What is the role of a mentor? What is the value? How do you find one?

Originally answered Jan 17, 2020

The role of a mentor

1. Answers questions honestly, fully, and helpfully.
2. Asks questions and actively listens to the responses.
3. Offers relevant insights, suggestions, and relevant.
4. Available on both a scheduled and ad hoc basis.
5. Suggests and makes useful connections.

The value of a mentor

1. Advises, assists, and supports.
2. Well-connected and influential.
3. Provides wisdom and the voice of experience.
4. Gives guidance candidly, truthfully, and sympathetically.
5. Typically not in the same organization, so offers a safe sounding board.

How to find a mentor

Many successful people are willing to share their time when approached appropriately.

1. Ask someone you respect for a short initial conversation, to be followed by recurring ones if the first one goes well.
2. Post in a community threaded discussion to request one.
3. Write to a book author.
4. Comment to a blogger.
5. Reply to a tweeter.
6. Contact someone whose podcast or YouTube videos you enjoy.
7. Talk to a presenter at a conference.
8. Visit the site of a thought leader and send an email message.
9. If the author, blogger, tweeter, presenter, podcaster, YouTuber, or thought leader is unable to act as a mentor, ask them to refer someone else.
10. If your organization has a formal mentoring program, sign up for it.

See also:

• How to find a Knowledge Management mentor
• Why one extraordinary relationship can be worth more than your job