Planning Ahead

Another role of a mentor is helping your advisee develop plans for the future. These plans can be near term (e.g., 3-6 months) or longer term (6 months – 5 years). This planning ahead process is primarily one of exploring options rather than dictating a future plan.

Here are some guidelines for helping your advisee plan ahead:

1. Identify the critical things on the horizon that your advisee must be aware of. These will be things that must be done or future progress will be stalled.
2. Layout an array of options for the near term. Narrow these down to 2-3 depending upon your advisee’s interests.
3. For each option, help your advisee think through the most relevant steps to support that option.
4. Once step (3) is done, work with your advisee to see where these steps will likely end up in 2/3 years. This analysis may help narrow down the options to ones that are most realistic.
5. Show your advisee how to track progress toward his/her plan and how to adjust the plan if needed.

One thing is critical when you help an advisee plan ahead You have to guide him/her in a plan that is best for them, and your own needs should be irrelevant. One of the toughest things for any boss to do is tell a valued employee, “It’s time for me to let you go to pursue a better opportunity.”