Tips for Mentorship and Training Success

Tried finding a mentor and got crickets? It's probably not you, it's the system. We've all heard the hype – find a great mentor, change your life. But the reality? Finding someone who's the right fit, available, and truly invested in you can feel like searching for a unicorn. The problem is, we're often sold this idea that mentorship is about finding that one perfect, all-knowing person to guide our journey. But what if there was a better way? A way that empowers you and puts your growth in the driver's seat? 🔑 Forget the 'perfect' mentor. Focus on the dynamic. Instead of chasing an elusive mentor ideal, shift your focus to building a mentorship dynamic. This means finding people slightly ahead of you on your chosen path, who are willing to share their knowledge and insights. 🔑 Why this speeds up your growth: ▶ Targeted knowledge: They've recently faced the challenges you're facing now. Their solutions are fresh and relevant. ▶ Mutual benefit: As a mentee, you offer value too! Your questions and fresh perspective make them rethink their own process. ▶ Less intimidating: They're closer to your level, making it easier to connect and be honest about your challenges. 🤔 So, how do you actually make this happen? 🔑 Seek out the sharers: Look for people doing podcasts, writing articles, or being active in their industry community. These are the people genuinely interested in passing knowledge forward. The Mentorship Cycle: 1. Reach out with a specific question demonstrating you value their expertise. 2. Listen intently, then TAKE ACTION on their advice. 3. Report back! Share your results, whether successful or not. This shows respect and helps them refine their advice. 4. Ask a new, deeper question. Rinse and repeat! This is growth on your terms. By building a reciprocal mentorship dynamic, you take control. You learn proactively, gain confidence from action, and create mutually beneficial relationships that can evolve over time. 🍿 The creative boost you didn't see coming 🍿 This approach isn't just about knowledge transfer or career growth – it's a catalyst for your creativity! Here's why: Busting out of your bubble: Connecting with someone outside your usual circle exposes you to new ways of thinking, sparking fresh ideas. Action fuels inspiration: Taking action on their advice, then seeing results, reinforces your belief in your own ability to create and problem-solve. Accountability breeds output: Knowing you'll be reporting back creates a healthy pressure to actually execute on those ideas, not just let them linger. This mentorship dynamic isn't a replacement for those times when you might need in-depth guidance from a seasoned expert. But for day-to-day growth, overcoming creative hurdles, and building momentum, it's a surprisingly powerful tool. 🙅♂️ Tip of the day: Tag someone that you want to build a mentor relationship with in the comments.

Last week, my son, a college freshman, had his first meeting with his mentor. Imagine my surprise when he sought my advice ;) — I guess parents are worth something after all 😁 It's a significant milestone, and it got me thinking about the essence of effective mentoring given my own experience as a mentor and mentee. While there's an abundance of literature on this topic, including a recent piece by Harvard Business Review, many tend to skim the surface, offering broad, somewhat simplistic advice. Reflecting on this, I penned down some tailored guidance, which I believe might be valuable to others embarking on this journey. Here's what I shared: 1. Embrace the art of listening: Your first meeting is more about tuning in than speaking out. Show a genuine interest in your mentor's narrative. Inquire about their professional voyage - how it began, the decisions they navigated, and the turning points. 2. Seek wisdom, not just facts: Ask about the lessons they've learned along the way. What would they do differently if they could rewind the clock? Their hindsight can become your foresight. 3. Prepare, Prepare and then Prepare more: Before seeking advice on specific decisions like program selection, job opportunities, or electives, make sure you've done your homework. Understanding your own choices deeply enriches the conversation and the guidance you receive. 4. Explore beyond academics: Ask about the activities they engaged in outside their formal education or job that propelled their career - be it internships, part-time roles, additional courses, or club memberships. Understanding their strategies and how these choices shaped their path can offer practical steps for your own journey. In my own experience, a long term relationship with your mentor can be rewarding for both and has the potential to be truly transformative. What are some other non-obvious tips for speaking to your mentor/mentee? I’d love to hear your thoughts. #mentorship #relationships #student #learning #mentors

To recent grads / young professionals... When you're early in your career, one of your superpowers is the ability to be a learning machine and build relationships with mentors. You can reach out to almost anyone you'd like to contact and ask people for their time to learn from them. To do this well, you need to be intentional, thoughtful, prepared, and great at following up and following through. - Intentional. You have a list of people you want to learn from and build relationships with. If you reach out directly, that's fine, but the stakes are higher for a thoughtful message. It's easy to think that people are too busy and they won't respond to you -- but that's wrong. It's still a numbers game, most won't, but you can get to more people than you imagine if you're thoughtful and politely persistent in your outreach. You miss 100% of the shots you don't take. - Thoughtful. This is simple... don't send a general advice email. You want to be distinct. The good news is anyone can stand out, it just requires doing a little more work to be thoughtful and clear. Share specifics why you'd like to learn from the person, and how that overlaps with what you're passionate about. And of course, make it concise. - Prepared. Once you get a call or meeting... awesome! Be prepared with thoughtful questions, your story, and what you're curious/passionate about. If not, the person you're meeting with will notice the lack of preparedness. And while people won't say this to you directly -- not being prepared is lazy. Being prepared shows you care and that you're serious about the person's time and about your personal learning/development, which people will respect. - Follow up and follow through. Because you took notes, you have information to follow up and follow through on. If you say you're going to do X, do it! When you make a commitment, even if it seems small or insignificant, follow up on it. "Do what you say you'll do" is one of the best mantras to live out early in your career. And always send a thank you. Even if it's email -- send a thoughtful, concise thanks. A written note is above and beyond because it requires extra work and is distinct. Up to you how creative you want to be here. In summary, you have the choice to do way more than you might think you're capable of when it comes to learning from others and building relationships. If you're intentional, prepared, thoughtful, and you follow up/follow through -- you will gain extraordinary learnings and spark serendipity. The best part is that anyone can do this stuff -- if they want to. Take small steps, be resilient when you hear "no" or nothing, and know that people WILL believe in you and support you.

Embracing the Role of a Mentor: Empowering New Professionals We have a wonderful opportunity to give back to our community and shape the future of our industries. One of the most rewarding ways to do this is by offering mentorship to those just starting their careers. Mentoring not only benefits the mentees but also enhances our own growth as leaders. Here are some great tips, add more to the comments! Be Approachable and Open: Create an environment where new professionals feel comfortable reaching out for guidance. Offer a friendly and non-intimidating demeanor that encourages them to share their thoughts and questions openly. Listen Actively: Take the time to actively listen to your mentees' aspirations, challenges, and concerns. By understanding their unique needs and goals, you can tailor your mentorship to provide the most valuable insights . Set Clear Expectations: Right from the start, establish clear expectations for the mentorship relationship. Discuss the frequency of meetings, preferred communication channels, and specific areas of focus to ensure both parties are aligned. Share Your Experiences: Draw from your own experiences, both successes, and failures, to provide valuable insights. Real-life stories can be incredibly impactful and help mentees navigate their own paths. Encourage Goal-Setting: Help your mentees set realistic short-term and long-term goals. Guide them in creating actionable plans to achieve these objectives, and provide support and motivation along the way. Expose Them to Opportunities: Offer exposure to new opportunities, such as workshops, conferences, or networking events. This can broaden their horizons and help them build valuable connections within the industry. Challenge and Encourage Growth: Mentorship is not just about offering praise. Encourage your mentees to step out of their comfort zones, embrace challenges, and foster growth. Constructive feedback is key to their professional development. Be a Role Model: Lead by example. Demonstrate the values and work ethic you want your mentees to adopt. Your actions speak louder than words, and they will look up to you as a role model. Respect Their Individuality: Recognize that each mentee is unique, with their own strengths and weaknesses. Tailor your approach to meet their individual needs and learning styles. Celebrate Their Successes: Acknowledge and celebrate your mentees' achievements, both big and small. Positive reinforcement boosts their confidence and motivates them to excel further. Stay Committed: Mentorship is an ongoing process, and it takes time to see meaningful results. Be patient, committed, and supportive throughout the journey. By providing mentorship to new professionals, we can make a profound impact on their careers and the industry as a whole. Let's continue to pay it forward and empower the next generation of leaders! #MentorshipMatters #LeadershipDevelopment #CareerGrowth 

In your lifetime, you’ll likely play both the role of a MENTOR and a MENTEE. I’ve done both, and they are equally valuable and rewarding roles. So, how do you set yourself (and your mentee/mentor) up for success? Here are some of my thoughts on how to get the most out of either role: ✅ As a MENTEE: • Be OPEN and HONEST about your goals, challenges, and fears. • Take INITIATIVE in scheduling meetings and follow through on advice. • Don’t be afraid to ASK QUESTIONS—remember, you are there to learn. • Be RECEPTIVE TO FEEDBACK and constructive criticism, and learn from it. • Get clear on your GOALS and communicate what you want to achieve with your mentor. • Show APPRECIATION to your mentor for their time and support. • BE PREPARED for meetings by bringing specific questions or topics to discuss. • APPLY what you learn by putting your mentor’s advice into ACTION and sharing your results. • RESPECT your mentor’s time by being punctual and communicating quickly if something comes up. ✅ As a MENTOR: • Be AVAILABLE and APPROACHABLE, making time for your mentee. • ACTIVELY LISTEN and pay attention to what your mentee is saying, seeking to understand their perspective. • Provide CLEAR, HONEST, and ACTIONABLE advice. • SHARE your own experiences and lessons learned. • Be CLEAR about what you can offer and the boundaries of the relationship. • Be PATIENT. Growth takes time, so support your mentee through the process. • CELEBRATE your mentee’s progress, acknowledging their achievements and milestones. • Share RESOURCES—useful tools, contacts, information, etc. • LEAD BY EXAMPLE and demonstrate the values and behaviors you encourage. ✅ For BOTH: • Put FORMALITY around the relationship. It shouldn’t be a secret, and you should both know what you’re hoping to achieve, as well as your boundaries. Do these things and you’re going to be set for success as a mentee or mentor. Thanks for the conversation Eric Girard! This is a topic that is really near and dear to my heart. I’ll drop a link to the full episode of the Management Development Unlocked podcast in the comments where we touch on many more leadership topics. https://lnkd.in/gquE2yCs *** 👉 What else would you add? Have you found anything to be especially helpful when mentoring/being mentored? ------------------------------------- I’m Rusty Fulling, Founder & CEO of Fulling Management & Accounting. We’re passionate about helping business owners gain clarity, grow their profits and gain peace of mind while supporting your growth as a leader. Click the link in my bio to download our new Cashflow Forecast template 📒

2 Tips for Stepping up Your Mentee Game… #1 Proactive Outreach with Updates How many times have you sat there thinking I want to reach out to my mentor but… … I don’t want to bother them. …they are too busy for my updates. …if they wanted to know what is going on with me they would email me. If we are being honest, most of us have likely thought some combination of these thoughts or more.  The reality is that mentors get busy. So often you likely crossed their mind and just then they got interrupted or distracted right when they were going to reach out, and they forgot to circle back later. I mean, don’t act like that doesn’t happen to you daily. (Snap, I literally just remembered something I needed to do while typing this LOL.  No, seriously.) Sharing updates is a great way to keep your mentor in the loop on important things that have occurred since your last catch-up. It puts my mind at ease knowing my mentees are going to send me the scoop and let me know what’s going on. Now that doesn’t absolve me from ever checking in on them, it just helps me not miss as many moments when life happens to be lifing at a given time. #2 Don’t Undervalue Your Value-Add “Do not despise these small beginnings, for the LORD rejoices to see the work begin…” (Zec. 4:10, NLT) Listen, Linda! We all have to start somewhere, and most of us don’t just have $100k of business to give to a mentor on day 1. What other things can you do to be helpful? Did you read an article that might impact their industry? …Share it! Are you on a planning committee where your mentor could speak and get increased visibility? …Invite them! Do you have a list of recommendations for food/activities in a city they are traveling to or interested in? …Send it! Adding value can be in the personal or professional context. Don’t discount what it is you are bringing to the table. Drop a comment with how you are going to add value to your mentor(s). #mondayswithmorenike #weareback #mentoringmonth

Angling for that next promotion? Most of the high achievers I coach over-index on solo strategies to get ahead: taking all the classes, accepting every assignment, working crazy hours to prove their dedication. That stuff can be helpful, but what they typically deprioritize (or avoid like the plague) is the interpersonal piece of the puzzle: building relationships and communication channels for mutual support and growth. Here are some often-neglected interpersonal approaches to lay the foundation for your next role: -Proactively seek feedback: Request input from your superiors and incorporate feedback to enhance your performance. Most people don’t know how to give effective feedback, so be specific about what you’re seeking and make it easy for them to give it to you. -Keep people in the loop: Clearly articulate your ideas, share progress updates, and communicate your achievements. While you may feel your accomplishments should speak for themselves, most people are too busy to be paying much attention. Expect to have to champion your results to get them on others’ radar. -Build a strong network: Cultivate relationships across the board, be it peer-to-peer, superiors, and industry influencers, to expand your opportunities. This isn’t sleazy schmoozing; seek to show up authentically, add value, and prepare to invest in these relationships for the sake of the relationships themselves. Any professional growth that might result is just the cherry on top. -Invite a mentor: Find someone who can provide guidance and support and advocate for your professional growth - then explicitly invite them to mentor you. Trying to go it alone is an overused and limiting strategy for many high achieving ICs, and a lot of folks point to a “mentor” who doesn’t even know they’ve been designated as such. TLDR: By seeking feedback, communicating effectively, building a strong network, and seeking mentorship, you’ll build a strong foundation for growth ahead (and probably make some great new friends along the way.) #leadership #growth #learning #development #relationships #peopleskills #coaching