How can you find mentors and peers to develop your leadership?

There are also great Mentor Organizations out there, such as Collective Brains, where mentorship is available from experienced leaders from across all business and industry. Many times, mentorship from outside one’s own organization is useful, helpful, desired.

To cultivate effective leadership, start by defining your purpose as your North Star. This overarching mission becomes the driving force behind your actions and decisions. Simultaneously, explore your core values, uncovering what resonates deep within you and guides your moral compass. Understanding who you are, what fuels your passion, and the impact you aspire to create forms the bedrock of authentic leadership. With purpose as your guide and values as your foundation, you forge a path of meaningful influence, inspiring others through a leadership style rooted in authenticity and a clear sense of direction.

Self-awareness and Goal-setting: Start by understanding what you want out of a mentorship or peer relationship. Are you seeking guidance in a particular area? Do you want someone to challenge you? Knowing what you want will help guide your search.

You should define your own definition of leadership! Learn about yourself and what your style of leadership would be. Join an organization that will allow you to develop leadership skills. In my case, service in a civic organization taught me a great deal . They need people to step up and lead projects. Sometimes there was good support and sometimes not. I learned to share a vision, and communicate it across the organization. As I began to grow, I took courses the group offered to teach important aspects of leadership, and soon I connected with more experienced leaders. Those remain my mentors and advisors years later!

Defining your goals and challenges is a key step as you will hardly find everything you need from a single person. Nobody is perfect. That’s why you need to be clear on the areas you want to develop so you can build your own tribe of mentors, each of them to help you on one or more of the key areas you identified

Build a personal board of advisors and ensure it includes diverse voices and backgrounds. This is critical so that you can bounce ideas off of them and receive feedback from individuals with different life experiences.

I've found that intentionally seeking out people with different perspectives from my own is incredibly valuable. By seeking out advice from those with different backgrounds, personalities, and experiences, it helps me to avoid potential blind spots and often helps me evaluate situations in ways I hadn't even considered.

Embrace the idea of directly seeking mentorship. Many mentors will be genuinely flattered by your initiative and courage. Your straightforward approach can lead to meaningful connections and valuable guidance.

It is indeed crucial to seek diverse perspectives when searching for mentors and peers. Limiting oneself to a specific background, industry, or role could lead to a narrow-minded approach and hinder growth. Embracing diversity in experiences, expertise, and viewpoints not only broadens one's horizons but also challenges preconceived notions and biases. This approach helps one learn from a variety of contexts and situations, thus enriching the overall learning experience. Additionally, finding diverse mentors and peers through your existing network, online and offline communities, events, workshops, and suitable platforms, will expose you to a wealth of knowledge and insights that would not have been accessible otherwise.

Pointing to my previous point - this is true as long as you share some common values (no need for 100%) but something similar. Other than that sure - look for someone who could benefit you where you are least proficient or would like to have more proficiency. For example I found good mentors in the MRO business who taught me a lot about airplanes from the business side to the technical side. All of which made me more successful at the end

It's essential to emphasize the importance of building genuine relationships. Acquiring mentors and peers is just the beginning; establishing a strong foundation based on mutual trust, respect, and value is vital for a successful partnership. Being proactive, curious, and respectful, coupled with clear communication of goals and needs, active and attentive listening, and asking for feedback and advice are all key elements in creating a strong bond. Additionally, sharing your insights and experiences, expressing appreciation and gratitude, and being open to reciprocating support, guidance, or resources is crucial. This two-way exchange not only strengthens the relationship but also enriches both parties' development and growth.

I look for industry leaders that don’t just talk the talk, but walk the walk. Leaders that have true proven tangible results, who can listen and understand, and really looks at things from their clients perspective.

The best approach to building a network of meaningful relationships is to focus on genuine relationships and mutual benefit- reciprocity. Often when we talk about 'networking' the idea is often, "What can this person do for me?" Avoid this thinking in any kind of networking- including looking for mentors and peers that can help you in your own growth. I have found, my most meaningful connections and support have been through offering support and help to others and forging genuine friendships and relationships- the ripples of the relations are also every expanding. They also feel natural and less like "work".

I consider this key! Many fail to understand that fake is obvious. When you don’t approach someone with a open mind and honesty, to build a genuine mutuality beneficial relationship that can support growth, learning and development you’re better off not approaching someone at all. Being genuine is what lasts the test of time. Interest only, fake relationships will vanish quickly but worse, will damage your reputation and credibility.

Have open and honest communication: Good relationships rely on good communication, whether it's face-to-face, on the telephone, or email. Being open, honest, and professional helps establish trust and rapport. Listening is just as important as talking. Active listening is a valuable skill to develop and helps build trust

Setting a structure and routine is pivotal for maximizing the benefits of mentorship and peer learning relationships. It is important to have a mutual understanding and agreement on the frequency, duration, and mode of interactions, as well as the topics, agenda, and goals of each session. Ground rules and expectations for communication, confidentiality, and accountability must be established from the onset. Moreover, tracking progress, celebrating achievements, and adjusting the plan as needed are key components for ensuring the success of the mentorship or peer learning relationship.

It is also important to establish the duration of your mentor-mentee relationship. Establishing a structure and routine is something unique to you. Take the time to reevaluate if the agreed plan you set at the beginning is still working for both of you. If not, readjust. Always be open to reassessing and adapting.

Consistency is king in many areas - this one is no different. Talking to someone once or twice won't cut it. Imagine a mentor who has decades of experience under his belt. Do you honestly think one session is enough? Also the very nature of a good relationship is what more important. Surrounding yourself with people like this can do wonders for you

Show genuine interest: Authentic connections are built on mutual interest and respect. Showing genuine interest in the person you're talking to will make them feel valued and appreciated. Ask questions and actively listen to their answers. Listening is a key way to build trust and create a stronger connection with someone

I would direct the feedback more to you - although don't hesitate to stand on your own. But be willing to accept things within you that requires change. Otherwise why bother? We're not perfect - but the vey step of going on to seek guidance can improve you.

My recommendation is to discuss your feedback preferences at the beginning of the mentor relationship (e.g. when to give it, how). The beneficiary of the mentorship is the mentee, but the mentor is learning a lot from it too. Mentees should provide feedback to their mentors too.

An example of this is ensuring your network of support keep you accountable on your short term and long term goals. During your weekly, bi-weeekly or monthly meetings, depending on what's convenient for both parties, you should review your progress and the actions you have taken towards accomplishing your goals. The feedback you are provided should not be taken personally - feedback is meant to help you grow and improve your strategy. It is not a reflection on our character or values, but a slight change on our strategy so we can accomplish our goals in a more efficient way.

Be open-minded and curious: Approach feedback with an open mind and a genuine curiosity to learn and improve. Be receptive to different perspectives and avoid becoming defensive

Continue to assess your growth needs based on your development plan and update your mentor and peer support network accordingly. It’s just as important to bring some of these relationships to closure as it is to open new ones - both for yourself for focus and effectiveness and for them so that they can redirect their efforts to others who need it.

Mentors help you achieve specific objectives and goals. Once you achieve, the relationship has been fulfilled and the mentor-mentee relationship can discontinue; transforming in good friendship. Take help of the current as well as past mentors to identify and connect to a new mentor for your next higher goals. Keep moving

Learning is growing. One key element to this growth is the opportunity we have to continuously learn and improve what we do and who we are. Becoming a subject matter expert on our line of business is also helpful to become better equipped to share the knowledge with others and becoming a valuable contributor to our companies and communities. Even if it's learning a new skill, a new language, a new system, everything helps us to become better at what we do.

Always remember that the best mentoring relationships often develop organically over time based on mutual respect and shared interests. It’s not about finding the most successful person you can, but about finding someone whose experience and insights align with your goals and challenges. Engage in local community events, workshops, and seminars. Many communities have local leadership programs designed to develop future community leaders.

Finding mentors and peers to develop your leadership skills involves strategic networking and a proactive approach. Attend industry events, workshops, and conferences related to your field of interest. Engage in online forums and social media groups focused on leadership development. Reach out to individuals whose leadership style resonates with you, expressing your admiration and seeking guidance. In my own journey, I've leveraged LinkedIn to connect with experienced leaders, attended leadership workshops, and actively participated in online leadership communities, which has enabled me to establish a valuable network of mentors and peers for continuous growth.

Seeking guidance from experienced mentors and peers is invaluable for leadership growth. The insights, feedback, and support they provide can significantly influence your journey. However, the onus is on you to seek out these relationships, nurture them, and ensure they remain mutually beneficial. By actively engaging in your industry and community and showcasing genuine curiosity and commitment, you can build lasting relationships that propel your leadership journey forward.

You can look to LinkedIn! This will expand your reach beyond your immediate network and lead you to a great mentor or group of peers!

When seeking advice, remember you don’t have to take it. Earlier in my career, after I asked for someone’s opinion (especially if it was a more senior leader) I personally felt obligated to follow through on that advice. They are wiser with a higher title, right? But what I’ve learned is that people can approach things very differently. And not all advice you get will make sense for you, your values, your priorities, and your full situation. You do not have to feel bad about not using advice you are given. It is respectful to be open and to consider the advice. But then, remember you have the autonomy to choose what to do next. Use all of it, use some of it, use none of it. You are the leader of you.