Mentee

The mentee (or protégé) is the person receiving guidance in a mentoring relationship. Strong mentees drive the relationship: they set agendas, send concise pre-reads, respect time limits, and close the loop with thank-you notes and progress updates.

Being a good mentee means doing the work between conversations — not treating mentors as search engines. Before a meeting, define one primary decision or gap. Afterward, summarize what you heard and what you'll try. Mentors disengage when every meeting is a vague "catch up" or when promises to act go unreported.

In board terms, you are always the mentee relative to senior advisors, but peer mentors exist too. The label shifts with context; what matters is humility, preparation, and reciprocity. Executive mentees often forget that busy advisors still appreciate seeing their advice implemented — that's the return on their investment.