#41: Mentor someone.

Date Completed: 9/10/2010

I suppose I could have checked this off THE LIST sooner, but I waited until this date for a good reason. This is the date that my mentoree officially provided notice of resignation and acceptance of a well-deserved promotion opportunity. This same week, my mentoree was also appointed as a Board member to a fabulous local non-profit, so a celebration is in order, but in the meantime, I’ll leave you with some tips in case you consider implementing a mentorship relationship:

1. Ensure that you have the right fit. This might be linked to a mentor’s expertise in an area that interests the mentoree. The link might be made because of a strong professional network. Or, it might be even more simplified in that the mentor has a genuine interest in helping the mentoree. Either way, a mentor should be trustworthy, non-judgmental, ethical and supportive of the mentoree’s growth and goals. The mentoree should be open minded, ready to receive feedback, and prepared to tackle challenges in order to grow.

2. Establish ground rules and expectations. Be sure you both a ready for this investment. The mentoree should drive their own learning and development, so in turn, the will likely drive the relationship by identifying initial learning goals, seeking feedback, taking an active role in learning, and allocating the necessary time and energy to achieve their goals. Mentorship is definitely a longer-term commitment for both parties. It takes work, but in the end, it's so rewarding.