Finding a mentor

If you work with someone or for someone, mentoring might be offered to you without your asking. For solo-preneurs or rising stars in an organization, you might have to go seek it. Here are some thoughts from the old hand about how should you go about asking.

  1. Mentoring is different from coaching. You might meet with a mentor only once or twice a year. It is usually not paid. It is someone more senior in your career path whose insight you would value.
  2. A mentor could be a friend of your parents, someone you met at a trade show, a blogger in your field, a colleague who is more senior in an area of interest to you. Be okay if someone is not available, interested or the right person. You might ask if they know someone else in the field who might be.
  3. Ask for one meeting for no more than 2 hours. Explain that If it works for both parties, maybe you could meet again in 6 months.
  4. REALLY value their time. They probably got where they are by being brilliant at time management. Knowing that you are not expecting more than 2 hours will make them more likely to agree to meeting you.
  5. Get clear on the 2-3 things you would like to discuss, and ask if there might be one they would like to suggest for you. (Common blindspots they could guide you around).
  6. Write out your agenda/questions ahead of time. That will help you be concise and clear.
  7. Ask your questions and then LISTEN. Take notes. It is okay to disagree or ask for more clarification. Just remember you are there to learn, not to share endless stories of your own.
  8. If your real question is “How do I get the confidence to take the risks you did?” She probably won’t know you well enough to answer that. However, she may be able to share a few tips about how she got where she is.
  9. Send an email afterwards thanking her for her time.
  10. Return the favor if you can.

This post is dedicated to my daughter, Gina Paller Delvac, Podcast Show Runner Extraordinaire, who generously mentors so many new podcasters including at her website. Gina asked me to write this post. Happy birthday from Budapest!