First mentoring conversation worksheet

1. Establish purpose and mutual goals.

2. Conduct rapport building interview:

Know each other:

Factual Questions
Where did you grow up?
What were your interests in school?
Causative Questions
Why did you pick that school?
What caused you to major in ?
What caused you to pursue this profession?
Value-Based Questions
Who has had a major impact in your life?
What would you do differently?
What has been a turning point in your life?
What is an accomplishment you are proud of?
Career development:
How did you get started in this line of work?
What obstacles have you overcome?
Who has helped you along the way?
What do you like about your job? Why do you like it?
What do you see as your strengths?
What would you like to do more of? Why?
What would you like to do less of? Why?
What recent accomplishments make you most proud?
What motivates you?
How would you like to be rewarded for your results?
What would bring you greater job satisfaction?
3. Establish ground rules. Examples:

 meetings to be face-to-face

 by phone
 by teleconference email follow-up
 take place in a mutual setting meeting
 frequency and duration

4. Career goals and vision

5. Recent accomplishments related to these goals and vision

6. Improvement areas and challenges

7. Identify growth opportunities or potential development options

8. Select one goal to focus on. Mentee provides two ideas for reaching this goal. Mentor
suggests one idea for achieving the goal, after hearing mentee’s ideas.

9. Relate your most valuable leadership lesson learned or advice appropriate to the situation.

10. Identify action steps. When appropriate, mentor suggests professional contacts for mentee to
meet.

11. Schedule follow-up meeting.

12. Mentor ends meeting on a high note, providing praise.