When Should a Mentoring Commitment Change?

Mentoring can begin with frequent guidance, then shift as the learner gains confidence. But if the arrangement never changes, helpful support can quietly become an expectation that the mentor stays available indefinitely.

What tells you it’s time to change the shape of a mentoring relationship? Is there a milestone that helps the learner take ownership, a review point to revisit the commitment, or a way to keep asking for help without making one person responsible for every next step?