Is your career stuck in a rut? Perhaps you have a business goal but you’re just not sure how to get there? Or maybe you just feel you’re not fulfilling your full potential?

Whatever it is, finding the right mentor to guide and support you can propel your career forward. We spoke to two experts to find out how to go about finding a mentor and how to make the most of the relationship.

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Carolyn Baguma is a Development Coach and Project Manager at Duke Corporate Education, which runs custom leadership programs for small businesses. Carolyn has also mentored teenagers via national charity The Challenge.

What can working with a mentor help you achieve?

Working with a mentor is a great opportunity for you to collaborate on a one-to-one basis with a professional to achieve your strategic business goals.

Depending on your objectives, a mentor can guide you through making difficult decisions, help you identify ways to improve your business or motivate you to achieve higher levels of performance.

Is mentorship only for junior professionals?

Not at all, at Duke we actually work with business leaders. The corporate environment is continually evolving and for small businesses to flourish, they need to address the challenges facing the market today. These can include recruitment, retention, productivity and growth.

But it’s not just about the bottom line. There are other factors worth consideration; Do you have a happy workforce? Do you promote diversity within your business? Does your business promote ethical and socially responsible practice? The right mentor could help you address all of these areas.

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How do you go about finding a mentor?

It is important to be clear on what you want to achieve from the relationship. Once you have established your needs, you can now look for a professional or organisation that fits them. There are many available, so be sure to take the time to research and find the right fit. Use LinkedIn, look in professional forums or ask for recommendations or referrals.

How should one approach the working relationship with a mentor?

You have to be willing to look honestly at your company practices, and be comfortable enough to discuss it with your mentor.

You also need to be totally committed to the process. With the consistent support, you will need to ensure that you take regular action towards your goals. And make better decisions through the discussion from the engagement process.

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Jon Treanor is Director of London-based management consultancy Thomas Green Performance as well as an experienced executive coach, mentor and speaker. Jon has worked with executives from leading companies around the world focusing on Emotional Intelligence development and providing a practical introduction to mindfulness. Read more on his website.

Is professional mentoring really worth the money?

If you’ve never had a mentor before or you don’t know how it works it’s natural to be a little sceptical of the whole mentor-mentee relationship, especially if you’re becoming familiar with the competitive business world.

To meet a successful, experienced entrepreneur who just happens to want to support your ideas and has the time and inclination to do so can be an enormous advantage and a wise investment. Likewise, seeking out advice from the people who hold the very positions that you one-day hope to attain, or even supersede, can be extremely beneficial.

How do you know if a particular mentor is the right one for you?

People put more into relationships when they share common values and personalities. It’s therefore important that the chemistry is right and that you both work toward making your relationship reciprocal by asking insightful, personal questions, sharing personal stories of your own, and offering to help whenever possible.

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How can you make the most out of your mentor?

I regularly speak with business people and young professionals, the ones that I’ve had the most respect for, and have gone out of my way to help, are the ones who listen.

They not only ask interesting questions, but they often act on advice. Be transparent with your expectations and establish clear parameters such as frequency and method of communications, topics of discussion, and objectives.

What if you are not happy with your mentor?

Relationships usually become difficult if there are unstated needs and expectations that are not being met. No mentor can meet all of your needs, and it is crucial to give a mentor the opportunity to clarify what needs you have that they can meet.

How can you build a strong on-going relationship with your mentor?

The best relationships are reciprocal. Often people feel that they have nothing to offer in a mentor/mentee relationship, but the reality is the mentee has more to offer than they think.

Consider your strengths, like social media or trend spotting. You should be confident when sharing your perspective and help your mentor think differently as well. All relationships rely and thrive on give and take!

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Conclusion

As Benjamin Franklin famously said: “Tell me and I forget, teach me and I may remember, involve me and I learn.”

Learning is a lifelong experience and relationships play an extremely important role that process. Choose your mentor wisely and you can grow beyond your expectations.