How do I help a mentee set a goal in a single session?
A session that ends with "lots to think about" has failed. The measure of a good 30 minutes is what the mentee does on Thursday.
- Read time
- 3 minutes
- Module
- Core skills
- Session length
- 30 minutes
What good looks like.
Make the action small enough to finish in a week. Momentum is the thing you are actually giving them.
Make it observable. "Message two people who do this job" is checkable; "network more" is not.
Have them say it back and put a day on it. Committing out loud to another person is most of the effect.
A sequence you can follow.
- 01
Narrow to one thing
Of everything we discussed, what is the first move?
- 02
Shrink it
Cut it until it fits in an hour of their week.
- 03
Make it checkable
A number, a name, a date.
- 04
Get it said out loud
Ask them to repeat it in their own words.
What to avoid.
Ending with a reading list instead of an action
Goals that depend on other people saying yes
Three actions, which means none
Extra tips
Small things that make the half hour better.
Attach a day, not a week
"By Thursday" gets done; "soon" does not.
Make it finishable in an hour
Small enough to complete beats ambitious enough to abandon.
Have them say it back
If they cannot repeat it, it was your goal rather than theirs.
Stop at one
Three actions is the same as none once the week starts.
Take this guide with you.
Download a printable version of this guide: the short answer, the steps, the extra tips, the mistakes to avoid and the questions mentors ask, to read before your next session.
The things people ask first.
Should I follow up to check?
Only through the platform, and only if you both agreed to it in the session.
Next: Explaining your industry.
Your ordinary knowledge is the rarest thing you have.