How can you build a professional relationship with an ERP mentor?

2 Establish trust and rapport

The second step is to establish trust and rapport with your mentor, which is essential for any successful mentoring relationship. You can do this by being respectful, honest, open, and curious. Show your appreciation and gratitude for your mentor's time, knowledge, and feedback. Listen actively and attentively to what they have to say, and ask relevant and thoughtful questions. Share your challenges, successes, and aspirations, and invite them to do the same. Be respectful of their boundaries, preferences, and feedback style, and avoid making assumptions or judgments.

3 Set goals and expectations

The third step is to set goals and expectations with your mentor, which will help you both stay focused, motivated, and accountable. You can do this by discussing your learning needs, interests, and outcomes, and defining specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) goals. You can also agree on the frequency, duration, format, and agenda of your mentoring sessions, and how you will communicate, monitor, and evaluate your progress. Make sure you both understand and agree on the roles, responsibilities, and expectations of each other, and be flexible and adaptable to changes.

4 Seek feedback and guidance

The fourth step is to seek feedback and guidance from your mentor, which will help you improve your skills, knowledge, and performance. You can do this by preparing well for each mentoring session, bringing relevant questions, issues, or examples that you want to discuss or learn from. You can also ask your mentor for constructive feedback on your work, projects, or challenges, and how you can improve or overcome them. Be open-minded and receptive to their feedback, and apply it to your practice. You can also ask your mentor for guidance on career development, networking, or professional opportunities.

6 Review and reflect

The sixth step is to review and reflect on your mentoring relationship, which will help you learn from your experience, celebrate your achievements, and plan for your future. You can do this by conducting regular and honest assessments of your goals, progress, and outcomes, and identifying your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT). You can also solicit feedback from your mentor, peers, or other stakeholders on your performance, improvement, or impact. You can also reflect on your mentoring relationship, and how it has influenced your skills, knowledge, confidence, and career. You can also discuss with your mentor how to end, continue, or modify your relationship, and how to stay in touch.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?