Look for someone with skills similar to yours but who has progressed further up the professional ladder. Don’t assume they have to be in the same city. With e-mail and the phone, they could be anywhere.
Don’t limit yourself to one mentor. You may want to have several to help with different aspects of your life, a kind of mentoring “board of directors.”
Once you have someone in mind, don’t grovel. The surest way to scare off a potential mentor is to beg them to be your mentor. Most successful businessmen and women don’t want to have a formal title. They would rather have a friend they can help, rather than a protégé.
Be mindful of the amount of time a mentor can commit to the relationship. It may be necessary to discuss your expectations and whether you should have an agenda for your meetings to keep discussions on track.
—adapted from BlueSuitMom.com
Hone your skills for work and family and you hone them for living life to the fullest
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