How to find a mentor remotely

Finding and building mentor relationships in a virtual world.

Before You Start

Goal: Explore practical strategies for finding and building meaningful mentorship relationships in a remote or hybrid world.

Podcast: How to Find a Mentor in a Virtual World

Meeting Agenda · Approx. 60 mins

  • Member Updates · 10 mins
  • Icebreaker · 10 mins
  • Key Takeaways · 5 mins
  • Discussion Questions · 20 mins
  • Write It Down · 2 mins
  • One Action · 10 mins
  • Wrap-Up · 5 mins

👋 Member Updates · 10 mins

Go around your Circle and share personal updates. Keep them brief and focused on significant changes or important decisions since the last time you met. It's OK not to have one every month. If you have a One Action update from last time, share that too.

🧊 Icebreaker · 10 mins

Invite everyone in the group to share. Keep answers to one or two minutes per person.

What's something you've found harder about building professional relationships since remote work became common?

💡 Key Takeaways · 5 mins

Remote and hybrid work has changed the organic ways we build mentoring relationships.

  • When we work onsite, proximity helps build relationships without us noticing. Casual hallway conversations, shared lunches, and post-meeting debriefs all help build relationships for onsite employees.
  • Hybrid and remote workers need to build these interactions intentionally. Finding a mentor remotely requires deliberate outreach, consistent follow-through, and building warmth without the benefit of shared physical space.
  • Relationships start with genuine curiosity and warmth. The strongest remote mentoring connections begin with authentic interest in the other person, not a transactional ask.
  • Small, frequent touchpoints can make a difference. A brief check-in, a shared article, or a quick acknowledgment of someone's great work builds a relationship over time.
  • Virtual platforms expand your reach. Remote work also means mentors don't have to be in your organization or your city. You can meet them through virtual networking events or simply by reaching out.

💬 Discussion Questions · 20 mins

Move through the questions at the pace that suits your Circle. You don't need to cover every one. Pick the prompts that resonate most.

  1. Remote and hybrid work has changed many of the organic ways we build relationships with colleagues. Have you felt that shift, and how have you adapted?
  2. What strategies have helped you build meaningful professional relationships in virtual or hybrid environments?
  3. How has remote work changed the way you think about mentorship, sponsorship, or professional support?
  4. What helps a virtual professional relationship feel authentic and valuable rather than transactional?
  5. If you work remotely or hybrid, how do you make sure you're visible to the people who matter most to your career?

✍️ Write It Down · 2 mins

Take a few minutes to connect the discussion to your own life.

Note down any next steps you want to take, based on today's discussion. One of these can become your One Action.

🎯 One Action · 10 mins

Commit to one concrete action — big or small — you'll take before next meeting. Go around the Circle and share (1 minute or less per member). Vocalizing it helps hold each other accountable.

Choose an action to help you build stronger professional relationships while working remotely or hybrid — for example, sending a quick check-in message, staying on a call a few extra minutes to connect personally, or recognizing a colleague's contribution publicly.

📅 Wrap-Up · 5 mins

Before you break, plan your next meeting and close on an energetic note. Go around your Circle one by one and finish the sentence:

Now I am feeling… (choose one word).

  • Set the day, time, and location
  • Choose the next topic or resource
  • Confirm who's leading the discussion
  • Decide how you'll stay in touch in between