What are some tips for building a professional relationship with an IT Strategy mentor?

The most important step you can take to gaining a mentor for your career is to ask. Yes, it will help to have a clear vision and set objectives. You’ll look polished up if you have all your careers aspirations outlined with goals, milestones and next steps. But the truth is you likely will not and you simply need help even with those things. My requirement for a mentee relationship is the desire to grow, maturity to listen to feedback and willingness to implement new ideas. In essence, be coachable. If you have that, ask for help. This is what stops most from building a support network. They don’t ask. Ask. Today.

Before approaching a potential mentor, clarify what you hope to achieve through the mentorship. Having specific goals will help guide your interactions and make the relationship more meaningful.

While emphasizing the importance of seeking mentorship, it's crucial to highlight the need for self-reflection and goal-setting beforehand. Clarity in one's own objectives, aspirations, and challenges is key to identifying a mentor whose expertise and experience align with those specific areas.

Come up with a short elevator pitch which concisely but nicely articulates what you want to achieve with the mentoring relationship.

Clarifying your goals is the cornerstone of a fruitful mentoring relationship. It’s not just about stating your objectives; it's a reflection of your self-awareness and professional maturity. A mentor can provide far more targeted and relevant guidance when your goals are specific, realistic, and aligned with your career path. When you articulate goals like mastering a specific IT governance framework or leading a cross-functional project, it shows a mentor that you're not looking for generic advice but a roadmap tailored to your journey.

Come ready, bring your background and challenges to the table. When they give you advice, take notes and next time make sure you re-state their advice and how you've acted on it. If the Mentor doesn't give you something 'hard', find a new mentor.

Acknowledge that expectations may evolve over time as the mentee's needs and circumstances change. Be open to adjusting the mentorship plan as necessary.

Setting clear expectations is more than administrative housekeeping; it’s about creating a structured environment where growth can occur. Defining the frequency and mode of interaction, for example, respects both parties' time and sets a tone for professional engagement. Moreover, outlining what you seek to learn and how success will be evaluated gives your mentor a framework within which they can offer the most effective guidance, thus optimizing the value you derive from the relationship.

Often times the best of mentoring intents completely fail, when the mentee or mentor are not able to keep up their time commitments and meet.. I have often felt that the an effective mentoring journey can always be identified by understanding whether the first 3 sessions have been completed without getting skipped in anyway

Respect and responsiveness are the currencies of professional relationships. They reflect your commitment to the mentoring process and signal to your mentor that their investment in you is valued. Being respectful of their time and expertise while responding promptly to communications creates a positive, reciprocal dynamic. This respectfulness also extends to the application of their advice, demonstrating that you value and trust their insights, which in turn deepens the mentor's commitment to your development.

Actively seeking and applying feedback transforms a mentoring relationship from a passive to an active learning experience. It shows your mentor that you're not only open to growth but eager to pursue it. Feedback, particularly in areas like strategic thinking and decision-making, is often nuanced. By demonstrating how you've implemented their advice, you provide tangible evidence of your development, encouraging your mentor to invest even more deeply in your journey.

A mentor-mentee relationship is a two-way street. While much focus is on what you can learn, consider what you can offer. Whether it's a fresh perspective, knowledge in a niche area, or insights from a different generation or culture, sharing your unique value enhances the mutual benefit of the relationship. Remember, mentoring is not just about advancing your career; it's about building a collaborative, evolving partnership that enriches both your professional lives.