It is natural for colleagues to juggle multiple priorities at work, which may occasionally lead to mentoring sessions being rescheduled or longer-than-expected gaps between meetings. To manage this effectively, it is helpful to discuss expectations at the start of your mentoring relationship. For instance, identify if either the mentor or mentee anticipates a particularly busy or challenging period that might impact the regularity of meetings.

Additionally, you can agree on a minimum notice period for rescheduling or cancelling meetings (e.g., “We will make every effort to notify each other at least 24–48 hours in advance if a meeting needs to be changed or cancelled unexpectedly.”). Setting such guidelines helps ensure clear communication and mutual respect.