Template

Mentoring session template

A mentor and the person they mentor: one real question, worked through, and something to try before next time.

45 minutesFor Mentors and the people they mentorAgenda room
Change the agenda first

The agenda, with a time for each part

  1. What happened since last time7 min
    • What did you try, and what happened?
  2. The question you brought20 min
    • What have you already thought of?
    • What would you do if you were not afraid of getting it wrong?
  3. What I have seen work8 min
    • Would it help to hear what I did in the same spot?
  4. What you will try6 min
    • What is one thing you will do before we next meet?
  5. Next time4 min
    • When, and what should you bring?

How the notes read afterwards

A made-up example, so you can see the shape. In a real call each line carries the words that were said and who said them.

Since last time. Asked for the project lead role; was told “not yet”, without a reason.

Question. How to ask what “ready” would look like, without sounding impatient.

Will try. Ask the manager for two specific things to show by March.

Running it well

Ways to change it

First sessionSpend it on what they want from the year, and how often you will meet.
Group mentoringOne mentor and three or four people, for an hour. Each brings one question, and the group answers before the mentor does.

When to skip it. When there is nothing they want to ask. Move it rather than fill the time.

Questions

What do you talk about in a mentoring session?

One real question the person is facing, what they have tried, what the mentor has seen work, and one thing to try before next time.

How often should a mentor and mentee meet?

Every three or four weeks is enough for most. More often, and there is nothing new to bring.

What happens in the room

Everybody joins from the link, with no account. The agenda sits beside the call and each item fills in with what was said about it, under the name of the person who said it.

More templates

Career conversationNot this week's work: where the person wants to be in a few years, what is in the way, and one step to take next.1:1 meetingA weekly hour between a manager and one person — theirs first, yours second.Skip-level meetingA conversation between a manager and somebody two levels down, to hear what does not travel up on its own.First 1:1 with a new team memberBefore any work is discussed: how they like to work, what they want from you, and what a good first month looks like.Performance reviewA look back at the year and a plan for the next one, with no surprises in it.Strategy offsite (half day)Half a day away from the daily work: where the company is, the few choices that matter, and three priorities for the year.Budget review meetingSpending against the plan, line by line where it matters, and the decisions that follow.Town hall meetingA public meeting where people who are affected ask the people who decide — with a fair turn for everybody.

All 60 templates →

Try Meetful

Meetings that take their own notes

Free video meetings in the browser: every line of the transcript under the name of who said it, and the summary and action items when you hang up. Nothing to install — guests just open the link.

Try Meetful freeSee what it does