Tell me and I forget, teach me and I may remember, involve me and I learn - Benji Franklin

I have always tried and sort mentors in my bosses and I have been lucky to have found a few of them - I love working under tutelage and in the same time feel confident to voice my opinions and ideas. However, what stops a majority of us seeking one? Why do we focus on self-sufficiency to a break even point? 

Am I wrong to seek a Mentor? 

Myth #1: You have to find one perfect mentor
It’s actually quite rare these days that people get through their career with only one mentor. In fact, many people have several advisors they turn to. In all likelihood, you’d benefit from having more than one developer. It’s that handful of people who you can go to for advice and who you trust to have your best interests in mind. Sometimes it can be helpful to get a variety of perspectives on an issue you are facing. 

Myth #2: Mentoring is a formal long-term relationship
Because the world moves fast and people change jobs and careers more often, a long-term advising relationship may be unrealistic and unnecessary. Mentoring can be a one-hour mentoring session. Instead of focusing on the long term, think of mentoring as something you access when you need it. It may not be big agenda items that you’re grappling with. In today’s world, mentoring is more like Twitter and less like having a psychotherapy session.

Of course, the advice and guidance may be richer and more relevant if it comes from someone who knows you well and understands your goals. You still need to build relationships so that when you require advice, you have the connections in place. However, there may be times when you look to people who don’t know you as well or at all to get one-off counsel from an outsider’s perspective.

Myth #3: Mentoring is for junior people
Many people assume that they only need a mentor when they are first starting out in their careers. The reality is there are lots of times in a corporate career when you need a mentor. Though you shouldn’t wait for them to come up, transitions are a particularly good time to seek out a mentor. Whether you are making a career change, taking on a new role, or contemplating leaving a job, advice from someone who has done it before can be helpful.

Myth #4: Mentoring is something more experienced people do out of the goodness of their hearts
It can be an honor to ask someone to be a mentor. But the respect isn’t the only reason people agree to help. Mentoring should be useful to both parties involved. Before seeking out a mentor, think about what you have to offer him or her. Can you provide a unique perspective on the organization or his role? Do you bring valuable outside information that might help him be successful in his job? 

So, do you need mentoring - coz I definitely need one :)

Now that you have a better understanding of what mentoring can be, do you need it?The place to start is with self-assessment and find out what are the challenges in front of you right now and why. Then ask yourself, do you have the relational resources to handle those challenges. If the answer is no, it may be time to seek out a mentor or several. Remember that mentoring can take many shapes and forms — the key is to find the right kind of advice from the right person at the right time.