What do you do if your mentor-mentee relationship in the advertising field is struggling?

1 Assess your situation

The first step is to honestly evaluate your current situation and identify the root causes of your dissatisfaction. Are you facing any specific challenges or problems that your mentor could help you with? Are you communicating clearly and regularly with your mentor? Are you following their advice and showing appreciation for their time and effort? Are you respecting their boundaries and availability? Are you open to constructive criticism and feedback? By answering these questions, you can pinpoint the areas where you need to improve or change.

2 Talk to your mentor

The next step is to have a candid conversation with your mentor and share your concerns, expectations, and goals. This is not a time to blame, accuse, or complain, but to express your feelings, needs, and desires in a respectful and constructive way. Listen to your mentor's perspective and try to understand their point of view. Acknowledge their contributions and value, and appreciate their feedback and suggestions. Try to find common ground and mutual understanding, and agree on some action steps to improve your relationship.

3 Adjust your approach

The third step is to follow through on the action steps you agreed on with your mentor and adjust your approach accordingly. For example, you may need to set more realistic and specific goals, schedule more frequent and consistent check-ins, seek more feedback and guidance, implement their recommendations and best practices, or explore new opportunities and challenges. You may also need to be more flexible, adaptable, and respectful of your mentor's style, preferences, and limitations. By doing so, you can show your commitment, initiative, and willingness to learn and grow.

5 Reevaluate your relationship

The final step is to reevaluate your relationship with your mentor after some time and see if it has improved or not. If you feel like you have made progress, achieved your goals, and built a stronger rapport with your mentor, you can celebrate your success and thank your mentor for their support. If you feel like you still have issues, gaps, or conflicts with your mentor, you can decide whether to continue, modify, or end your relationship. Whatever you choose, be respectful, grateful, and honest with your mentor and yourself.

6 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?