Embedded Files
Click on each stage of mentoring to learn more.
Stage 1: Initiation
Stage 1: Initiation
Focus:
Focus:
Relationship-building and alignment
What’s happening:
What’s happening:
Mentor and mentee establish expectations, boundaries, and goals
Mentee is often unsure, highly dependent, and eager for guidance
Power dynamics are most pronounced
Effective mentoring approaches:
Effective mentoring approaches:
Directive or structured mentoring
Explicit guidance on norms, communication, and expectations
Frequent check-ins
Advantages:
Advantages:
Reduces uncertainty and anxiety
Creates psychological safety
Prevents misalignment early
Potential pitfalls:
Potential pitfalls:
Over-directing can limit mentee agency
Assumptions made too early can persist
Key Mentor Question:
Key Mentor Question:
What does this mentee need to feel oriented and supported right now?
Stage 2: Cultivation
Stage 2: Cultivation
Focus:
Focus:
Skill development and increasing independence
What’s happening:
What’s happening:
Mentee builds competence and confidence
Mentor provides feedback, challenge, and support
Trust deepens; collaboration increases
Effective mentoring approaches:
Effective mentoring approaches:
Coaching-oriented mentoring
Guided problem-solving
Stretch assignments with support
Advantages:
Advantages:
Maximizes learning and growth
Encourages critical thinking
Builds mentee self-efficacy
Potential pitfalls:
Potential pitfalls:
Uneven pacing between mentor expectations and mentee readiness
Risk of dependency if autonomy is not encouraged
Key Mentor question:
Key Mentor question:
How can I support growth without solving problems for them?
Stage 3: Transition
Stage 3: Transition
Focus:
Focus:
Shifting roles and redefining the relationship
What’s happening:
What’s happening:
Mentee demonstrates increasing independence
Mentor steps back from day-to-day guidance
Relationship may become more collegial
Effective mentoring approaches:
Effective mentoring approaches:
Consultative mentoring
Reflective questioning
Validation of mentee judgment
Advantages:
Advantages:
Reinforces autonomy
Prepares mentee for independent work or next steps
Models professional peer relationships
Potential pitfalls:
Potential pitfalls:
Ambiguity about roles if transition is not explicit
Mentor disengaging too quickly
Key Mentor question:
Key Mentor question:
What responsibilities can I intentionally hand off?
Stage 4: Closure/Redefinition
Stage 4: Closure/Redefinition
Focus:
Focus:
Reflection, recognition, and completion
What’s happening:
What’s happening:
Formal mentoring relationship concludes
Goals are reviewed and reflected upon
Mentee moves on to a new phase
Effective mentoring approaches:
Effective mentoring approaches:
Reflective mentoring
Strengths-based feedback
Explicit closure conversations
Advantages:
Advantages:
Reinforces learning and growth
Prevents abrupt or unclear endings
Honors the mentoring relationship
Potential pitfalls:
Potential pitfalls:
Avoiding closure due to discomfort
Leaving mentees without a sense of completion
Key mentor question:
Key mentor question:
How can we intentionally close this chapter while leaving the door open for future mentoring?
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