One Minute Mentoring — Book Summary.

One Minute Mentoring is a fictional parable about the power of finding — or being — a mentor.

Why one minute? Because the guidance that made a difference came in short, meaningful insights.

You will learn:

• How to find a mentoring partnership.
• How to work with a mentoring partner to make the positive changes you want to see in your work and life.
• How to apply succinct, One Minute mentoring advice.
• How to tap into the wisdom and skills of people from all age groups and backgrounds.

“If you light a lamp for someone, it will also brighten your own path.” Ancient Buddhist proverb

The MENTOR model

Do some personal reflection about what your strengths and weaknesses are.

• Where are you in your life? Are you on an upward trajectory, or have you hit a plateau?
• Do you feel uncertain about the direction you’re heading?
• Are you open to learning from others?

Talking about a problem is an excellent first step when solving a problem. Potential mentors are all around you once you start looking for them.

• Would a mentor help take you to the next level?
• Setting an intention to get help is an essential first step in the mentoring process.
• A mentor doesn’t necessarily have to be in your chosen field.
• As you search for a mentor, make sure you turn over every stone. Think about former supervisors, college alumni, teachers, professors, neighbors, friends, family, company programs, professional associations, volunteer organizations, and online mentoring organizations.

M = Mission

Creating a vision and purpose for your future mentoring partnership is essential. That’s your mission statement.

Things to remember:

• It is crucial to find a mentor or mentee who shares your fundamental values.
• Approach a prospective mentor or mentee with courtesy and respect. Then, regardless of the outcome, thank them for their time.
• Develop a short mission statement to set your intention and direct the mentor/mentee relationship.
• Mentoring adds value on both sides — mentees have knowledge and ideas to offer mentors.

E = Engagement

Agree on ways to engage that work for your personalities and schedules. For example, commit to regular meetings, even if they are virtual.

Things to remember:

• Determine the type of engagement that works best for your personalities. For example, is your mentor or mentee an extrovert or introvert? Are they best with set times scheduled far in advance? Or do they prefer off-the-cuff emails and calls?
• Mentoring partnerships require both the flexibility to engage in digital communication and the power of in-person meetings when possible.

N = Networking

Expand your Networking with that of your mentor or mentee. But remember: tread carefully on the networking contacts of your mentoring partner. Cultivating productive relationships is a significant key to success.

Things to remember:

• Networking is a two-way street — your mentor or mentee can broaden your connections.
• It is essential to tread carefully on the network or contacts of your mentoring partner.
• Networking is not just about one-to-one connections with your mentoring partner’s contacts. The one-to-many relationships — like those on social media — can be valuable as well.

T = Trust

Build and maintain trust with your mentoring partner by telling the truth, staying connected, and dependable. Unfortunately, building trust takes time — and it can be destroyed instantly.

Things to remember:

• As a mentoring relationship deepens, trust should deepen as well.
• Address communication breakdowns right away to keep them from eroding trust.
• Honesty and clear communication with your mentoring partner can deepen trust and take your relationship to the next level.

O = Opportunity

Create opportunities for your mentee or mentor to grow. As a mentoring partner, you’ll have access to personal and business opportunities that aren’t available to non-mentors and non-mentees.

Things to remember:

• A mentoring partnership is a two-way street — both partners have opportunities to bring to the table.
• Mentoring between generations — also known as cross-generational mentoring- is a powerful way to create opportunities by exchanging time-tested and new knowledge.
• Digital media makes potential networks bigger than ever, allowing more mentors and mentees opportunities.

R = Review and Renewal

Schedule a regular time to review progress and renew your mentorship partnership. You’ll never get where you want to go if you don’t create a mission statement — and you’ll never know you’ve arrived if you don’t do regular reviews.

Things to remember:

• Scheduling a regular review keeps both mentor and mentee on track.
• Ensure that reviews occur by putting them into your calendar when creating your mission statement.
• If your review reveals that the mission has not been accomplished, discuss new strategies to achieve the goal.

Successful people do not reach their goals alone. Great mentors will join your path throughout our lives to help you achieve your mission.