Setting Goals and Milestones

Goals are the backbone of a productive mentorship relationship. MentorNeko gives both you and your partner a shared space to create, track, and discuss what you are working toward. Goals are built around the SMART framework, Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound, so that the targets you set are meaningful and trackable.

Creating a Goal

Goals are created by either participant from the Goals tab in the Match Hub. To add a new goal:

1. Click Add Goal in the Goals tab.
2. Enter a goal title and a description that explains what you want to achieve and why it matters.
3. Set a target date for when you expect to achieve it.
4. Save the goal. It will appear in the goals list with a status of Not Started.

Anyone can create a goal, but the mentee owns responsibility for keeping them current and driving progress forward.

Adding Milestones

Once a goal is created, you can break it down into smaller milestones. Milestones help you and your mentor see how you are progressing toward the larger objective and give you concrete check-ins to discuss during sessions.

To add a milestone, open a goal and click Add Milestone. Give each milestone a clear title and a target date. As you complete milestones, check them off to update progress on the goal.

How Goal Status Works

Goal status transitions are the mentee's responsibility. The three statuses are:

• Not Started: The goal has been created but work has not yet begun.
• In Progress: Active work is underway.
• Achieved: The goal has been met.
• Abandoned: The goal is no longer being pursued.

To transition a goal's status, open the goal and select the new status from the dropdown. Only the mentee can make this change. Mentors can discuss status changes through comments, but cannot update the status directly. This keeps ownership with the person whose development the goal represents.

The Mentor's Role: Coaching Through Comments

Mentors engage with goals primarily through the comment thread on each goal. From there, a mentor can:

• Ask questions that push the mentee to think through their approach
• Share relevant experience or examples
• Offer perspective on whether a goal is ambitious enough or appropriately scoped
• Celebrate milestones as they are achieved

Commenting on goals is one of the most direct ways a mentor adds value between sessions.

Goals and Session Nudge Emails

MentorNeko periodically sends session nudge emails to keep your relationship on track. These emails reference your current active goals, so they serve as a useful reminder to bring goal progress into your next session conversation.

Keeping your goals updated, transitioning statuses as work progresses, and completing milestones signals to both the platform and your mentor that the relationship is active and on track.

Goals and Your Development Plan

Your goals collectively form a picture of your development through the program. At the end of a match, your completion certificate and the match summary on your dashboard reflect the goals you created and achieved. Investing time in goal-setting at the start of the relationship pays off throughout it.