The motivation for prot\u00e9g\u00e9s to enter into mentorship is obvious: They hope to gain from the experience of their mentor. But prot\u00e9g\u00e9s should not just be passive receivers of information; their job should be to put the mentor\u2019s advice and council into practice, and offer feedback about what they need and how the mentor can be more effective. Good prot\u00e9g\u00e9s should have a willingness to learn, be open to new ways to accomplish their goals and have a strong desire to advance in their careers.<\/p>\n
Every mentor\/prot\u00e9g\u00e9 relationship is unique, but there are several areas where prot\u00e9g\u00e9s can especially benefit, including:<\/p>\n
- \n
- Strategic thinking<\/li>\n
- Executive relationships<\/li>\n
- Career planning<\/li>\n
- Negotiation<\/li>\n
- Management skills<\/li>\n
- Executive presence<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
The first steps to becoming a good prot\u00e9g\u00e9 are recognizing that you could benefit from a mentor and then recruiting one. People are almost always flattered to be asked to be a mentor. If they\u2019ve never done it before, send them this article as a how-to guide to get started.<\/p>\n
A word of caution to prot\u00e9g\u00e9s searching for a mentor: Your manager should never be your mentor. Part of mentorship is providing neutral feedback on a variety of topics, including how to deal more effectively with your management. Your direct manager has a conflict of interest in this matter and cannot provide this feedback in the same way. Asking them to mentor you puts them in an awkward position. If you have a great manager that you want as a mentor, keep him or her in mind if you move to another role.<\/p>\n
Mentor<\/h2>\n
1. A wise and trusted counselor or teacher
\n2. An influential senior sponsor or supporter<\/em><\/p>\nThe motivations for a mentor to enter into a relationship are less obvious than the prot\u00e9g\u00e9. Reasons include a personal connection to the prot\u00e9g\u00e9, wanting to help someone in need, seeing potential that they want to foster, \u201cpaying it forward\u201d from their time as prot\u00e9g\u00e9s or simply stroking their own egos.<\/p>\n
The primary role of the mentor is to arm the prot\u00e9g\u00e9 with counsel and contacts to make them more successful. Solid mentors have executive and management experience they can apply to help the prot\u00e9g\u00e9 in various situations. They can illustrate different perspectives the prot\u00e9g\u00e9 may not have considered. They can also role-play as the prot\u00e9g\u00e9s\u2019 executive team, preparing them for potentially stressful or high-stakes meetings and negotiations.
![\"Mentor](\"https:\/\/www.pragmaticinstitute.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/mentor_sidebar.png\")
<\/p>\nA mentor\u2019s experiences in hiring and building teams can also help when it comes to career planning and advancement. Mentors can advise on when to stand pat vs. change jobs or companies, how hard to press during salary and benefits negotiation, and how to map desired titles and responsibilities for the next several roles.<\/p>\n
Finally, mentors should supply access and introductions to their wider set of contacts. Their more expansive networks could include the prot\u00e9g\u00e9\u2019s future bosses, contacts or even additional mentors.<\/p>\n
Planning is Power<\/h2>\n
Most mentoring relationships are sorely lacking in structure and results. It can be very disappointing to establish that relationship, only to see it fizzle out.<\/p>\n
Mentoring is hard. A plan can help make it easier. If you are thinking about setting up a mentoring relationship, and are willing to put in the time to make it work, use this plan as a launch pad to get started.<\/p>\n
Month 1:<\/strong> Hold the initial meeting. Mentor should ask prot\u00e9g\u00e9: Where do you want to be in 1\/5\/10 years?<\/p>\n
Month 2:<\/strong> Chart a plan to achieve the 1\/5\/10 year plan. Break the one-year plan into measurable goals, such as quota for market visits, and design a plan to sell the goals to the prot\u00e9g\u00e9\u2019s management.<\/p>\n
Month 3:<\/strong> Assess current role and responsibilities. Fit compensation and benefits to one-year plan. Design a plan to correct if under market.<\/p>\n
Month 4:<\/strong> Catalog past achievements. Design a plan for reviewing with current management to ensure the prot\u00e9g\u00e9\u2019s value is recognized.<\/p>\n
Month 5:<\/strong> Ensure prot\u00e9g\u00e9 is receiving adequate executive exposure. Design a corrective plan if not.<\/p>\n
Month 6:<\/strong> Introduce prot\u00e9g\u00e9 to contact from mentor network in an industry or title that aligns with his or her 5\/10 year plan.<\/p>\n
Month 7:<\/strong> Hold a mid-point meeting. Check in on one-year plan achievement vs. goals, adjust as needed.<\/p>\n
Month 8:<\/strong> Identify networking and visibility opportunities. These should raise the prot\u00e9g\u00e9\u2019s thought leadership profile inside and outside the company (e.g., presenting at a local ProductCamp).<\/p>\n
Month 9:<\/strong> Collect information in support of compensation and benefits negotiation (e.g., Pragmatic Institute\u2019s annual survey).<\/p>\n
Month 10:<\/strong> Assess performance vs. one-year plan. Make adjustments to suit and role-play compensation negotiation as needed.<\/p>\n