A mentor meeting agenda should be set by the mentee and built around one or two specific questions, not a general catch-up. Start with what you did with the last round of advice and how it went, ask your questions, ask for the feedback you want, and end with next steps for both of you and the next meeting date. The example is a workplace mentor; for a thesis or research supervisor, the FAQ below says what to change.
Best forMentees in workplace mentoring programs, graduate students meeting a supervisor
Meeting length30 to 60 minutes, every two to six weeks
SectionsSince last time, progress on goals, my questions, feedback, next steps, next meeting
Word MarkdownPastes into Google Docs, Word or Notion with headings and tables intact. Copied. Paste it into your document.
Mentor meeting: Aisha Rahman and Greg Holt, meeting 3
Filled-in example
Mentor meeting: Aisha Rahman and Greg Holt, meeting 3
MenteeAisha Rahman, data analyst, one year inMentorGreg Holt, director of analytics in another division, Corliss Health NetworkDateThursday, November 5, 2026, 12:30 pm, 45 minMeeting number3 of 6 (program runs September to February)Sent aheadDraft slides for the readmissions analysis, sent Nov 3
Since last time
What I agreed to do
What happened
Ask my manager if I can present the readmissions analysis myself
Done. I'm presenting to the quality committee on Nov 18.
Read the two reports Greg sent on readmission measures
Read one. Didn't get to the second.
Set up a call with Nina Sato in finance analytics
Not done. Greg was going to introduce us and I'm not sure the email went out.
Progress on goals
Goal
Status
Note
Present my own work to a senior audience
On track
Nov 18 quality committee
Get good enough at SQL window functions to stop asking for help
Stuck
No practice time in October
Choose between analytics engineering and a clinical data track
Changed
Leaning toward analytics engineering after talking to two people in that team
My questions
How do I present to the committee when two members are physicians who'll push on the method? Greg: put the method on one slide, lead with the finding, and have an answer ready for "what about case mix", because it always comes up.
Should I ask about the analytics engineering rotation now or after the presentation? Greg: after. He isn't sure who decides rotations and will find out.
Feedback
On the draft slides: 14 charts is too many. Cut to five, one message per slide, definitions in an appendix.
The title slide should say the finding, not just "Readmissions analysis".
Next steps
Item
Who
Due
Cut the deck to five main slides and send it to Greg
Me
Nov 12
Introduce me to Nina Sato (check whether the first email went)
Mentor
Nov 9
Find out who decides analytics engineering rotations
Mentor
Dec 3
30 minutes of window function practice, twice a week
Me
Through Dec 3
Read the second readmissions report
Me
Nov 20
Next meeting
Thursday, December 3, 2026, 12:30 pm. Bring: how the Nov 18 presentation went, and the rotation question.
Corliss Health Network, Aisha Rahman and Greg Holt are a fictional sample.
Best forMentees in workplace mentoring programs, graduate students meeting a supervisor
Meeting length30 to 60 minutes, every two to six weeks
SectionsSince last time, progress on goals, my questions, feedback, next steps, next meeting
FormatsGoogle Docs, Word, Notion, Markdown
When to use this template
You've had three pleasant mentor meetings and can't say what changed because of them.
Your mentor gave you advice last time and you want to show what came of it.
You meet your thesis or research supervisor every two weeks and keep losing track of what you agreed.
Questions people ask
Who should set the agenda for a mentor meeting?
The mentee. Sending a short agenda two days ahead, with your questions and anything you want feedback on, lets the mentor come prepared and shows you're using their time well. Writing each topic as a question, as how to write a meeting agenda suggests, keeps the meeting on what you need.
Can I use this as a supervisor meeting agenda template?
Yes. For a thesis or research supervisor, use "Progress on goals" for your milestones, list the drafts or results you sent ahead, and record every deadline you agree under next steps. Send your notes to the supervisor afterward so you both have the same record. For regular check-ins with a manager at work, the one-on-one template fits better.
What do I talk about if I don't have a specific question for my mentor?
Bring a recent situation you weren't sure how to handle, or a decision you'll face in the next few months. If that still feels thin, ask about a decision from their own career that's close to yours. It usually leads somewhere useful.