You’ve looked at her profile and checkout her photos.  You’ve read her social media feeds and decided it’s time to pop the question.  Not the one to share eternal love and and a life together, but “Will you Mentor Me?”  Like any successful relationship, a mentoring relationship should be rooted in trust and mutual respect.

If you’ve been blessed in your life to have had a mentor or to be a mentor, you know the relationship can be mutually beneficial.  The person being mentored develops confidence, acquires new perspective and learns.  The mentor acquires new ways of working with people and satisfying a desire to help others.

Possible areas of exploration:

• Understand appropriate behavior in situations
• Understand different and conflicting ideas
• Overcome setbacks and obstacles
• Gain knowledge and expertise
• Navigate change
• Career development

There are distinct difference between coaching and mentoring, so make sure it is truly a mentor you seek.  Coaching is task oriented and performance driven and mentoring is relationship oriented and development driven.  Both can we rewarding and life changing.

Potential mentors are all around you.  Be bold and ask.  People are generous and will likely say yes.  So what have you got to lose?