Sharing with a group of Nielsen leadership, Bill and I were asked about common mistakes people make when seeking mentorship. I shared 2 ways I think people can improve their odds of success when seeking a meaningful mentorship.
1. Be specific.
When seeking a mentor, show you’ve done your homework on the person.
- Why did you approach this person?
- What are they excellent at, from which you seek to learn?
- How have you been struggling, and why do you seek mentorship now?
- In what ways do you believe this mentor can add value, and what perspective might you offer them in return?
The generic requests, “Will you mentor me?” don’t land well because they don’t give the mentor an understanding of what you need and why you reached out. Further, the cold call requests are even more challenging. In fact, I don’t think there’s anything wrong with reaching out to someone you don’t know. But it’s even more important to be specific and explain why you’re reaching out to them, specifically.
2. Respect their time.
Mentors are busy and if someone agrees to meet with you, demonstrate respect for their time.
- Thank them for agreeing to meet you, and take the lead in scheduling, providing meeting invite with a functioning link.
- Set an agenda for the meeting, and ideally, send one out in advance or attach to the meeting invite.
- Take the lead in the call, setting expectations upfront and ensure you end the call on time.
These simple steps can ensure your mentor feels respected, knows what to expect, and understands how to add value.
I have benefitted greatly from mentors and love mentoring younger leaders! Now, these were the 2 mistakes mentees make from our panel discussion. I hope this helps you find a great mentor and develop a productive relationship. What are your tips for those seeking mentorship?
To hear Jessica’s excellent view of mentorship, listen to our P&G Alumni podcast episode here. And read about how mentors help us become Unbreakable here.
Fish cartoon from writerswrite.co.za and time image generated with Dall-e