Get the most out of meeting a coach or mentor

HOW TO … Get the most out of meeting a coach or mentor

By Harveen Chugh, Associate Professor of Entrepreneurship at Warwick Business School

Coaching or mentoring meetings can typically range from 30 to 60 minutes. They may vary based on factors such as a programme requirement that asks you to take part for a particular length of time, the coach or mentor’s availability, or the specific amount of time you request from them. They may be on a paid or pro bono basis – but their time is extremely valuable either way. While the coach or mentor’s aim will be to provide value to you in that time, it’s worth asking: how exactly can I get the most from meeting with my coach or mentor? It’s a two-way street, after all! Here are three practical ways you can capitalise on your meeting to get the most value from it: Dr Harveen Chugh is the Associate Professor of Entrepreneurship at Warwick Business School. She’s been a coach and mentor to many entrepreneurs on programmes including the Royal Academy of Engineering’s Leaders in Innovation Fellowships and the Imperial Enterprise Lab Summer Accelerator. She’s leading research on coaching and mentoring for entrepreneurs and has co-founded the Network for Coaching and Mentoring Entrepreneurs (NCME) for enterprise educators.

1 2 3

Prep

Your first step is to prep and provide information to your coach or mentor before your meeting. If it’s the first time you’ve met with them, this could be an introduction to say hello and to let them know a bit about who you are and what you’d like to achieve from the coaching or mentoring. If it’s a second, third or later meeting, this could be updating them on actions taken since the last time you met, or detailing what you’d like to discuss in the next session.

Prepping not only saves time by allowing the conversation to progress quickly when you do meet, but it shows you’re someone who values the coach or mentor’s time and is keen to make the most of the opportunity. This will drive them to do their best for you, so it’s a win–win!

Engage

It’s easy to show up to a meeting (especially these days if its online and there’s no commute required!), but it’s important to think in advance about how you can maximise engagement once you’re in that meeting. This is key so your coach or mentor feels you’re fully present in the session, as well as for yourself so you gain the most you possibly can from your time with them.

There are a few ways you can increase your engagement, such as consistently making eye contact with them and avoiding checking your mobile phone or other devices. If you’re taking notes or looking something up based on the discussion, tell your coach or mentor this so they know you’re still engaged. Choose a meeting time where you can give your full attention to the session without any big distractions. If there are other things going on during your meeting, despite your best efforts, let your coach or mentor know this so they understand the circumstances in advance.

Follow-up

So, you prepped well and maximised engagement during the meeting – well done! The last step is to follow-up with your coach or mentor before your next session. This can be as simple as a short email, or a few notes in a shared document featuring key points that were discussed, such as your key takeaways and your future plans. Why is a follow-up useful? It’s a fantastic chance for you to reflect on your meeting and capture your learnings. You’re also creating a record and contract with your coach or mentor, so you can recall what was said in the last meeting and easily prep for the next one – following the cycle around again! Plus, it helps you capture the actions necessary to work towards your goals, helping you to stay on track while your coach or mentor works with you to achieve them.

So, there you have it – three simple and practical steps to get the most from meeting with your coach or mentor. Give ‘prep, engage and follow-up’ a try and reap those collaborative benefits!