How can you find a mentor through your professional network?

Mentorship for professional growth cannot be understated and provides actionable steps creating a transformative impact of mentorship on one's career. One should start by clearly defining their career goals to guide the mentorship search effectively. It encourages evaluating the existing professional network, both online and offline, and identifying potential mentors within workplaces, industry events, and social media platforms like LinkedIn. I would suggest active participation in networking events, conferences, and workshops to meet experienced professionals open to mentorship. Utilizing LinkedIn effectively, optimizing profiles, joining relevant groups, and personalizing connection requests are recommended strategies.

The identification of objectives depends on the candidate's profile and I encourage colleagues to target, if necessary, international mentors with high added value. Another question relates to the availability of the candidate. In case of unavailable candidate, it is recommended to consider asynchronous communication on dedicated platforms.

Before seeking a mentor, define your objectives. Clarify your learning goals, career aspirations, and challenges. Identify the skills, knowledge, or advice you seek. Consider your preferred communication and learning styles. A clear vision of your objectives guides your mentor search, ensuring alignment with your expectations. It's the first step toward a mentoring relationship that meets your specific needs and goals.

In mentorship, the distinction between long-term and short-term objectives/goals emerges as a pivotal thread, for impactful professional development. The understanding between the two not only sharpens the mentee's focus but also empowers the mentor to guide the journey with purpose. The mentee's short-term objectives function as the compass for immediate challenges, navigating through the landscape of professional dilemmas. These tactical goals—ranging from specific project hurdles to honing skills—constitute the need for mentorship, demanding swift and strategic responses. Conversely, the mentee's long-term objectives unveil a broader, panoramic vision, and require more horizon scanning and planning.

Could you determine how much of a mentorship you're looking for? Is this person an accountability coach, or are you looking for someone to help you with your career planning? This planning will vary based on what you have in your current field.

Selecting the right mentor has seen a significant mindset shift. It's no longer limited to individuals within your immediate network, as people might be hesitant to open up to those they know due to fear of judgment or other reasons. Surprisingly, many have discovered mentors on social media platforms like LinkedIn and Twitter, engaging with individuals they've never interacted with before. This unconventional approach allows for the initiation of fresh relationships, providing a platform to openly discuss challenges and seek guidance. While exploring connections within your network is valuable, don't limit yourself; reaching out to subject experts and business leaders online can yield surprising results!

One of the main reasons why networking is important is because it helps you build a reputation. Networking can help you establish yourself as a reliable, supportive, considerate, and knowledgeable industry professional. If you do it right, people may eventually perceive you as an industry expert. Essentially, the more your network expands, the more people are aware of what you can offer and what you’re looking for. So, whether you’re a business owner or someone looking for a job, raising your profile can open doors to new business and career opportunities.

Leverage your network first, and if you are still looking for a specific mentor skill set, you can reach out to your existing contacts and ask them who else you might speak with.

Take the plunge, message your contact, and ask them for their insight and help. When I was first starting, I used to feel shy about asking for help. Maybe my contacts would be too busy, but you won't get help unless you ask. I've found more often than not, people are willing to help.

The purpose of initiating conversation is to establish a connection, share information, and create a positive social interaction. There are several benefits to initiating conversation in social skills development. Firstly, it helps individuals develop their communication skills by practicing active listening and effective speaking. By initiating conversation, individuals learn to pay attention to verbal and non-verbal cues, respond appropriately, and engage in meaningful dialogue. Secondly, initiating conversation promotes social connections and relationships. It allows individuals to meet new people, form friendships, and expand their social network.

In accordance with the objective that I have set, it is appropriate to launch a search campaign on Linkedin or other appropriate professional network to identify a mentor who has experience and who has an interest in taking over my mentoring. This assumes that he has worked on areas close to my areas of expertise and is interested in research themes that also interest me.

When meeting a potential mentor, prioritize building rapport and trust. Be punctual, respectful, and attentive. Show genuine curiosity, enthusiasm, and appreciation for their insights. Ask open-ended questions, listen actively, and provide constructive feedback. Share your challenges, successes, and learnings in risk management. Find common ground or shared interests to strengthen the connection. Establishing rapport sets the foundation for a meaningful and productive mentorship.

When you have a rapport with someone, you're better placed to influence, learn and teach, particularly as the trust that you've built up means other people are more likely to accept your ideas, to share information, and to create opportunities together. Rapport forms the basis of meaningful, close and harmonious relationships between people. It's the sense of connection that you get when you meet someone you like and trust, and whose point of view you understand. It's the bond that forms when you discover that you share one another's values and priorities in life.

Its better to define your role models and who we want to be and who we look up to and increase communication with them and request help. In that way we can get a closer look how their mind works, in general what are their main rules in life and things they consider very important.

When communication is effective, it leaves all parties involved satisfied and feeling accomplished. By delivering messages clearly, there is no room for misunderstanding or alteration of messages, which decreases the potential for conflict. In situations where conflict does arise, effective communication is a key factor to ensure that the situation is resolved in a respectful manner. How one communicates can be a make or break factor in securing a job, maintaining a healthy relationship, and healthy self expression.

Continue to grow your network. Don't stick around those two people you came across; continue to reach out to people, especially people from different backgrounds. The more you interact with other cultures, the more flexible you become while growing your perspective on security. This is because different regions experience various security risks and issues.

One things I found helpful to search in your career journey back. There may be you find someone you trust in him and believe that he is your right mentor. #futurist