5 Things Your Mentor Will Love You For
Anyone can ask for a mentor. It’s important to have someone that can help guide you in life, your career, and everything that falls in between. When done right, this relationship can be super valuable to your personal growth and success. Keep in mind there are certain things that you can do, as a mentee, to make sure that the relationship with your mentor stays positive through the busy quarters.
- Clearly Communicate What You’re Looking For
To have a mentor that will always be in your corner, clearly communicate that you are seeking a mentorship. Reach out with an explicit purpose; if your email only mentions grabbing coffee it may seem less pressing. And, if/when you do get on their calendar, don’t expect them to commit to future meetings where you’re looking to “pick their brain”. Present expectations as to what you are looking for: Maybe it’s a monthly meeting over coffee or 20 minute phone calls every other week. This will allow them to either commit or decline your offer, and even open the conversation up to alternative options. They may even be inclined to introduce you to someone in their network they feel is a better fit.
2. Be Mindful of Busy Schedules
Face-to-face meetings are great. However, we’re all busy. You don’t want to lose steam waiting to find a slot on someone’s calendar. A mentor is there to give advice when you need it most and, sometimes, that advice can be shared on a quick call or a single question email. If there’s no need to grab a coffee or you’re looking for immediate response, try to make giving feedback as easy as possible. Be mindful of their time and ask questions relevant to their experience.
3. Mentorship is a Two-Way Street
Treat a mentorship like any other relationship in your life. Acknowledge when specific advice or feedback is particularly helpful and share your success stories from any feedback you receive. Your mentor may really appreciate it and may go on to share that same advice with others. Think of it like working with a personal trainer: If a certain workout is making an impact, telling your trainer will only benefit you both. Don’t be shy to brag a little! After all, you couldn’t have done it without their help.
4. Pay It Forward
Share what you learn through your mentorship experience with your friends and colleagues as the advice is probably beneficial to others in your networks. Your mentor probably initially agreed to this relationship as an act of paying it forward. Someone along the way helped them, and now it’s their turn to help you. By sharing their time and looking for ways to help you succeed, an unspoken piece of advice from them to you is to do this for others. Trust me on this one!
5. Remember Your ABCs
“Always Be Courteous”. Your mentor is investing in you because they believe in you. When interacting with your mentor, it’s just as important to show that you are as grateful for their guidance as you are ambitious to achieve your goals. Be mindful to not let your relationship cross the line from professional to casual.
As a mentor, I try spread knowledge to the community. Whether you’re looking for a mentor or already have one, applying these five tricks will be helpful in . Every mentorship is different, and I hope you this helps you find the one that best serves you.
Do you have other tips that you would add to the list as a mentor or mentee? Share them with us in the comments below or on Twitter @Motivate_Design! You can also say “Hello!” on Facebook.
by: Mona Patel, CEO
