Not all mentoring and coaching relationships flourish. When mismatches occur, the impact can be costly, leading to disengagement, lost development opportunities, and even increased turnover.
Leaders and HR Managers must be proactive in spotting the early warning signs of an ineffective mentoring or coaching relationship.

Based on experience and research, here are some signs what to look for that things may not be going to plan:
Missed Sessions & Cancellations
Frequent rescheduling or no-shows often signal a lack of engagement or poor chemistry between mentor and mentee.
Minimal or Negative Feedback
When participants report little value from the relationship – or worse, express frustration, it’s a sign that the pairing isn’t working.
Lack of Commitment
A successful mentoring relationship requires mutual investment. If one or both parties show a lack of enthusiasm, preparedness, or follow-through, it’s time to investigate.
Ineffective Conversations
Surface-level discussions with little progress toward development goals indicate that trust and rapport may not be forming as expected and the relationship has not progressed into the ‘performance and effectiveness zone’.
How to Get Back on Track
Ignoring these signs can lead to complete disengagement – but the good news is that leaders can act early to fix misalignments before it’s too late.
TrustEngine can help organisations diagnose underperforming matches and identify better pairings based on bias free data-driven insights. By assessing key compatibility factors such as values, communication styles, and shared experiences, TrustEngine ensures mentoring and coaching programs deliver real impact.
TrustEngine was built with decades of real-world mentoring and coaching experience, and backed by peer reviewed research. Contact us to learn how we can help be a thinking partner in your mentoring and coaching journey.