A short guide to picking the right mentor

There are many benefits to having a mentor, increased opportunities, learning new skills, guidance, the list is endless really. However today we are not here to talk about why mentoring is beneficial (that’s another blog post!). Today I want to give you some easy tips on how to pick the right mentor.  

 Check out my quick tips below to help you identify a mentor today!

1.     What is your end goal?

Before picking a mentor it is of the utmost importance that you understand what you want to achieve and/or learn. Like with many things in life, think of your end goal and work backwards. I recommend writing a list of 3 learning goals. Once you understand what you are looking to gain then you can target someone with the right knowledge and experiences.

 2.  Ability to connect

Whilst a mentor does not need to be your best friend you do need to build some level of rapport and most importantly trust. It’s very important that you and your mentor build a relationship early on, otherwise neither will benefit from the experience. Make sure you pick an individual you can confide in and feel comfortable being open with. Mentoring works best when we leave egos and fear at the door and act as our true selves.  

3. Picking a mentor too similar to the individual 

Many people tend to pick a mentor that might have a similar personality or style to themselves in a senior position. Whilst there is nothing wrong with this, picking mentors with different styles to your own is where I have personally seen the most growth from individuals. When we pick someone that operates in a different manner it opens the individual up to a new way of thinking and responding to situations. It enables the individual to grow into a respectful and well-balanced operator often ensuring they can work in a diverse team more effectively.

4. Consider cross discipline mentoring

On a similar note to point 3 depending on your end goal consider picking a mentor from a completely different discipline. Some of the most effective mentoring relationships I have seen come from knowledge sharing from different areas or disciplines. Having someone from sales matched with IT, Engineering working with sales etc. These types of relationship again allow you as an individual to understand the bigger picture. Understanding different perspectives and how departments operate is critical if you are looking to progress to senior management. The earlier you can start cross collaborating the better position you will be in long term.

5. Outside Interests

Finally a mentoring relationship does not have to solely be focused on your corporate interests or discipline. Consider picking a mentor that has outside interests that are similar to yours? Perhaps you have a creative streak, run a side business or enjoy sport. All of these aspects contribute to who you are and can definitely flow over into your corporate life. Considering picking someone that has interests you are curious in. This curiosity can often fuel great learning outcomes.  

I hope the above tips help you in selecting the right mentor. If you are still struggling and need additional help or advice feel free to get in contact!