Guidelines for Mentors

Qualities that we're looking for in a Mentor include, but are not limited to:

• Commitment to the relationship
• Minimum 1 hour per week meeting with dedicated support for Mentee’s success.
• Attendance in the Coach the Mentor session hosted the Thursday evening two weeks prior to the cohort’s kickoff.
• Attendance for the Cohort Kick-Off, MidPoint Mixer, and Appreciation events. 

• Approachability, availability, and the ability to listen
• Establish a set day and time for regular one-hour meetings that respect both your time and your Mentee’s time. This will build the trust necessary to allow him or her to reach out for support and keep an open line of communication throughout the process.
• Preparedness
• Respect your Mentee's time and abilities in the process by preparing for each mentoring session.
• Ask your Mentee what topics or subjects he or she wants to talk about beforehand. Once you know, you should outline the key points you want to focus on ahead of time, and have a plan for discussing strategies against the key points effectively and efficiently.

• Ability and willingness to communicate what you know
• Clearly communicate the lessons you’ve learned over your career, guide him or her through strategies you’ve delivered on, and provide intricate details that make sense for your Mentee.

• Honesty with diplomacy
• Provide your Mentee with candid and straightforward feedback, regardless of how easy or difficult the feedback might be.
• Be willing to debate and discuss in a tactful way.
• Provide useful, honest guidance while ensuring that your Mentee takes control and ownership of the strategies to make his or her own decisions as to the next steps or the best course of action.

• Objectivity and fairness
• Ensure that there's no hidden agenda or ulterior motives involved in this relationship.
• Facilitate conversations in a manner that retains your objectivity and fairness, while not influencing any processes that you may be involved in.

• Compassion and genuineness
• Be selfless about sharing what you know.
• Delivering strategies related to the key objectives of your circle or 1:1 relationship by modeling positive behavior and offering guidance and advice should be your compass that guides all your actions.

• Experience
• Have a minimum of 8 years of experience in Project/Program Management and/or Leadership.

What is a Mentorship Circle?

• 1 Mentorship Circle = 1 Mentor to 2-4 Mentees 
• Each Circle Cohort is 10 weeks long 
• Circles are topic and industry-based. Learn about the Mentorship Program Structure

What is 1:1 Mentorship?

• 1:1 Mentorship = 1 Mentor to 1 Mentee
• 1:1 Mentorship is 10 weeks long 

What are the benefits of a Mentorship Circle? 

• Make a bigger impact by guiding up to 4 Mentees honing their skills on a specific topic 
• Advance your Mentorship and facilitation skills by encouraging dialogue
• Build a network of like-minded professionals
• Earn PDUs for your participation 

How do I register for a Mentorship in 2024?

• Register Now! 
  • Complete the registration form
  • Complete the matching application form.
    • Indicate your preferred topic and industry of interest
    • Indicate if you are seeking to join a mentorship circle or 1:1 mentorship 
    • Share years of experience in the topics of interest

What’s next?

• If you are selected to lead a Mentorship Circle or 1:1 Mentee, you will participate in a training session with an experienced coach 
• You will receive a framework as a guide and a library of resources for you to work with during the 10 week cohort to ensure optimum outcomes

 

Note: 

• We will do our best to match Mentors to Mentees based on the indicated preference.

• Matches are subject to change and will depend on the level of interest from the Mentee applicants.

 

Thank you,

PMI-SF Bay Area Mentorship Program

mentorship@pmisfbac.org