Cartographer at U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service | Mentorship advocate and program creator | EMPOWER Pillar Lead at Women+ in Geospatial
I really enjoyed this article from HBR and author Janet Phan. There are some practical and helpful tips for those seeking to connect with a mentor. In today’s day in age where we are so much more virtual, it can be intimidating for those seeking mentorship to reach out to potential mentors, especially if lacking an existing personal connection. My recommendations: 🌟 Take advantage of existing mentorship programs available to you; it takes pressure off mentees by either being assigned a mentor or being put in a situation to pick your mentor from a pool of people who are primed and looking to mentor others. 🌟 Believe that, as a mentee, you also have something to offer a mentor. Whether it’s helping grow their networks (we all know different people), introducing them to new ideas and perspectives, or giving them the opportunity to hone their emotional intelligence, active listening, or leadership skills, mentors are growing and learning while mentoring. Mentors can get as much out of this relationship as mentees. 🌟 Pay it forward and mentor someone yourself. You have something to offer someone else as a mentor, whether it’s a peer, someone more new to their career journey, or someone with more experience looking to gain from the perspective of a reverse mentor (someone newer to their role/industry than themselves). You gain confidence by doing, so once you start mentoring someone else, you will see how much you gain as a mentor and get perspective on the best ways to reach out to others and the most helpful questions to ask a mentor yourself. WIN-WIN-WIN! 💫 #mentorshipmatters #mentor #mentee
Are you afraid of reaching out to someone you admire? Here's how to find a mentor, nurture your relationship, and maintain it for years to come.
