Mentoring

“Mentoring got my business off the ground.”

“Having a mentor helped me so much.”

“I wouldn’t be where I am today without my mentor.”

When you’re talking about getting ahead, especially in the business world, the word “mentor” gets thrown around a lot.  What’s the big deal?

First off, what exactly is a mentor? Is it some wise old person who will teach you the path of enlightenment?  Well, that’s one possibility, though probably an unlikely one. For most people, “mentor” just means a person who helps you out with something in particular over a period of time.  A mentor can be anything from an older classmate who helps you figure out how to study for Biology to an established business person who introduces you to someone who gives you your first job.

Sounds great, right?  Who wouldn’t like sound advice from someone who’s already been there?  So now that you know you want one, how do you find one? It’s not like there’s a Mentors section at Spar.  The first step is to decide what kind of mentoring you’re looking for. A sports mentor and a business mentor aren’t going to have the same qualifications.  

You want to find someone who has the experience in the area you’re working on right now. You’re looking for a person that is willing and has the time to teach you what you need.

OK, so now that you know what you’re looking for and have identified a person that  you think would be able to help you, how do you ask? When you’re asking for this kind of help, go in person.  Face to face is more engaging than email or phone calls. Also, a generic, “will you be my mentor” is less likely to get a positive response than “I could use some guidance on this topic.”  Be specific about what you’re looking for. If your first choice doesn’t have time for mentoring, keeping looking.

Once you do have a mentor, you have to work together.  The mentor isn’t going to do the work for you–the idea is to give you some tools and advice so you can make your own progress. Also, a mentoring relationship usually isn’t a one-time scenario.  Set up a time to follow up on how things went and what’s next. Of course, once you’ve gained your skills, you don’t have to continue on with your meetings, although appreciation is always appropriate.

Of course, sometimes you have to think outside the box, as it were.  You could look to historical figures as mentors. Reading the biography of an inspirational person might not give you an introduction to business leaders, but it can motivate you in personal ways.  Podcasts are another way to get inspiration from someone you look up to.

And of course, once you’ve benefited from having a mentor yourself, you can turn around and consider who would profit from your experience.  Who could you be a mentor to right now?

Sources

• https://www.wikihow.com/Find-a-Mentor
• https://www.fastcompany.com/3052068/8-successful-people-share-how-not-to-find-a-mentor
• https://www.themuse.com/advice/the-secrets-to-turning-someone-you-admire-into-a-reallife-mentor
• https://lifehacker.com/how-do-i-ask-someone-to-be-my-mentor-1626463146
• https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/finding-great-mentor-what-look-joel-peterson