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Are you a “Proactive Protégé?” By speaker and author, Colette Carlson, MA By now, most professionals know the vital role an internal mentor can play in overall career growth. It’s still the fastest way to learn the ropes, get introduced to key stakeholders and get an inside track to company activity. However, to make this partnership work in the long run, you must be a proactive protégé. Why? Although most individuals are flattered that someone wants them as a mentor, everyone is too busy for a one-way project. You need to be proactive and show this individual what you’re willing to do to breathe energy and momentum into this relationship. For example, rather than walking up to a possible mentor and saying, “I’d like you to be my mentor,” and waiting for an answer, I suggest you do the following. Think through what specific skills you’d like to gain, how much time you are expecting to invest, what expectations you have of your mentor, what your mentor can expect from you, and how you will make the interactions effective. Take the initiative to write up a mini-proposal or plan that outlines your goals and desires. This alone will set you apart and give you a competitive advantage. Once you have a clear plan to bring to the table, I’d approach this individual and say, “I’m looking to grow my talents in the following three areas (list outcomes). Based on observation, you appear to have a strong working knowledge of those skills. That’s why I was wondering if you would sit down with me and have a conversation about becoming my mentor. I want you to know I’ve given this a lot of thought, and have created a plan to keep this manageable and hold myself accountable.” Your potential mentor will see how seriously you are approaching this relationship and be more inclined to accept your invitation. The fact that you aren’t just planning on sucking this person dry will be a huge motivator for them to say yes. If they feel they have time constraints, you might ask them if they’re willing to guide you with even one specific skill, or simply allow you to come to them once a week for 10 minutes. If they say no, simply say, “Thanks so much for giving me the opportunity to discuss this with you. If things should change, please let me know. In the meantime, is there anyone else that you believe has as much insight as you that I may not be familiar with?” Consider finding a mentor outside your organization too – perhaps through an association, as sometimes an outside perspective can be enlightening. Being proactive doesn’t stop once the relationship starts, either. Consistently be on the lookout for information your mentor is not privy to, be available for projects they’re developing, and make introductions that could grow their careers as well. A protégé who embraces this proactive approach, not only creates an ally in the workplace, but often makes a friend for life. Articles may be reproduced with permission from Colette Carlson Communications. |
 
       
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