The "New" Mentoring - A Primer for Professional Women

We've all heard about the importance of having mentors in our professional lives, but the rules have changed about who, why, when and for what purpose. In the past, when we think of "mentoring" we've generally thought of an older executive counseling a younger person. But this traditional definition is no longer the standard: there are many ways to get guidance and advice today, and with all the twists and turns in our careers it is more important then ever to take a strategic approach to developing your advisors.

So before we tackle the who, why and what, here are some basic definitions:

Mentor: someone who gives advice, helps you with a potential professional development area; is usually not in your direct line of responsibility and has no personal stake or investment in any career path you choose.

Sponsor: someone who acts as an advocate for your career advancement; they have direct input and involvement in promotion considerations - they are "at the table" when these discussions take place.

For now, let's deal with the subject of mentors and these keys to consider:

1. More than one: while many women say they have had a significant mentor who impacted their career, the trend now is to have multiple mentors who can help you with different areas of your professional life. They are your "developmental network"
2. Organic: you recruit and learn from them to help you build a specific skill or competency - like strategic thinking, managing politics in the workplace etc.
3. Connector: we all live in our own, often siloed work worlds. These mentors can get you connected to areas outside your company or department - to give you critical perspective and visibility
4. Look 3-4 levels up: mentoring can fail for professional women because we tend to choose people we are comfortable with - often those at lower levels in the organization. Mentors at more senior levels can help you see more broadly and strategically in the organization
5. Diversity: choose advisors who are not like you, with whom you may not be comfortable. You don't have to like them - just respect them for who they are and what they can offer you
6. Beware the "M" word: some potential mentors may be afraid of making a long-term mentoring commitment. Instead, ask for "advice" on a regular basis. Mentoring relationships can be one hour vs. 6 months - more "Twitter-like"!

So ask yourself: what are the challenges in front of you right now in your professional life - do you have the relational resources to handle them? If the answer is "NO", then take stock, review this list and get going creating your developmental network today.

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