How do you leverage your network and mentors for your own leadership development?

What are you trying to achieve? When you know that then you an figure out who can fit where and who can support you. This can also help you create a strategy around who to reach out, what you need to align your network with and who are the key people to connect with.

There are 4 kinds of people who have helped me to become better leader everyday. I have consciously added them to my network. 1. Who push me to find my answers, not handhold. 2. Who do not sugarcoat things for me. 3. Who challenge my perspective openly. 4. Who are good at networking.

One thing I've found helpful is setting aside time to create a target outreach list - that can include companies and individuals that I want to connect with and learn from. Once you have that list, it can really help to focus your networking efforts and can of course be something that you revisit frequently. LinkedIn has been a very effective tool for me personally to target specific individuals, and a couple of specific suggestions when reaching out to someone: - start by following them and bookmarking their page so you get notified when they post - be first to comment on their content and offer your perspective/insights - reach out with a personalized message to add them to your network or suggest a time to connect - be specific

I have personal experience with, and have stories recounted to me about, past professional associates who were surprisingly helpful and generous in sharing their insights with someone who was contemplating career change. So don't be shy in reaching out to people. You may be surprised at how happy past coworkers and associates are to hear from you.

Steer towards your biggest champions. When finding a mentor, it's tempting to put it into an academic exercise - while that may assist, you need to remember where mentorship really plays a strong role and that's in the world of advocacy. Identify mentors who want to see you succeed and who you would "follow wherever they go" - these are the people who will act as an accelerator for your career.

In doing so, be respectful of their time. Take into consideration your previous history and the depth of your relationship with each person, as well as the quality of your current interactions. If you're seen by someone as leaning too heavily on them for assistance, you may not create the impression you're hoping for.

As you reflect on the advice you are receiving from your network, take the background, experience and accomplishments of each person you've communicated with, into account. For instance, you might consider guidance you receive from the CEO who has led a successful business in an industry similar to the one you're focused on, might be weighted differently than guidance you receive from a former colleague who has never been responsible to lead others but whose ideas "sound good."

Sometimes, it is not only about the mentee doing the talking. It is also good for the mentee to be a good listener. One of the best ways to learn from our network and mentors is to be a good listener. Pay attention to what they have to say and ask thoughtful questions.

To strengthen the article, add this section: "Cultivate Your Network." Unless you are clairvoyant, you never know when you'll want advice from someone on your own leadership development. You can keep existing relationships "warm" by occasionally reaching out with a happy birthday or "happy holidays" message; or surprise them with a random "hello" and reminder of some past triumph you shared in. You can create a bridge to people you haven't met yet, by following them on social media and occasionally commenting on their posts. Then, by calling your virtual interactions with them to their attention when you ask for the meeting, you increase the likelihood that your meeting will be friendly and productive.

Leveraging your network and mentors for leadership development requires active engagement, continuous learning, and a genuine willingness to grow. Building meaningful relationships and investing in these connections will contribute to your personal and professional growth as a leader.