EN
Film-style poster for the Pre-mortem for Mentors presentation

A guide for mentors: Pre-mortem for Mentors

How to send the Pre-mortem, read the risks and talk them through.

English

What this guide covers

What this guide covers

What this guide covers

What it is

Imagine it failed, then ask why

Your mentee pictures the plan failed a year from now and lists the reasons.

When to send it

Send it before the plan starts

It helps most while the plan can still change.

  • Before a launch while there is time to adjust
  • Before a big commitment a hire, a lease, a raise
  • When everyone is sure make doubts easy to say

An honest frame

A reflection exercise, not a guarantee

It helps people say risks out loud; it does not predict what will happen.

  • Written as past it failed; why?
  • Rated 1 to 5 how likely, how damaging
  • Three plans for the top-right corner

Sending it

Send it from your pairing

It takes a minute, and your mentee gets an email.

Open your pairing

Choose Assign a tool and find the Pre-mortem.

Try it as your mentee

Run it on a plan of your own; nothing is saved.

Add a short message

Name the plan you want them to test.

Open your pairing

Choose Assign a tool and find the Pre-mortem.

Try it as your mentee

Run it on a plan of your own; nothing is saved.

Add a short message

Name the plan you want them to test.

Reading the answers

Start in the top-right corner

Risks that are both likely and damaging need a plan before anything else.

  • Top risk the highest likelihood times damage
  • High risks a score of 16 or more out of 25
  • Early warning signs what they will watch for

Questions to ask

Ask, then ask once more

People who ask follow-up questions are liked more (Huang and others, 2017).

  • Which reason was hardest to write down? then: why that one?
  • Which risks are in your hands? then: and which are not?
  • Which warning sign will you check first? then: and when?

Feedback that helps

Welcome the uncomfortable reasons

Keep comments on the risk and the plan, not on who wrote it.

1 in 3 Over a third of feedback effects lowered performance in one large review Kluger and DeNisi, 1996

One step

Watch one sign on a set date

Plans in the form "if this happens, then I do that" help people act.

94 Tests found that if-then plans help people reach their goals Gollwitzer and Sheeran, 2006

After the meeting

Keep it all on Mentornity

The risks, your comments and the next steps stay in one place.

Read it at a glance

The top risk and how many have a plan are summed up.

Add next steps

Write who checks each warning sign, and by when.

Ask to fill it again

Earlier answers are kept, so you can compare the risks.

Read it at a glance

The top risk and how many have a plan are summed up.

Add next steps

Write who checks each warning sign, and by when.

Ask to fill it again

Earlier answers are kept, so you can compare the risks.

Run a pre-mortem before the next launch

Pick a plan your mentee feels sure about and send it this week.

Sign in to Mentornity All tools
Sign in to Mentornity Sign in All tools