Insights on the Importance of Finding a Mentor
Don’t have a mentor? What are you waiting for? An underrated practice in business today, in my opinion, is professional mentorship, the one-on-one connection and guidance from peers in your industry or company. If done right, a good mentor helps a person set goals, motivates an employee to move forward, and shares his or her personal journey to inspire others.
For the past two years, I have been developing a mentorship program at my business. Through this process, I have observed two kinds of people: those who are wired for growth and are seeking to guide or be guided, and those who don’t want to be bothered. Perhaps they are already tired from their normal workload and don’t want “another thing on their plate.” But my theory runs deeper than that: They don’t want another exercise of setting goals and then falling short. Unfortunately, many of us can relate to the habit of making excuses that convince us it is okay to do nothing. Think of how we feel December 31 when we are setting resolutions, and then how we feel in the middle of summer when we realize we have not addressed any of our goals.
If you recoil at the thought of a mentorship, my goal is to change your perspective and encourage you to think about what it can mean for you. What is often overlooked about mentors is that there are different kinds—think of it as an a la carte menu. You have the power to select what mentor type will best serve your professional development goals:
- Sponsor: In a position of authority who can help you gain visibility and exposure.
- Teacher: Help you learn a new skill or new knowledge.
- Informer: Share information about your company or the industry.
- Supporter: Listens to your frustrations, ideas, issues, etc. He or she can support you as you make decisions and serve as a sounding board.
- Advisor: May have had similar experiences and can share lessons learned; in a position to advise.
- Connector: Introduce you to others and open up new channels that you never expected.
About one year into running my mentorship program it suddenly hit me like a ton of bricks, “Wait, Sarah, you are not practicing what you preach. Where are your mentors?” I had a moment of panic, but then I took a step back and walked myself through the process I had trained my mentees on: What are my objectives, and what do I want to achieve? What skills can I build? What connections would help me? What experience do I need? What kind of mentor(s) do I need?
After sitting with my thoughts for a few weeks, I concluded that I needed a teacher and an advisor and that I wanted two mentors, a male and a female. I wanted different perspectives, and I wanted to see how the experiences would vary. After all, I am a diversity practitioner, so I sought out cognitive and gender diversity. As a woman in a male-dominated industry, I want to learn from our leaders, and sadly, a small percentage of the top are women. I reached out to two VPs and received positive feedback and suddenly found myself having to map out my first meetings and “my asks” from each mentor (Sometimes, you need to meet with a few potential mentors until you find the right chemistry for a mentorship).
I set up a cadence with each of them; one is monthly and the other is quarterly. I always take a few minutes to prepare before each meeting what I want the session to be about, usually tying in my projects and timely advice needed.
One year later, I can’t stress the value-add each has given me in different ways. My male mentor is my “teacher.” He pushes me to come in with my challenges and questions, and he pushes back on my approach and methodologies. He would remember our conversations and follow up on specific events, and he even sends me relevant articles to push my mind. He gives me direct advice on how to better manage one-on-ones with my manager, how to approach team conversations, and most importantly, taps into my fear of failure. He observed a few months into our mentorship that I “play it safe” and always need to make sure I have my team and management buy-in on decisions. “Don’t be afraid to mess up; that is how you learn and become a leader. There are only a handful of leaders out there; who do you want to be?” I want to lead, and messing up is part of the process, and he gave me that permission to decide to lead and let go of that fear.
The mentorship I have with the female is equally beneficial, but carries a dissimilar tone and style. She is my advisor and helps me think about my long-term goals and what I need to do to get there strategically. She recommends books to read, and we often talk about what it is to be a woman at our company. I ask her direct questions about how she climbed the ranks. I admire and respect her path to success and hope to emulate it.
In just one year, I have so many practices and situations that I can point to as measurements of growth due to my two dissimilar mentors and mentor-types. One has pushed me to push back and spread my clipped wings, and one has pushed me to look deep within myself and is a source of inspiration. If I had not taken the time for those mentoring sessions, I would not have grown professionally in the same manner and speed.
Never underestimate the benefit of reverse mentoring as well. Our mentors learn from us just as we learn from them. At my last session with my male mentor, he mentioned how he had used one of my best practices on his boss. He thanked me for the tip. That was a true highlight for me, and I lit up with a smile. There is truth to the notion that no matter the age, gender, or race, we are all perhaps, intentionally and unintentionally, constantly seeking growth and improvement. The biggest challenge for me in running a mentorship program has been working with ambitious and eager mentees who are unable to find mentors. If you are ready to impart your experience and find it within you to motivate and guide others, please take the time to be a mentor. It is one avenue where you can positively impact someone’s life as well as your own. Perhaps it is time to set a goal that you can stick to and find that right mentor for you.
