How do you ensure the effectiveness of each session?

Written by Mickael Bokobza

Here are some steps you can take to prepare for a session with your mentor as part of a corporate leadership mentoring program:

1. Define your goals: Before the session, take some time to think about your short- and long-term leadership goals. What are your current challenges, and how can your mentor help you overcome them? Write down your ideas to help you focus on the goals that are most important to you.
2. Identify topics for discussion: Based on your objectives, identify the topics you'd like to discuss with your mentor. For example, you could discuss your communication skills, your time management or how you manage your team. Remember, your mentor is there to help you grow and develop, so don't hesitate to ask open-ended questions and seek advice.
3. Prepare concrete examples: To help your mentor understand your challenges and offer practical advice, prepare concrete examples of situations you've encountered. Describe the challenges you faced and the approaches you took to resolve them. This will enable your mentor to better understand your leadership style and offer you advice tailored to your situation.
4. Be open-minded: Mentoring is a personal development process that often involves trying new approaches and stepping out of your comfort zone. Be open-minded and ready to explore new ideas and approaches, even if they may seem different from what you've done before.
5. Set clear objectives: At the end of the session, make sure you set clear objectives to help you progress. What steps will you take to put your mentor's advice into practice? How will you measure your success? Write down your goals to remind yourself to follow through and achieve them.

By following these steps, you can prepare yourself for a productive and effective mentoring session with your leadership mentor.

The Mentor adopts an active listening posture

As a mentor in a corporate leadership mentoring program, it's important to adopt a caring, learning-oriented posture. Here are a few points to consider when adopting the right posture:

1. Active listening: Listen carefully to your mentee to understand their concerns, needs and aspirations. Pay attention to both the words they use and their body language. Show that you're there to support him and help him develop.
2. Positivity: Adopt a positive, encouraging attitude. Encourage your mentee to reflect on his or her successes and achievements, no matter how small. Acknowledge your mentee's efforts and celebrate their achievements.
3. Curiosity: Ask open-ended questions to help your mentee think through problems and find solutions. Encourage him to explore new ideas and approaches, and be curious to discover what motivates him.
4. Clear goals: Help your mentee define clear and specific goals, and establish an action plan to achieve them. Be ready to provide advice and resources to help your mentee progress.
5. Constructive feedback: Provide your mentee with constructive and useful feedback to help them understand their strengths and weaknesses, and progress in their professional development. Be honest but respectful, and encourage your mentee to reflect on his or her actions.
6. Confidentiality: Guarantee the confidentiality of your mentoring sessions and all information shared. Encourage your mentee to be open and honest, assuring them that their personal information will remain confidential.

By adopting this posture, you can create a trusting and supportive environment that helps your mentee develop their leadership skills and achieve their professional goals.

The mentee is responsible for achieving the objectives.

As a mentee in a corporate leadership mentoring program, it's important to adopt a posture of openness and curiosity. Here are a few points to consider when adopting the right posture:

1. Be receptive: Be open and receptive to your mentor's advice and suggestions. Listen carefully to what he has to say, ask questions to better understand his advice, and be prepared to take his comments on board.
2. Clear objectives: Define clear objectives for your mentoring session and share them with your mentor. This will help you stay focused on your priorities and establish an action plan to achieve your goals.
3. Autonomy: Take responsibility for your own professional development. Be proactive by identifying the areas in which you want to improve and drawing up an action plan to achieve this.
4. Constructive feedback: Be open to feedback from your mentor and use it to advance your professional development. Listen to your mentor's comments and be ready to make changes to improve your skills.
5. Confidentiality: Guarantee the confidentiality of your mentoring sessions and all information shared. Be honest and open with your mentor, but make sure that any information shared remains confidential.
6. Commitment: Be fully committed to your professional development. Be prepared to invest time and energy in your mentoring and work hard to achieve your goals.

By adopting this posture, you can make the most of your mentoring and acquire the skills needed to become an effective leader in your company.