Ask a Mentor

For a number of reasons, several conversations this week extolled the benefits of having a mentor. Those of us who have retired bemoaned not having a mentor and making embarassing mistakes. Those of us still working and being mentored expressed relief at cutting through confusion so quickly. Many people without mentors say they long for a mentor but take no steps to find one.

Mentors deliver three kinds of advice: focus more, think bigger, or consider information. There are several types of people who could be a mentor for you: friends, business colleagues, professional mentors, professional coaches, teachers, and members of a formal mentoring program. In selecting a mentor, always consider how voicing your troubles and inner-most thoughts will affect future relationships. Without a formal program in place protecting your privacy, asking someone outside your corporate environment may be safer; however, an ethical senior member of your organization may provide more targeted advice.

Prepare to answer the following types of questions from the individual you will approach to be your mentor.

1. Why do you want a mentor, for example, to develop a skill or to explore career options?
2. How can the individual you have selected help you achieve your objective?
3. How do you expect the interaction to develop, for example, by engaging in conversations, by asking probing questions, by preparing a document?
4. How will the relationship come to a mutually satisfying conclusion?

The next step is to recruit your mentor - the hardest step of all. If the first individual declines, go through the steps again and ask another individual. Persevere - add energy to your own future.