Time and Trust: Two Strong Pillars of a Successful Mentor-Mentee Relationship

Published on
January 13, 2015

Any association, including one between a mentor and a mentee, is built on the foundation of trust. The cornerstone of a successful mentoring relationship is stated to be belief and a deep faith between mentor and mentee. Building belief/trust and rapport takes time and sometimes a little effort, but it's well worth the effort.

The goal of mentoring is to provide guidance and support to an aspiring mentee. It demands time to establish a collaborative relationship where both mentor and mentee can learn from each other and devise a strategic plan for reaching desired goals. And it takes faith to work together and tackle the challenges that most aspiring business professionals face, like overcoming fears, building confidence, and taking risks.

In this blog, we will talk about the two strong pillars of healthy mentor-mentee relations. Stay connected.

Two pillars of a healthy Mentor-Mentee Relation

A healthy mentor-mentee association entails several things, but these two themes, time and trust, are repeated frequently concerning successful mentoring relationships. Their value cannot be overstated. To ensure that you are giving them the proper attention, here are some tips on how to best incorporate time and trust into your mentoring relationships:

1- Time  

Time is a precious resource that, once lost, cannot be regained. Respect mentees by respecting their time.

  • Mentors should administer their programs systematically to make the best use of their mentees' time.
  • At the start of every mentoring relationship, allow sufficient time for mentees to get to know you and feel comfortable sharing their fears and goals with you. Provide the mentee time to open up and drop their shyness and inhibitions.
  • Let mentees know that their time is important to you by being consistent with scheduling meetings and discussions.
  • Convey the message that your time is dedicated to them by focusing on progress and results.

2- Trust

As a mentor, it's your fundamental goal to build trust with your mentees. Without faith, the mentor-mentee relationship will go nowhere.

  • Guarantee confidentiality from the get-go. Assure your mentee that your exchanges are secure and confidential and that nothing will be shared outside the relationship.
  • Be honest and transparent with your mentee. Don't be afraid to get personal. Share your career story and the emotional journey that brought you to where you are.
  • Eliminate fear and intimidation by answering their questions and encouraging them to ask more.
  • Be reliable. Show up for every scheduled meeting and be available for your mentee whenever they(mentee) require you.


Time builds trust, and trust opens doors to honest and transparent communication. Without these crucial elements, a mentoring relationship is doomed to fail. Giving each the focus they deserve will earn you the results you strive for in a successful mentorship.

Contact MentorCloud to learn more tips and techniques for strengthening your mentoring relationships.

If this post was valuable to you, please feel free to share it across your social media channels. Also, please give us your thoughts on best practices and your experiences with mentoring. Thank you for reading, and check back in every Monday and Thursday for original posts on the #powerofmentoring!

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