There are many different ways to define mentoring; when we define mentoring as a learning alliance, the focus shifts to the relationship: how mentors and mentees work together and learn through working together. Both parties in the learning alliance are responsible for their own learning, and both are responsible for bringing all their knowledge and skills into the relationship in order to create the best possible learning situation for both parties.
Therefore, in order to create mutual learning both mentor and mentee is responsible for the mentoring relationship in order to make it successful. Here are 10 tips for a successful mentoring relationship:
1. Commitment - prioritize your time and invest your energy.
2. Define expectations - clarify your goals and expectations.
3. Mutual trust - define ground rules and the need for confidentiality
4. Openness - share your positive and negative experiences to learn from them.
5. Be reliable - be honest, respectful and keep appointments.
6. Be prepared - show your motivation and accelerate your learning.
7. Communicate - stay in contact and use many modes of communication.
8. Experiment - explore, be innovative and remain open to new ideas.
9. Pay attention - listen well and reflect on what you hear.
10. Two-way learning - make time and Space for Mutual learning.
