What to ask your mentor
Whether you are meeting with a mentor for the first time or have lunch with your mentor each quarter, come prepared with these four questions from Be Leaderly to ensure your relationship doesn’t fizzle out.
1). Tell me about a time when…?
Your mentor is full of great stories and experiences that you can learn from. All you have to do is ask. Get your mentor talking by asking about their pivotal moments, mistakes or biggest successes.
2). Can you help me think through…?
A mentor can often provide you with a unique perspective. Capitalize on this opportunity and bring your mentor a difficult situation, problem or issue you’re currently facing. You can also bring recent issues and ask for their advice on improving similar situations in the future.
3). Would you mind giving me some feedback?
In order to grow professionally, we need to get feedback. A mentor can often “hold up a mirror” and provide you with candid feedback about their experiences with you or spot trends in your stories. You may want to consider asking “what did you think the first time we met?” or “How did I come across when I presented at that conference?”
4). How did you get better at…?
You likely choose your mentor for a specific set of skills or an area of expertise. Utilize their strengths in this area to build your own skill set. Ask them for advice and resources that can help you refine your skills in anything from negotiation techniques to email etiquette.
Be Leaderly suggests sharing these questions with your mentor ahead of time so they can come prepared to your meetings.
