Mentors are generally time-poor women like me who devote more time to mentoring the next generation of female leaders than they have to give. I am constantly reminded by others that at some point I need to say no. But I can’t, and shouldn’t. It’s essential for those of us who have achieved our career goals to share the secret to that success with the women who will one day replace us. It’s an important ingredient in the plan to achieve equal representation of women and men in leadership roles.
A mentee recently asked me why I do it. What’s in it for me? It’s pretty simple really. Beyond my ultimate desire for a truly equal society, it’s the sheer satisfaction of seeing someone you have trained, assisted, advised, discovered achieve career success. That’s what I get out of it on a personal level.
To increase the likelihood of success, I structure my mentoring relationships in a way that ensures the mentee exits having achieved at least one of the things on her initial list. I recently mentored a woman who came to me wanting a promotion, a pay rise and for her organisation to financially support her postgraduate studies. Most of my previous mentees would have been satisfied with achieving just one of those. We achieved all three.
Breaking down that relationship into its parts, I believe that the following steps were why it was successful.
- Clarify the objectives in the first session.
- Agree on a plan to achieve the desired outcome in a suitable and manageable timeframe.
- Allow your mentor to get to know you.
- Don’t be afraid to be honest.
For a more detailed explanation of these four points and more from Marina Go, see the full article on My Agenda by joining the online community today for just $35.