A mentor is a defined resource for a more junior member of the team. Mentors are partnered with employees for a specified amount of time. They are explicitly not their manager, but this is a training ground for future managers.

Expectations

It is extremely important to recognize that a mentor is not a manager. Rather, the mentee manages the mentor. This role was created so that both sides could grow: the mentee to become a stronger contributor and the mentor to develop in their teaching skills.

Mentee

• Document everything - The main reason team members struggle is that they do not ask questions and structure their notes. You are always encouraged to do your own research, but at Air most information is included in documentation.
• Embrace iteration - The primary expectation is just to be here ready to work. Don't waste time banging your head against the wall on something that you've tried to figure out but can't get past. Embrace being wrong and lean on your team for guidance.
• Perfecting our craft - You were hired because we believe in your long term ability to be an impactful team member, but for now, don't worry about that. Come to work every day prepared for the day ahead, get your projects done on time, and push toward understanding your vocation and the things you want to learn along the way.

Mentor

• The cura personalis - Be available to help or just to listen. Your job is to be eager and ready to help your mentee get started and move toward their vocation. Occasionally this will mean putting your own work on hold to focus on problem solving, but your mentee should never feel burdened to reach out and ask.
• Low ego - You are a player-coach; embody all that this role entails. You don't have all of the answers, nor should you. Your job is to be a sounding board and share your own learnings and failures. Never say, "well I would do it this way..." just ask "why" and guide mentees toward resources.
• Thoughtful - Similar to a mentee, you are trying to grow into your next role and this is the perfect training ground. Take the initiative and ask your mentee and their manager what you can do to be helpful. Embrace the importance of this position and what it can teach you.

Touch points

Here are a few specific ways mentors and mentees should interact:

• Check-in meetings - You are encouraged to meet bi-weekly to review progress and develop a personal relationship. We find this to be most successful when it's scheduled as a recurring meeting, but we encourage you to meet ad hoc as issues arise.
• Manager updates - While a mentor should not divulge conversations had with their mentee, they should be feeding insights and notes to the mentee's manager. This can be unstructured time, but is an extremely important function in the relationship.

Success

There are a few specific milestones a mentor could help a mentee achieve:

1. Understandings around a new area of the business