Mentoring circle: first session
The first 60 minutes of building a group that learns from each other.
1 / 16 · Mentor360Welcome
- Our circle meets once a month for 6–9 months
- Today we meet, and set our rules and themes
- Everyone will bring at least one case during the cohort
It's hard to build a meaningful relationship in fewer than four or five meetings (Kuperminc and Deutsch, 2021).
2 / 16 · Mentor360Why does this circle exist?
"We'll learn not just from one mentor, but from each other."
Peer relationships can take on many functions of mentoring (Kram and Isabella, 1985).
3 / 16 · Mentor360Our rules
- Personal matters stay in the room
- Share the lesson; not the person or the details
- Questions come before advice
- If you can't come, let us know in advance
- No one speaks twice until everyone has spoken
We'll review the rules together and add to them.
4 / 16 · Mentor360What does confidentiality mean?
- Shareable: the lesson you learned, the general idea
- Not shareable: who said what, names, details
- Not in the circle: a manager and their direct report
- If there's a problem: tell the mentor right away
Every session opens with a short confidentiality reminder.
5 / 16 · Mentor360Roles
| Role | Responsibility |
|---|---|
| Mentor | Facilitates, keeps time, asks questions |
| Case owner | Describes the situation, says what they took away |
| Participants | Ask questions first, then offer ideas |
| Coordinator | Tracks dates and attendance |
The mentor uses at most a third of the talking time.
6 / 16 · Mentor360The mentor is a facilitator
- Listens more than advises, opens room to think
- Asks "What have you tried?" instead of "If I were you"
- Makes space for quiet members without pressure
- Gently keeps track of time
Source: University of Oxford, guide to mentoring circles.
7 / 16 · Mentor360The 60-minute session flow
| Time | Section | What happens? |
|---|---|---|
| 0–5 min | Opening | Confidentiality, "What did I try?" round |
| 5–15 min | Theme | The mentor shares a short framing |
| 15–45 min | Two cases | Questions first, then ideas |
| 45–55 min | Commitment | Everyone writes one step |
| 55–60 min | Close | One-line lesson, next date |
Exercise: Introductions (15 min)
- Your name, role and team
- The situation at work that challenges you most right now
- One thing you expect from this circle
Two minutes per person at most; the mentor keeps time.
9 / 16 · Mentor360Let's choose our themes
- Write the challenges from the introductions on the board
- Group the similar ones
- Everyone gets three votes
- The top 5–6 themes are spread across the cohort
A recurring problem can become next month's theme.
10 / 16 · Mentor360How to bring a case
- Situation (3 min): what happened, who's involved?
- Ask (1 min): what exactly do you want from the group?
- Questions (5 min): the group only asks questions
- Ideas (4 min): the group shares its ideas
- Close (2 min): the case owner says what they took away
A good case question
"An experienced team member is resisting the new process. How should I open the first conversation?"
Make it real, current and within your sphere of influence.
12 / 16 · Mentor360Peer support between sessions
- A short message to the case owner a week later
- Accountability partner: a monthly check-in with a peer
- 15-minute one-to-ones for those who want them
- General questions in the shared channel, personal ones elsewhere
Peer relationships often outlast the program (Kram and Isabella, 1985).
13 / 16 · Mentor360Our commitments and next dates
| Session | Date | Case owners |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | ……… | ……… and ……… |
| 3 | ……… | ……… and ……… |
| 4 | ……… | ……… and ……… |
We don't close until everyone has written their first step.
14 / 16 · Mentor360Sources
- Kram and Isabella, 1985 — mentoring functions of peer relationships
- Kuperminc and Deutsch, 2021 — review of group mentoring
- University of Oxford — mentoring circle structure and the mentor's role
See you at the next session
Add the date to your calendar and take your first step this week.
mentor360.com.tr
16 / 16 · Mentor360