Free Expert Advice

For the last few years I have studied and shared with others about mentorship in my role as the manager of a career centre at a college. Last summer I was invited to speak about mentorship at a national conference of college and university career centre staff, managers and the corporate human resources professionals that recruit our graduates. My focus, however, has been on “self-directed mentorships” that exist outside of a formal program. I believe we can achieve more for ourselves by finding and managing our own mentorships than we can when we are matched by someone else for the organization's benefit.

One Definition of Mentorship
• a deliberate, conscious, voluntary relationship:
• that may or may not have a specific time limit;
• that occurs between an experienced person (the mentor) and one or more other persons (the partners);
• who are generally not in a direct, hierarchical or supervisory chain-of-command;
• where the outcome of the relationship is expected to benefit all parties in the relationship (albeit at different times) for personal growth, career development, lifestyle enhancement, spiritual fulfillment, goal achievement, and other areas mutually designated by the mentor and partner;
• with benefit to the community within which the mentoring takes place;
• and such activities taking place on a one-to-one, small group, or by electronic or telecommunication means; and
• typically focused on interpersonal support, guidance, mutual exchange, sharing of wisdom, coaching, and role modeling.

KISS (Keeping it Simple for Seekers):

If you want a mentor, you need to determine two things, first:
1-ONE THING-- What is your goal? 2--at least ONE PERSON. What kind of person will get you there? You need to approach someone who is concerned for people and concerned for results. They should have no ulterior motive other than giving back to their community or field of expertise and/or developing their skills as an advisor. After you figure out what your goal really is, look around you. Who has achieved some of their goals and is active in answering questions for others who have similar challenges? Who models success to you?

Identifying a good mentor can be difficult. Asking someone to mentor you can feel even harder.

If your mentor isn’t aware of your goals or expectations of the relationship, you do not have an intentional mentorship.

So the first step in an intentional mentoring relationship is to ask them to help you. Tell them "I would really value your opinion.” Don’t ask for a big time commitment in the beginning. Answering your email, commenting on your blog or your tracker or a single phone conversation is lots to ask for to start with. Get to the point. Ask for what you want. This involves what I call "The Coffee Speech," because, in person, it can be done over coffee, or in an online community it would be sent by private message:
• outline your goal
• ask one or two quick questions
• ask if they would they consider being your mentor or helping you to achieve a goal or solve a problem
• tell them why you selected them
• tell them what you hope to learn
• outline the amount of time to be committed by each of you
• suggest what you will contribute (“I’m really very good at _____. If you ever need _____ give me a call, I’ll be more than happy to help out any way I can.”)

This is what is involved in that if you agree:

• contact frequently, set a schedule and method
• talk about current issues, short and long-term goals
• record the discussions, take notes to each meeting, start a file
• take interest in your mentor as a person
• don’t share your whole life story
• make yourself real and make it light and fun
• at each meeting, agree to an action step
• update your mentor when you’ve completed a step
• say thank you; ask how they’d like to be thanked or how you may contribute

I challenge you to identify a goal and identify at least one person who can help you to achieve it. Manage your own intentional mentorship! While you are at it, be open to mentoring others. Perhaps you can offer help to someone who is too afraid to ask. So while you are asking to have your needs met, why not offer to meet someone else's too. There is free, expert assistance out there for the taking. If we all give and receive, everyone benefits!


...Pam

Keep Your Eyes on Your Goals

I spent five and a half hours at my office at the college on the weekend. I would have been resentful about spending a Saturday cooped up with no window to the world, but it was raining outside and I've been stressed about work. Among other challenges, we have been under renovations in our career centre since June. This week I returned from a leadership retreat all mentally "pumped" to do great things in my *brand new private office* (woo hoo!)... but I quickly realized I couldn't do much because I couldn't find anything and my computer didn't work the way it should.

In a previous blog I wrote about the importance of being organized if you want to be successful. As a dieter who's making lifestyle changes, hopefully for good this time, I believe that its important to set up your environment for success with that, too, by having having the right food available and equipment available and also by and eliminating temptations. De-cluttering, organizing, being comfortable, having the right tools and avoiding distraction are important to tackling big jobs of any sort, loosing weight and looking for work are just two examples.

After returning home Saturday evening I searched the net for ideas about Feng Shui as it applies to office decor. One big message in the articles I read is that its important to surround yourself with symbols of success. Always keep your eye on the goal or something that represents it.

Health-wise, I do need a constant reminder of what I'm trying to achieve and so, on my laptop at home, I have just created a screensaver of photos of people with the shape I think is attainable by me if I work hard enough at it. I've also got pics on there of vacation locations, one of which will be my reward if I go all the way and achieve my goal.

Today I'm be back at the office and contemplating the images of motivation that will be appropriate my work. I may frame the college's mission statement, oost a "to do" list to a cork board above my desk or have an inspirational quote painted on a wall. Or maybe something more subtle or symbolic will do for me, but I'd like to have something here that might just motivate others, too.

Keeping career/life balance in mind, I think I'll have to add some things to my personal space at work that keep at least some of my thoughts on health. Sneakers under my desk are a good start, even if they aren't particularly attractive.

KISS (Keeping It Simple for Seekers)

What is your job search goal? Have you clarified it in such a way that you can communicate it clearly to others? What is your dream job description? What does your work environment look like? What can you contribute to the organization or to that field of work? What other goals might you achieve if you get that job? Are there pictures, words or symbols that could motivate you to keep searching for it? Have you got your eyes on your goals? What distractions can you eliminate from your world now that may help you to achieve your career goals tomorrow? How do you stay motivated?


...Pam

I have a new office!

I've finally moved into the new office that was built for me in a formerly open piece of the Centre for Teaching Learning and Innovation at Lethbridge College. Its fairly square, a decent size, and has three pale grey walls, one wall of brick that is painted dark purple, and darker grey office carpeting. The desk has lovely swirls of blue, grey, purple and too much pink. There isn't too much more in here but a lot of boxes and office furniture catalogs I have to go through. I really have very few ideas about how to decorate this place, but I want to.

The only brainstorm I've had, so far, is to use wall decals to spell out something inspirational and motivational. The college vision? Our department's mission? A moving quote?

I'm open to ideas. And visitors.


...Pam