What Should a Mentoring Agreement Include?

• Accountability means spelling out who drives the relationship, who sets up meetings, who arrives prepared with topics, and who keeps conversations on track so sessions don't drift into casual venting.
• Structure covers the practical logistics, how long the relationship runs and how often pairs meet, ideally agreed at the outset even though it can evolve, such as a six-month arrangement extending once both sides see the value.
• Boundaries address how and when mentees can contact their mentor (text, after hours, or only during scheduled meetings), make clear the mentor isn't there to do the mentee's actual work, and cover confidentiality expectations. Boundaries should also establish that if a mental health or financial issue comes up, the mentor refers the mentee to a qualified professional rather than handling it themselves.