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Get Yourself a Mentor

Written by: Hilary Jeanes

Article Overview: Learning from a role model - someone who's trodden the path before - is enormously valuable. Here's how to go about finding a mentor.

Get Yourself a Mentor

Want to get ahead in your business and career? Then get a mentor – someone who’s been there, done that and got the t-shirt to prove it. Identify someone in your target job and ask him or her if s/he will be your mentor.

How does mentoring work?
You meet with your chosen person on a regular basis – say, once a month. Agree with him/her at the outset what you want from the arrangement, the frequency and location of your meeting. It is helpful to set yourself some goals for the duration of the mentoring, so that you and the mentor have something to focus on when you meet, rather than general chitchat.

What’s in it for the mentor?
Usually people are very willing to answer your questions and offer you advice if you ask for it. Leaders get a buzz from being asked and also seeing the people they have mentored progressing into more challenging roles. Your mentor may even find an opportunity for you to spend time with or join his/her team if you demonstrate the skills and attitudes they are seeking.

What’s in it for you?
By talking through challenges you are facing or have experienced, you can learn from the experience of someone who has already achieved the business success you want. You are developing a relationship with a senior person who could be your champion when opportunities come up, provided they have gained a good opinion of you during the mentoring relationship. The more allies you have at a senior level, the better it will be for you and your career.

So who will you choose to approach now?

Related Articles
  Why Small Business Entrepreneurs Need a Mentor
  How To Effectively Use Business Mentoring
  How to Find the Best Mentor for Your Needs
  Business Mentoring Programs
  The Success of a Mentee Is a Mentor’s Ultimate Reward

Article Tags: allies, attitudes, business success, buzz, challenges, champion, chitchat, duration, mentor, outset, relationship, t shirt, target job



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On Mentors - I've been fortunate that in every endevour I've taken on I have found a Mentor within that niche to guide me and help me learn from my mistakes. I've matured so much faster and more focused just by having someone listen to where i am at in my current day and in having someone to be accountable to. I've been blessed by having mentors naturally come into my life but if I wanted to approach one how would I go about developing the relationship and then asking them to mentor me?
A BIG THANK YOU TO YOU ALL!!!!!!!!!! - This is to my Mentor{ideauniversity} who invited me here,A Big thank you to you for giving me the opportunity and having so much hope in me,because of you have being able to learn so much in this forum which has improved my business skill. A Big thank you to all my new friends who have helped me express myself and also contributed to my growth through your post and answers you have given to my post. Thanks Evan and Kevin for giving me this oportunity. cheers. Tope
Re: Business Women Peer Mentoring Spotlight - That is a great idea, David. This is what I had in mind for the Women's section, but it makes sense to post in on the main site. Of course, I'm waiting for some women to step up to the plate and share how they could use some support on taking the next step with their business! If you are a Business Woman reading this, I invite you to consider that this is not displaying weakness in any form. Peer mentoring and Coaching is incredibly valuable. You get to bounce your ideas off others, hear perspectives from outside your own box, and feel the power of others cheering you on. To me, it's wisdom to use all of our available resources to move towards business success. That's why I have my own Coach and my own Mentor Coaching Group. I also offer that to my clients. These are services one usually has to pay for and you could enjoy some of it free right here! So who wants to start? Can you tell I'm excited about the possibilities for you even before you begin? Warmly, Tami
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