One of the most important things you can do to take benefit from your mentor/mentee relationship is to ask the right questions. Having a mentor allows you to learn from someone who has more experience in a particular industry or field than you do. But how do you know what to ask? We’ve put together a list of questions that we think will help you develop a stronger relationship with your mentor and allow you to get the most out of this unique relationship.
Ask About Experiences
Ask your mentor to share experiences and wisdom from their professional journey. These could be questions like:
- What did you do to land your current position?
- Five years ago, what was your five-year plan? Are you where you thought you’d be?
- Have you ever had a demanding boss? How did you manage that relationship?
Ask About Self-Awareness
Impact players are self-aware. They are quick to identify how they fit in certain situations and how they react and interact with others. You mentor can help answer questions regarding self-awareness such as:
- Where do you see my strengths, and what should I focus on to improve?
- What do you see as some of my blind spots?
- How do you think others perceive me?
- How does leadership view me?
Ask About Skill-Building
The beauty of working with a mentor is the ability to learn from their mistakes. This allows you to learn the lessons that can help catapult your career without the growing pains that come with it. Make sure you are checking in with your mentor about your specific skills and weaknesses and asking what they suggest you do to build your professional skill set. Ask questions like:
- How do you approach risk-taking?
- What new skills do I need to move ahead?
- How can I become a more assertive negotiator?
In our new book SWIM!, Scotty asks Drew a lot of game-changing questions to help him reach his full potential. Asking the right questions is the best way to learn from your mentor and set yourself up for success.
My challenges for you this week:
- Order SWIM to be one of the first to read this dynamic book about mentorship
- Pick two of these questions to ask your mentor. Modify them as needed.