The Positive Power of Mentoring

Here are my words of wisdom: Learning from others' experiences is a fantastic way to help you overcome obstacles and move on to the next steps in your career. My advice is to strive for guidance from as many skilful people from as many diverse industries as you can. Identify the challenges you want to overcome, and then find the best professional with whom you can tackle this challenge. Explore all of their advice and then test it. In short: Go out there and get yourself an incredible mentor. There's a lot to win, nothing to lose.

I have just wrapped up with my mentor - an incredibly sharp leader who guided my journey with her unbiased view and opinions over the last year. She has given me alternative views and the confidence that my voice and ideas are valuable, even if colleagues/peers at times met them with scepticism.?And as if all that wasn't enough, I ended up gaining a new friend.?

If I can help you overcome your challenges, I'd like to hear from you!

You can gain invaluable insights from experienced mentors:?

1. Mentors can share experiences with you and help guide you on what to do or what not to do. They can be there to bounce your ideas off of or evaluate pros and cons with you. They can help steer you in the right direction and support you in your decision-making.?
2. Mentors can help you grow your professional network by connecting you to others.?
3. Mentors can inspire and encourage you. They can enable your professional and personal development and help to keep you focused by setting (career or personal) goals and giving feedback.
4. They can give you the confidence that you are on the right track. Mentors can be that place of support you need when you're facing something new, which can sometimes be daunting. Your mentor can be encouraging and offer motivational help.

Where to start?

You might think that the problem is that it's not always easy to find someone willing to be your mentor. Successful people tend to be busy people, and you're asking them to share their wisdom with you and invest their time for no tangible return.

However, trust me - it's a piece of cake because people generally like to help others. ?

1. Find the right person for your objective. You can use social media (LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter) to connect, follow, and contact them.
2. When you reach out, explain?why?you want them as your mentor. Tell them what's so special about them that you have to have them in your life. (The truth is, don't we all like to feel special?) Do your homework and be specific.?
3. Explain your objectives for the mentorship and what kinds of help you would like to receive from your mentor (introductions to their network, guidance on your business plan, sales strategy, marketing, branding, accounting, HR advice, coaching, bouncing ideas, to name a few). Tell them how often you'd like to check in with them and for how long (i.e., weekly, monthly, quarterly meetings).
4. Make sure to be concise and to the point. Remember that successful people are busy; your message shouldn't be three paragraphs long.
5. Let them decide. Ideally, try to schedule a short 15-minute intro meeting before they commit to anything.
6. Seek guidance from at least five people. The likelihood of receiving a response is higher, and if more than one person agrees, you may gain perspectives from qualified people in different industries.

Can you think of anything you might be able to offer in return to show your gratitude??

Bonus point:

Ask your company if they offer mentorship programs, either with colleagues or externally, via a 3rd party provider. There are a variety of platforms providing such services. In all honesty, I think all companies should offer mentoring to their employees by default. If your company does not, you might want to pioneer such a program.?

Check out the templates below to help you get in touch with your next mentor. I hope you have enjoyed this read. Please share your feedback in the comments or directly with me. Have you found your mentor or had a fantastic experience in the past? I'd love to hear about your experiences.?

Be kind,?

-Eva

Asking someone you know

Hi [CONTACT NAME],

As you know, I have a tremendous amount of respect for you, and I've learned a lot from you already.

I am at a stage in my life and my career in which I feel I could benefit from your mentorship with all the experience and expertise you have.

You have already had such a profound influence on my career that you were the first person who came to mind.

I wondered whether we could meet up for a coffee (or have a quick call) to discuss this further?

Thanks,

[YOUR NAME]

Asking someone you were referred to

Hello [CONTACT NAME],

Our mutual friend [YOUR CONTACT] gave me your contact details.

I have been following your career for a while, and my respect for your work is tremendous.

I am currently working as [YOUR ROLE] at [YOUR COMPANY], a position I have held for [YOUR TENURE].

Your career path is inspirational to me: I don't know many people who have worked in [AREA] at [COMPANY].

As an aspiring [AREA], I'd love to learn from you as my mentor and be able to work closely with you over a more extended period if your availability permits.?

I was wondering whether you'd have a few minutes to hop on a phone call or perhaps even to meet up for a coffee?

Thanks,

[YOUR NAME]

Asking someone you admire on social media

Hi [CONTACT NAME],

I love your work. I've been following you for a little while now, and I particularly enjoyed [PIECE OF CONTENT].?

I just wanted to reach out to you because I'm a great admirer of the work you've been doing, and I'm currently looking for someone to mentor me on the topic of [SUBJECT MATTER].

I'd love to get on a call or to drop you an email (whichever you prefer) to talk about this some more. Is that something you'd be interested in??

Please let me know, and keep up the excellent work!?

Thanks,

[YOUR NAME]