, yeah, it was also not great. It didn't exactly turn me off to mentoring, but it certainly didn't give me a lot of confidence in it either. I have had a lot of what a friend of mine would call, "side-mentoring" experiences. Others may call them "unofficial mentor relationships."
I both like and agree with trust and respect as the first priority, especially given the importance of feedback in mentoring relationships. I find I'm generally more open to receiving feedback when I know it's coming from a good place, that the person giving it wants to help me become a better version of myself and to get me closer to my goals.
For me, trust comes from a willingness to be vulnerable with each other. I'm not saying you need to share your whole life story, but I definitely feel more comfortable if the other person opens up with their feelings as I'm sharing mine.
I also find that it's easier for me to hear feedback if the other person asks for and is open to feedback as well.
What do y'all think?
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Stay awesome,
Quinn
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