Mentoring Tools: The Mentoring Wishlist

Are you looking for a mentor but not sure where to begin? If you want to find a great mentor, you need a Mentoring Wishlist. This is one of my favourite mentoring tools.

One of The Simplest Mentoring Tools

The Mentoring Wishlist is a simple but powerful mentoring tool.

It is used to clarify what you are looking for in a mentoring relationship.

The output is a detailed list of the skills, knowledge and experiences that you hope to gain from a mentor. It gives you direction when searching for potential mentors and a list of thoughtful and insightful questions to ask in a meeting with your mentor.

Download The Mentoring Wishlist Worksheet

To help you write your Mentoring Wishlist I’ve created a simple downloadable worksheet. You can print it or complete your answers right in the downloadable pdf.

To download the worksheet simply enter your email address below.

How to Write a Mentoring Wishlist

You can write a Mentoring Wishlist today using these three simple steps.

Step 1: Simple Bullet Points

Take out a notebook, or your favourite note-taking application and ask yourself the question:

“What do I hope to gain from a mentoring relationship”

Start by writing your answer in broad, simple bullet points. For example:

• Communications skills;
• Career direction;
• Technical skills;

This step is usually quick and easy, try to write your bullets in 5 minutes or less.

STEP 2: Add Detail

Now, we need to refine these broad ideas into specific and detailed topics that you would like a mentor to help you improve, understand or develop.

For each bullet point ask two questions:

1. What you want to learn about that topic;
2. Why you want to learn about that topic;

Use the answers to expand your list to be as detailed and specific as possible. For example:

• Communication;
  • Recommendations on how to communicate my value to the boss, so that I can be recognised for my hard work and rewarded with a pay rise and promotion;
  • Tips to win people to my perspective in meetings, so that I can influence decision making on my projects;
  • Ideas on building trust with colleagues, so that I can take on more responsibility and work with greater autonomy;
  • Examples of how to inspire junior staff, so that I can be seen as a role model and leader within my team;
    
• Career Direction;
  • Insight into the role of a company director, so that I can understand if that is a career path I want to pursue;
  • Feedback on my career plan for the next 5 years, so that I can identify potential challenges and create a plan to deal with them proactively;
  • Insight into working from home, so that I can understand if that would be a good fit for me after maternity leave

Notice each detailed bullet above follows a what and why format.

What: Recommendations on how to communicate my value to the boss;
Why: So that I can be recognised for my hard work and rewarded with a pay rise and promotion;

This step takes time and thought. Spend 20 minutes to write out as many detailed what and why bullets as you can come up with.

STEP 3: Take a Break

Store your list somewhere safe and take a break for today.

Let the exercise above rest in the back of your mind and go on with your day. Let it sit in the back of your mind and process subconsciously.

The following day, read over your list and edit it.

You’ll be surprised at the ideas your brain was generating while you were busy going about the rest of your life.

HOW TO USE A MENTORING WISHLIST

There a two main situations where you will refer to your Mentoring Wishlist.

When you are searching for and evaluating potential mentors, consider their ability to help you with the specific items on this list. You may need different mentors for each aspect of professional development you have identified.

Then, when you are preparing for a catch-up with a mentor use your Mentoring Wishlist as inspiration for interesting discussion questions.

What mentoring tools do you need in your life? Let me know in the comments below.