By Kadine Powell
Have you ever found yourself admiring a classmate, a teacher, a peer, or another person in your life that appears to be doing the thing(s) in their professional or academic life that you would like to do in yours AND doing them in the same way that you would like to do them? Have you imagined what it might be like to sit down and talk to this person, learn how they accomplished their goals, share ideas, get feedback and advice, and use this experience to guide you in the direction that you want to go? If so, then you…my friend, might be yearning for a mentor, and I’d like to share with you why I think getting one should definitely be on your “To-Do” list.
Mentorship is a powerful tool. Mentors are people who give advice, teach, help, and guide less experienced people in any number of ways that lead to personal, professional, or academic growth. In many cases, the mentor is chosen by the mentee (the person seeking guidance) based on qualities or actions that the mentee has observed and admired of the mentor and hope to emulate. Great mentoring relationships can lead to academic improvement, access to previously unknown resources, development of soft skills like time management and critical thinking, and overall insight into career, school, and life decisions that lead to personal growth. That is because mentees typically choose a mentor that appears to be successful ways (personal or professional) that the mentee hopes to be successful as well, and this particular competence qualifies the mentor and sets the stage for a beneficial relationship. Who doesn’t want someone to bounce ideas off of, someone to cheer them on, someone to set their stride straight or get them on track when they are off course? I do! That is why I sought out a mentor and have, for many years, benefitted from her guidance, expertise, and support.
The question then becomes, how to actually find a mentor or ask someone to be your mentor. Isn’t it a little weird to just come out and ask a person to teach and guide you? Maybe not as weird as you think. First, finding a mentor is the lesser complicated part. It’s possible that you’ve already found someone with whom you’d like to form a mentorship. For many of us, asking is the hard part. Consider this, how would you feel if someone revealed to you that they had a lot of respect for you and wanted to know if you would be willing to share your expertise, provide them with feedback, and give them advice on how they could become a bit more like you. Not so scary, huh? The trick is to be sincere, clear, and without fear. Don’t psych yourself out of getting a mentor. There’s a good chance it might do you a lot of good!
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