Build a Board of Mentors
“If the only tool you have is a hammer, you will start treating all your problems like a nail.” Abraham Kaplan
There is no silver bullet to solve all your challenges and teach you every skill on the menu for you to develop and advance your career. Following that same logic, there is no single mentor that will be sitting next to you teaching you everything there needs to be learned. In fact, they can’t, for no single person has all the knowledge you need (or the time for that matter). That is why, just like an investment portfolio, it pays off to diversify your mentors — build a board of mentors.
To build this board of mentors, keep in mind three things: (1) quality over quantity, (2) relationship nurturing, (3) relationship longevity.
Quality over quantity
A few months ago, I co-led a career development lunch and learn in my organization. We conducted an exercise with the audience where they would write down their name at the center of a blank page. Then, scattered around their name, they would write down the names of five folks they would think of as their go-to people for advice or to learn something new. Finally, they would draw a line connecting each name to their own in a different color based on that person’s background, job level, or functional expertise. If most of the lines (or all of them) were of the same color, then it meant that that person needed to diversify their network and find mentors to help close the gaps in their skillsets.
If you find yourself in this same position after doing this exercise, then it’s time to diversify your board of mentors. Don’t focus on the sheer number of mentors you have access to or would want to have. Instead, focus on what you need to learn or need help to develop. Then, identify people in your network that can help you with that. Perhaps you need help with managing up or understanding how to speak the language of other functions in your organization. One person can help you with more than one topic, or you can even get multiple people to provide different perspectives on how to solve the same challenge. At the end of the day, what you need is quality perspectives to help you with your identified needs.
Relationship nurturing
Once you have identified the areas in which you need help and identified the mentors to guide you, nurture your relationship with them. As I mentioned in how to maximize your time with your mentor, be prepared with specific questions and goals for each time you meet with them. After that, keep the relationship going — keep in touch and update them on what happened. Thank them for their time and let them know how their advice helped you overcome obstacles. Not only does this show that you are actually invested in your own progress, but it lets your mentors know that they are valued and that they are not wasting their time meeting with you.
Relationship longevity
Once a person agrees to be your mentor, it doesn’t mean that this relationship is forever. First, as discussed above, nurture your relationship. However, if you feel that the advice you are receiving from that person is not actionable or useful, or that after a while there isn’t much else that this person can teach you, don’t be afraid to look for other mentors to help with existing or new challenges.
Note that this does not mean that you’re cutting ties with this person (unless you are in a situation where you feel you have to). This only means that you are no longer treating this person as a mentor for a specific topic, and you may continue your bond with that person as a friend, co-worker, neighbor, etc. After all, they are still part of your network, and someday you may be of help to them or vice versa.
With this in mind, you are sure to have a wholesome lineup of perspectives and expertise, that may later lead you to other mentors or great connections to seize new opportunities.
