How can a mentor improve your business and career advancement? Many ways you should consider. A mentor can guide you, take you under his wing and teach you new skills. But you should work with a mentor for top gains. Check out these tips from Seth Godin.
Research has shown that mentoring relationships succeed and are satisfying for both parties when both the mentor and the person being mentored take an active role in developing the relationship.
Here are tips you can implement to ensure you get what you need out of the relationship.
Be clear on why do you want a mentor
Define what type of help you’re looking for in a mentor.
Are you looking for someone with similar skills or someone with a very different skill set who can coach you?
Are you looking for someone who has gone up the corporate ladder and can advise you on the ins and outs of corporate politics?
Work with a mentor … establish relationship goals
Discuss and agree upon the goals of the relationship and what you, personally, are doing to make it a successful venture.
Review these goals from time to time to be sure the relationship is working; if not, adjust and refocus.
Seth thinking … how to find a suitable mentor
Once you decide on the type of mentor you need, participate in functions and professional associations where you might find this type of person.
For example, scour your chamber of commerce events, alumni and professional associations or even your own company.
If you do choose someone from your own firm, it’s best to select someone other than your direct supervisor.
Work with a mentor … manage expectations and build trust
Mentoring takes time and implies sacrifices for both the person being mentored and the mentor.
Avoid any trust-breaking behaviors such as canceling appointments or not following through on leads and contacts given to you by your mentor.
Seth says be respectful of your mentor’s time
Do not overburden him by demanding too much time or too many contacts.
Understand that the moment you decide you need information might not be the best time for him, so be patient.
Work with a mentor … vary the activities
There are numerous activities you can do with your mentors, such as talking about your past experiences, goals, plans, and skill development and attending meetings, conferences, and other events.
You can also shadow your mentor at work or exchange and discuss written materials like your resume or an article one of you has written.
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Seth top tip … figure out what you want
Mentoring comes in all shapes and sizes. It’s not all meeting for coffee and reporting back. In fact, some pairs may never meet in person and only stay in touch over email.
That can be great if you’re super busy—and not so great if you have trouble expressing yourself in writing.
The fellowship program I managed had a mentoring component, and we had potential participants (on both sides) fill out a survey where they selected their ideal relationship.
People could choose how often they’d like to be in touch, how they’d like to be contacted, and why they’re interested in having a mentor—whether it’s to connect with someone local or to connect with someone with proven success in a specific industry.
Be clear on your priorities by thinking through these questions before reaching out to someone.
That’s not to say the other person will be available to meet for lunch once a week to discuss career goals just because you’d like that, but even approximations of this (i.e., yes, you’re hoping for someone with local knowledge and no, you don’t care about the industry as much as you care about general success) are a good starting point.
Many successful people attribute at least part of their success to having a mentor. The right mentor can provide advice and connections that help their mentee reach heights that would be impossible alone.
Here are some pieces of advice on mentorship, with perspectives from successful tech professionals who have seen its benefits firsthand.
Mentorship requires intentional investments of time and energy
You get out what you put in
Being a mentee is not a passive role. When you have a mentor, it’s your job to define your own goals, cultivate the relationship, seek out advice, attend meetings or events you’re invited to, and so on.
“Building a strong network of mentors requires the commitment of time and energy, but with these types of relationships, you absolutely get out of them what you put in,” says Andrew Rubin, co-founder & CEO of Illumio.
“The more you know yourself, what you are good at, what you are not, the more value you and your mentors will get out of the relationship. Then make time to invest in those relationships.”
Says Brett Caine, CEO of Urban Airship, “Mentor relationships must be tended to and are constantly evolving. Those experiences and discussions culminating in a stronger bond to navigate more complex life or business discussions in the future.”
Experienced perspectives are invaluable for young careers
While mentorship can be valuable at any stage of a career, it’s especially important when the mentee doesn’t have as much personal experience in the industry.
With a mentor, they can benefit from the insights gained through years of experience–without having to spend years of trial and error themselves.
The best mentors are the ones who can fill gaps in your skillset
Every entrepreneur has their own strengths and weaknesses. And while mentors can certainly help make the strengths even stronger, it’s usually even more valuable to have someone who can give advice in areas where you’re struggling.
“Entrepreneurship is essentially about constantly learning, and having great mentors is crucial to learning fast,” says Jyoti Bansal, founder, and CEO of BIG Labs. “In particular, it’s important for a mentor to supplement the strengths that the entrepreneur brings to the table.
For example–I came to the game as a strong technologist but had to learn about the science of enterprise sales, finance/operations, etc. An entrepreneur should always select a mentor that fills the gaps in his/her experience and skill set.”
Work with a mentor … keep it informal and flexible
I never label a mentorship except when in a formal capacity (for example, when mentors are serving my company in the role of advisor).
While most entrepreneurs like to give back, they often want to avoid additional “official” expectations on their time — their most scarce resource.
The essential paradox is that the very people you want as mentors simply don’t have the time to serve in that role because they’re doing the things that make them good mentors in the first place.
Don’t be fearful of reaching out but being respectful of time is important to keep in mind.
Work with a mentor … meet consistently
This is hard to do without it becoming a burden. Make it easy for each other and meet at convenient locations. Keep it short and always send a follow-up note of thanks.
Make sure the relationship is reciprocal by letting them know how their advice is making an impact (mentors like to make a difference and be on a winning team.)
Mentors take an interest in you because they believe in you. By telling them about what makes your world and work special, you are offering a valuable perspective.
They’ll enjoy that especially if you’re offering something relevant and you’ve taken the time to get to know them and their personal goals.
74 percent of hiring managers say job seekers should have a mentor, counselor or job coach to talk to about whether their skills and experience match those required for the jobs they are interested in yet, only 40 percent of job seekers report having a similar professional resource.
In fact, the proportion of job seekers who would rely on their own experience to decide what information to include on applications, resumes and cover letters rather than seek advice from others including career counselors or instructors has grown from 58 percent in 2012 to 67 percent in 2013.
“Job seekers are doing themselves a huge disservice by ignoring the wealth of guidance and insight a mentor could provide,” said Madeleine Slutsky, chairman of the Career Advisory Board and vice president of career services at DeVry University.
“Cultivating relationships with individuals who have experience with the current employment landscape can be a tremendous help in the job search process.”
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Mike Schoultz is a digital marketing and customer service expert. With 48 years of business experience, he consults on and writes about topics to help improve the performance of small business. Find him on G+, Facebook, Twitter, Digital Spark Marketing, and LinkedIn.