“A mentor is someone who allows you to see the hope inside yourself.”
(Oprah Winfrey)
Having a mentor is an excellent way to walk into the future. A mentor can help with your personal and professional growth. I recommend having multiple mentors who can give you different perspectives and maximize your efforts to walk into the future.
Identify someone who has expertise in an area you are interested in. Use your current network to help identify a mentor if you don’t have direct connections with the right person.
Reach out to a potential mentor and let them know your needs and gauge their ability to serve as your mentor. Remember, this person will be ‘giving’ their time to help you grow so make sure the fit works for you both.
You should be responsible for setting the agenda whenever you meet with your mentor. Provide them with regular updates so they can be prepared to sit with you. This ensures your time together is productive.
I let my mentees identify the day, time and agenda for our regular meetings. This helps them take charge of their meeting and helps keep us on track to meet their stated goals. I find myself learning and growing during my sessions as much as my mentees. This is another form of networking and I enjoy being a mentor.
I have multiple mentors and see my personal and professional growth expanding due to mentors who have ‘reached back’ to help me. I continue to have my eyes open for new mentors to help my walk into the future.
How can you leverage a mentor/mentee relationship for growth? Who can you mentor to help them move forward?
Note: Received text messages from two of my mentees on the same day—they both accepted offers for new positions—well done!
For by wise counsel you will wage your own war. And in a multitude of counselors there is safety. (Proverbs 24:6)
Make it a great day!
Walk Into the Future 