There Is A Mentee Out There Waiting For You!

Imagine if, instead of waiting to be asked, you — as a mentor — took the first step and said, “Would you like me to mentor you?” Rather than placing the burden on someone to ask, you open the door for connection and growth in a way that feels welcoming and accessible.

What’s In It For Me As A Mentor?

As far as mentoring goes, I am one of the lucky ones. Since the beginning of my career, I have had the pleasure of working with quite a few inspirational leaders that at different points in time offered to be my mentor. I really never had to ask, rather, the mentors offered to mentor me. I learned so much from my mentors that I started mentoring in return. Inspired by those who mentored me, I even started in the same way — by asking people if they wanted me to mentor them.

This is not how it normally happens — and very often there is a lot more work that the mentee needs to do to find a mentor. Why is this? I believe this has a lot to do with the fact that there is a general belief that the benefits for the mentees outweigh the benefits for the mentor. We have all read the articles about how mentoring can accelerate your career, that 75% of executives credit their success to mentors and that recent research shows that 90% of employees with a career mentor are happy at work (from HBR).

There is a lot less talk about the benefits for the mentor, but they are equally there. For me, mentoring people has been invaluable and helped me to learn:

• Investing time to help grow and develop people is very rewarding

• That we all have something to offer, even if we doubt it

• The importance of how we communicate and how to adapt to different styles

• That every connection opens another connection and this ultimately helps grow one’s network

How Do You Get Started?

Like exercising, starting is always the hard part but once you are in it you love it and don’t want to stop! Here are some things to consider when thinking about mentoring someone:

• Start with someone that you know something about: background, career aspiration, passion

• Start offering to meet/connect just one time and see how the conversation goes

• Ask whether there is any challenge or potential opportunity at the horizon

• Offer some perspective on how mentoring could benefit you as a mentor and not just the mentee

Remember that by taking the time to mentor someone, you are giving a gift: a gift that can make this person grow and develop or at the very least feel appreciated and special. So what are you waiting for? There is a mentee out there waiting for you: just reach out!

Interested in mentorship? The OWA offers a Full Circle Member Mentorship Program, designed to support professionals whether they are entering the field, navigating mid-career transitions, or reflecting on years of experience.

Written by Emilia Flamini