We recommend sticking to the mentoring season length you set upfront. This allows the mentor to focus on this mentoring season and going all-in with the men around his dining room table, giving the attention and time they need. He knows he has a limited amount of time to share his life experience with these guys and the guys know they have a limited amount of time to dig deep with their mentor. And then at the end of the season, the mentor can grab another group of guys and invest in them. (Obviously, for many the relationship will continue outside the group, but we’re speaking here of the intentional, crafted group mentoring time.)

In general, many men are hesitant to step into a mentoring relationship, because they don’t know how long it’ll last and what will be asked of them. We find that making sure everyone knows what they’re getting into upfront increases interest and willingness to participate. Besides, after 9-12 months, many mentors find they’ve fully shared themselves, their stories and their lives and they can start to repeat themselves if they’re not careful.