Being an Effective Mentee

Thursday, January 27, 2022

Event Recap: January 2022 (Virtual) Being an Effective Mentee

On January 27, Rita Di Carlo and Michele Gianforcaro of the Villanova School of Business joined the Young Professionals Council to celebrate National Mentoring Month. Their engaging and interactive presentation was focused on the different strategies mentees can take to have a successful mentoring relationship.

After reflecting on what makes a great mentor/mentee – willingness to share, positive attitude, effective listening, emotional intelligence, accountability – Michele and Rita shared the four phases of a mentoring relationship: Initiate, Cultivate, Grow, and Wrap Up.

Initiate – Mentees should take ownership of their part of the mentoring relationship from the beginning. Building rapport with your mentor and truly getting to know them and their experiences is an important part of growing the relationship. While the relationship is being initiated, mentees should decide on one to three goals they’d like to work towards during the mentorship.

Cultivate – During this phase, mentees should be prepared for each of their mentoring meetings – ready to ask thoughtful questions, listen and embrace what their mentor has to say, and share updates surrounding their goals. Together the mentor and mentee will establish parameters around the relationship.

Grow – At this point, the mentoring relationship is well underway. Mentees may face challenges during this phase as they work towards their goals. It’s important to maintain open communication and vulnerability with mentors even if mentees feel imposter syndrome kicking in. Asking for help in reframing those challenges will deepen trust in the relationship and build mentee confidence as they move closer toward their goals.

Wrap Up – As the mentoring relationship comes to an end, it’s good to reflect and assess the goals you set for yourself and the mentorship. How did it go? Did the goals change? Remember to celebrate accomplishments, develop ideas for reciprocity, and express gratitude towards your mentor.

YPC Advisory Members Zoey Toy and Basil Jackson shared their experiences as mentees in the Chamber’s mentorship program. They both expressed how important and impactful the mentoring relationship was for them. Both stressed that trust and getting to know their mentor genuinely made the experience much better.

If you haven’t had the chance to be a mentee yet or are looking for another mentorship experience, consider signing up for the Chamber’s Pay It Forward mentorship program later this year. If you already have a mentor in your life, be encouraged to find a way to thank them!

—  Joy Isabelle, Business Development Manager, Junior Achievement of Southeastern PA.

Coming Up

[Virtual] Meet The C-Suite with Al Schmidt
Thursday, March 24, 2022 | 4:00 – 5:00 p.m.

Join us for a virtual YPC ‘Meet the C-Suite’ program, part of a series where young professionals have the opportunity to interact with regional CEOs, founders, and C-suite executives in an exclusive setting and learn how they became successful leaders within their fields.

Register