Goal-Setting And Decision-Making Page 2
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25G
-S
OAL
ETTING
Introduction
Goal-setting is a powerful technique for helping a mentee develop a solid foundation for future
planning and organization. By knowing what he/she wants to achieve in life, a mentee may know
where they want to concentrate and what to improve. If mentees can set well-defined goals, they
can measure and take pride in the achievement of those goals. However, one of the most
important tasks of the mentor is to assist the mentee in setting short-term goals (less than a year)
and long-term goals (more than five years). Aspiring to achieve long-term goals gives the mentee
short-term motivation. For instance, a mentee may want to attend a major university (long-term
goal). First, he/she needs to do well on the S.A.T. (short-term goal). According to Joan K. Carter
(1993), a mentee should establish a long-term goal before a short-term goal can be explored. A
mentee may not see the need to work toward a goal without understanding the relationship
between the short-term goal and the long-term goal. For example, graduating from high school
may be a motivating factor to help a mentee work toward the short-term goal of passing the
eighth grade.
There are several important factors to consider before goal-setting with a mentee (Carter, 1993):
• Establish a relationship of trust over time.
• Establishing confidentiality is prerequisite to goal-setting.
• The mentee should be directly involved in setting goals. With the mentor’s guidance, the
mentee must articulate each goal, and it must be genuinely his/her goal.
• A short-term goal that can be easily achieved is a good starting point; for example, simply to
complete all math homework assignments for the next week.
• Goals must be specific and measurable. For instance, “Mary will complete and turn in all
English assignments next week.”
• To assure that an attempt will be made by mentees to meet their goals, a written commitment
contract should be established between the mentor and the mentee.
If a mentee fails to achieve his/her goal, examine these possible factors:
• The goal may have been too difficult to achieve.
• The goal may have been developed without the active involvement and commitment of the
mentee.
• The mentee may be fearful of achieving a self-enhancing goal. Many at-risk adolescents have
low self-esteem and believe they are “losers.” They often become accustomed to making
poor choices, reinforcing their negative self-image.
• The mentor may need to speak to the mentee about his/her fears of being successful and
making self-enhancing decisions.
Purpose of Goal-Setting
Goal-setting helps the mentee to strive to achieve. Although goal-setting may be challenging, it
is generally worthwhile. Its intention is to increase efficiency and effectiveness by specifying the
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Baylor University’s Community Mentoring for Adolescent Development
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