• He's committed to expanding capabilities and focused on achieving professional results.
• Clear about their career goals, needs, and wants.
• Willing to ask for help.
• Able to seek and accept positive or negative feedback.
• Personally responsible and accountable.
• Ready, willing, and able to meet on a regular basis.

To develop a successful mentoring relationships:

• Design the Alliance. Both parties must have an agreement on the contact and response times, meetings, confidentiality, focus, feedback, and goals and accountability.
• Get to Know Each Other. It is important to have a strong relationship and trust before focusing on the problem.
• Set the Agenda. Be clear on the purpose and goals of the program.
• Reflect and Evaluate. Know if there is a progress or development gained from the mentoring every few meetings.
• Closeout. Before parting ways, have a closure with each other. Reflect and appreciate what both parties have learned and gained from the experience.

1. Valuing the most precious resource being provided by the mentor: Time.
2. Being clear about one’s expectations and objectives, so that the most suitable and effective guidance is provided.
3. Being open to input, advice, criticism and feedback, ready to hear things you wouldn’t normally want to hear.
4. Expressing Gratitude.
5. Self-assessing yourself as a good mentee, committing to the partnership.
6. Expecting the unexpected, and learning from it.

The word "mentor" was first used in Homer's epic poem "The Odyssey" when Odysseus entrusted the care of his kingdom to Mentor who served as a teacher and overseer to Odysseus' son.

This is where mentor was derived meaning "a trusted councelor or guide."

A mentor is not someone who gives you direct answers, but someone who challenges you to know the right answer. 

And in life, you can't be spoon-fed all the time. The role of a mentor is to guide you and give you the wisdom in knowing the answer.