As the saying goes, behind every successful man or women is a ….

If you ask any successful people, they will tell you a good mentor is crucial for success.  So what exactly is the role of a mentor and what makes him or her a good one? In the historical sense, a mentor is a loyal friend, confidant and advisor ,a teacher, guide, coach and role model.

Wow! where on earth am i going to find someone like that you may ask. In my humble opinion, finding a good mentor is not easy but it is not impossible.  First of all, you have to find someone you respect who is in the same field as you are in or aspire to be. That’s why you want to learn from him right? They must have substantial experience in your area of interest and practice  integrity. They are willing to share and are not be afraid of being surpassed. They are enthusiaistic about learning themselves. Last but not least, they are successful  in their own rights, right now.

Now that you know a little of what a good mentor should be. It’s time to look for one. If you already have one in mind, all the better. Much of the onus on mentorship lies with the protege. You need to take the initiative to approach your potential mentor and tell them why you want to be his protege. Share your goals with them, as they will need to evaluate if they are capable of helping you achieve them.

Once your prospect agrees  to mentor you, you are now in the driver’s sit. One common  mistake protege makes is to wait for their mentor to drive them. This should not be the case as you are the person who ultimately wants to learn something , not him. Your first meeting with your mentor is a perfect time to get thing moving in the right direction. Consider the following.

• Let your mentor know about you in order to work most successfully with him.
  
• What kind of learner are you? Visual, audio, practice, reading?
  
• What are your desired outcomes for the mentoring relationship?
  
• What do you expect from your mentor? Or vice versa?
  
• How will you know if the relationship is working? 
• What do you want to gain from this partnership

Answering these questions will help you establish goals and objectives for the mentoring relationship. Find the right mentor and enhance your personal and professional development. Take time to think about your career goals, developmental needs, and the kind of mentor you want. This  will help you get the most out of your relationship.

Hope that helps…see you tomoro.

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