Page 11 - Orange County's Credit Union

Orange County’s Credit Union
Building the Relationship

Every interaction between mentor and mentee presents an opportunity to either build or erode
the mentoring relationship. A productive mentoring relationship is supported by four pillars: Trust,
Confidentiality, Communication, and Courage.

Trust Confidentiality Communication Courage

How to Build Trust:

• Use clear, honest, and open language
• Demonstrate respect in all interactions
• Practice accountability; do not blame others when something does not happen as discussed
• Be transparent and consistent
• Be flexible and accessible
• Keep commitments, as commitments build hope; delivering on hope builds trust
• Base feedback on first-hand observation as often as possible

How to Build Confidentiality:
• Agree on boundaries
• From the start, b candid about confidentiality principles and boundaries
• Be open to sharing and discussion that isn't directly tied to your goals
• Demonstrate your belief in confidentiality by acting with integrity with all information that is
shared, regardless of the relationship

How to Build Communicaiton:

• Be present and attentive to your mentor/mentee
• Be timely with your questions, thoughts, and opinions
• Look for the unspoken message
• Use non-verbal signals to invite dialogue and demonstrate that you are listening and
understand (e.g., sitting forward, eye contact, nodding head)
• Provide thoughtful responses to your mentor’s questions; avoid “yes/no” responses that close
the door

How to Build Courage:

• Ask clarifying questions to understand one another
• Seek permission to provide feedback
• Provide specific, actionable feedback to your mentor/mentee around the relationship, your
needs, etc.

OCCU Mentoring Guide: Expectations & Goals | 8