Let’s Talk About MENTORING

www.humanikaconsulting.com

Everyone knows they need a mentor, but very few people have one. Why?

1. The reasons are many, really–people don’t know how to find the right person, or fear of rejection keeps them from asking.

2. Getting a mentor falls into the dangerous “important but not urgent” category, so it never gets done.

3. Others have no idea what a healthy mentoring relationship would actually look like, so they never take the first step.

4. You don’t need to wait till the series is over to ask for mentoring, but I hope knowing that help is coming will give you the confidence you need to move forward.

Getting a mentor isn’t easy, but it can be done, and it’s worth it. We’re going to start by

examining why:

1. While we all ultimately have to find our own way, mentors can help you navigate that road more smoothly. Someone a few years down the road from you has

the benefit of wisdom and experience behind them. A good mentor will get to know you, and can speak into your life with the benefit of their past experience.

2. Mentors bring a fresh perspective. It’s

difficult to see your own strengths, weaknesses, and challenges clearly.

Mentors can help you understand yourself better and see things as they really are.

3. Mentors make you ask the hard questions.

having a mentor forces you to think through difficult questions, to consider what you really need and where you really want to go. If you have no idea what you need, you haven’t thought about it enough. Mentors make you think (and can nudge you if you’re stuck).

4. Mentors normalize our

struggles. It’s

enormously reassuring to hear your mentor say

something like, “This thing you’re struggling with? I struggled with that, too.

Everyone does.”

5. Mentors concretely improve our

performance in and satisfaction with our

work. Numerous studies have shown

that people with mentors make more money at work, are promoted more

often, and are more satisfied with their jobs. The benefits of mentoring outside

the workplace may be harder to measure but they’re just as real.

1. Plan: How can you approach this person? Where? When? What will you say?

Just like a job interview, you want to go in prepared.

2. Bridge: Create some

kind of meaningful connection. For example, you can follow up on a

recent accomplishment of theirs, like an award or headline-making scoop

or sale.

3. Close: Close the deal! With the hard part of the ”ask” over, you now

need to follow up, which is critical.

4. Assess: Your final step is that once the relationship kicks off, you need to

evaluate what you’re getting out of it. “It’s important to see what you want to renew and what you want to release. Sometimes your career goals change.”

Do ...

…Build an intentional-to-mentor relationship

…Make sure your work gets noticed by your mentor

…Ask for feedback

Don’t

• …Sweat it if you get no response

• …Always agree with your mentor

• …Shy away from conflict or fear being outside your comfort zone

Learning and Giving for Better 1ndONEsia