Mentoring is an effective method for helping other women develop and progress in the Digital Analytics profession. It comes with important responsibilities for both a mentor and mentee in order for the relationship to be successful. Here is an overview on what a successful relationship looks like and tips on engaging someone to be your mentor.
Establish a relationship with each other. Build trust with each other by communicating openly, actively listening to each other and being committed to the relationship. The mentee needs to communicate openly about their goals and what they want to learn from their mentor. The mentor should listen carefully to what the mentee is looking for and be honest in how they will support her. Stay committed to pre-scheduled meetings and respond in a timely manner to requests or questions. If the mentor doesn’t have time to immediately respond, they should let the mentee know when they will be able to get back to her.
Define goals. Both the mentor and mentee should work together on establishing goals and what success looks like for the relationship. They can be short term or long term goals, either way, the goals will outline the roadmap for mentoring activities. It is a good idea to revisit them periodically to make sure you're still on track or if they need to be modified and changed. It’s even better if your goals are measurable, given that we are in an industry of measuring performance.
Focus on approach and provide perspective. The purpose of a mentor is to provide a mentee with perspective into a situation or problem so that the mentee can come to a solution on her own, instead of the mentor telling the mentee what to do. However, as part of the relationship, it may make sense for the mentor to suggest tasks or "homework" to a mentee so she can get to these solutions faster or with more clarity. Have a dialog with each other, looking at scenarios from different angles. The mentee should feel comfortable and empowered to disagree with their mentor. A healthy conversation with each other should lead to some creative solutions. However, the mentee should also be open-minded to receiving feedback in order to learn and grow.
Dedicate or dissolve. It’s important to know when a relationship isn’t working anymore or if it was never meant to be. If you are going to be a mentor, be dedicated to the cause and to your mentee. After a series of unproductive meetings, acknowledging that the relationship may have hit its peak could be the best resolution. It’s possible that the two of you are simply not a good fit. It is recommended to have the mentee lead each call and drive the initial discovery meeting. During the initial meeting it is understood by both parties that this is an exploratory call to confirm that there is a good fit. This helps mentors and mentees quickly get on the same page, so no time is wasted for either party. Communicate openly and honestly, and you will know if you can dedicate to the relationship or need to dissolve it.
Now that you know what a mentor and mentee relationship should look like, here are some guidelines for engaging someone you’re interested in having mentor you.
Articulate what you want. Define and understand the challenges you want to address with a mentor. Start by making a list of goals for yourself. This will help you clarify which kind of person will offer useful insights. Determine if the things that are driving the desire for outside input are immediate goals or long term goals. Are you looking to acquire a skillset or advice from someone with applicable experience? The level of perspective you’re hoping to find will have an impact on the type of person most likely to help you achieve it.
If you’re in a program that will place you with a mentor, through work, school, or some other organization, be as specific as you can when signing up. The more detail you provide, the more likely you are to be matched with someone who can offer the viewpoint you want on your goals. If there’s a person within the mentor program with whom you want to work, ask for them.
Find the right person. Regardless of how you intend to find a mentor, think about people you admire, who are already doing things on your list of goals, and whose opinions you respect. If your ideal mentor isn’t available, understanding what inspires you about that person will allow you to find those traits in someone within your reach. To start, ask your network for suggestions and look for people through professional organizations. While someone in your field can provide applicable feedback, don’t limit yourself if a mentor is not forthcoming. Insights can come from all angles. If you’re truly stumped, Inc. has some recommendations on other places to look.
Move forward deliberately. Once you’ve identified a possible mentor, or several, reach out to them in a clearly defined manner. Ask for an informational interview or a short meeting. Forbes suggests that candidates are more likely to respond to concise, finite invitations. Defining your ask will also keep you focused on the reasons you’re reaching out in the first place.
Begin your meeting with questions about them, their experience and skills, and what drew you to them. See if you have any chemistry; if you have no rapport, neither of you will likely get much out of a mentoring relationship. Be sure to follow up after the meeting, thanking your candidate(s) for their time.
Don’t rush into anything, consider the interaction. If you think you’ve found the right person, ask directly about their time and willingness to commit. Be realistic about timelines and availability, yours and theirs. Mentoring can be beneficial for both parties, but only when they both have the time and energy to contribute.
This blog post was co-authored with Emily Kubic
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