You’re facing a complex problem with diversity and inclusion. How can you get the guidance you need?

1 Why mentorship matters

Mentorship is a relationship between a more experienced and a less experienced person, where the mentor provides guidance, advice, and encouragement to the mentee. Mentorship can have many benefits for both parties, such as enhancing skills, expanding networks, increasing motivation, and fostering trust. In the context of diversity and inclusion, mentorship can also help you gain different perspectives, challenge your biases, address your gaps, and celebrate your achievements. A mentor can help you navigate complex problems by asking you questions, sharing their stories, and connecting you with resources.

2 How to find a mentor

Finding a mentor who can help you with diversity and inclusion may seem daunting, but there are some steps you can take to make it easier. First, you need to clarify your goals and expectations. What do you want to learn or improve? What kind of support do you need? How often do you want to communicate with your mentor? Second, you need to identify potential mentors who have relevant experience and expertise. You can look for them within your organization, your industry, your community, or your online networks. Third, you need to reach out to them and express your interest. You can send them a message, an email, or a phone call, and explain why you want them to be your mentor. Be respectful, polite, and specific, and show that you have done some research on them.

3 How to work with a mentor

Once you have found a mentor who agrees to work with you, you need to establish a good rapport and a clear plan. You can start by getting to know each other better, sharing your backgrounds, interests, and values. You can also discuss your goals, expectations, and boundaries, and agree on how you will communicate, how often you will meet, and how you will measure your progress. You can also set some ground rules for confidentiality, feedback, and accountability. Working with a mentor requires commitment, honesty, and openness from both sides. You need to respect your mentor's time and expertise, prepare for your meetings, follow their advice, and give them feedback. You also need to be willing to listen, learn, and change, and to acknowledge your challenges and successes.

4 How to overcome challenges

Working with a mentor can also bring some challenges that you need to overcome. For example, you may face some misunderstandings, disagreements, or conflicts with your mentor. You may also feel frustrated, overwhelmed, or discouraged by the complexity of the problems you encounter. You may also face some barriers or resistance from your organization or your peers. To overcome these challenges, you need to communicate effectively with your mentor, and express your concerns, feelings, and needs. You also need to be flexible, adaptable, and resilient, and to seek support from other sources, such as your colleagues, friends, or family. You also need to celebrate your achievements, no matter how small, and to appreciate your mentor's contribution.

5 How to end the relationship

At some point, you may decide to end the mentorship relationship, either because you have achieved your goals, or because you have outgrown the relationship, or because of other reasons. Ending the relationship does not mean that you have failed, but rather that you have grown and learned. To end the relationship gracefully, you need to communicate your decision to your mentor, and explain your reasons. You also need to thank them for their time, effort, and support, and to share your feedback and outcomes. You also need to maintain a positive and respectful connection with them, and to keep in touch with them as appropriate. You may also want to find another mentor who can help you with your next goals, or to become a mentor yourself and help others.

6 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?