How can you motivate your mentee to drive their own learning?

1 Set clear expectations

Before you start mentoring, you should discuss and agree on the expectations of both parties. What are the mentee's goals, challenges, and needs? What are the mentor's role, responsibilities, and availability? How often and how will you communicate and give feedback? Setting clear expectations will help your mentee understand what they need to do and what they can expect from you.

2 Encourage self-reflection

One of the most effective strategies for motivating your mentee to drive their own learning is to encourage them to reflect on their progress, strengths, and areas for improvement. You can do this by posing open-ended questions such as, "What did you learn from this experience?", "What did you do well and what can you do better?", "How did you overcome the challenges you faced?", and "How can you apply what you learned to other situations?". Through self-reflection, your mentee will be able to recognize their accomplishments, recognize their shortcomings, and plan for the future.

3 Provide resources and guidance

Motivating your mentee to drive their own learning can be achieved by providing them with resources and guidance. Suggest relevant articles, books, podcasts, videos, or courses that can expand their knowledge and perspectives. Introduce them to other mentors, experts, or peers who can offer different insights and advice. Additionally, suggest specific actions, tasks, or projects that can challenge them and help them practice their skills. This will help your mentee explore new opportunities, learn from others, and apply their learning to real situations.

4 Celebrate achievements and milestones

Motivating your mentee to drive their own learning can be accomplished through celebration of their achievements and milestones. Acknowledge and praise their efforts, results, and improvements, and provide constructive and positive feedback that highlights their strengths and areas for growth. You can also reward them with recognition, appreciation, or incentives that match their preferences and values. Doing so will help your mentee feel confident, motivated, and valued.

5 Empower them to make decisions

Motivating your mentee to drive their own learning can be done by empowering them to make decisions. Ask them what they want to learn, how they want to learn, and how they want to measure their progress. Give them autonomy and flexibility to choose their own learning methods, tools, and pace. Additionally, support them in taking risks, making mistakes, and learning from them. Doing this will help your mentee take ownership, responsibility, and initiative for their own learning.

6 Model lifelong learning

Motivating your mentee to drive their own learning can be achieved by modeling lifelong learning. Share your own learning goals, challenges, and successes to demonstrate how you learn new things, seek feedback, and improve your skills. Showing curiosity, enthusiasm, and openness to new ideas and perspectives will help your mentee see you as a role model, a partner, and a source of inspiration.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?