My Mentors

Mentoring has been around for centuries. It is a trustful relationship between mentor and mentee. However, these days mentoring has turned into a vastly overhyped topic. Almost every company advertises their mentoring programmes and even universities started offer it. 

I was both, mentee and mentor myself. And in both roles I was disappointed. As a mentee with learning too little. As a mentor with being too little help for my mentee. Maybe, my expectations were too high. My idealized picture of mentoring was that of a magical relationship that turns the mentee into hyper success mode. So for some time, I abandoned the whole idea of mentoring entirely.

Today, I have a new vision about mentoring. Here are my three principles:

1. ACTIVELY LOOK FOR YOUR MENTOR YOURSELF
   
   I believe that it's up to the student to look for the mentor and not vice versa. A mentoring relationship created by chance, is likely to end up being good networking. From my experience, advise is only received gratefully when being asked for. Also, chances are high that somebody actively offering mentoring is more often than not only a mediocre teacher. The student must find the mentor that he specifically requires. And that in itself is the first execise. The student must reflect and define his goals, his interests and his areas of improvement, where help and advise is needed the most.
   
   
2. CREATE YOUR VERY OWN "TRIBE OF MENTORS"
   
   Now it's time to create your very own 360 degree tribe of mentors! Today we have access to the world's top performers in almost any field. We can watch them on Youtube. Read their books, websites and blogs. I believe that mentors do not have to be physically with you. Nor do they have to know you. Thus, we can surround ourselfs with a much larger group of mentors than ever before. One might be a senior college who acts are your career coach within your company. Another mentor might be a college from the marketing department that keeps you updated on digital marketing trends. Then you have books and podcasts from Tim Ferriss to help you improve your lifestyle design. And so on. In doing so, you can create a heterogenous group of mentors you can access through various channels and means and many of them 24/7.
   
   
3. EVENTUALLY BECOME A MENTOR YOURSELF
   
   I think that mentoring is similar to learning. It is a lifelong journey. And one part of it is to give back. Becoming a mentor yourself is a learning journey in itself and for me an integral part of a successful mentoring process. Becoming a mentor does not necessarily mean that the mentor quits being a mentee. It is more a smooth and gradual transition.

MY TRIBE OF MENTORS

Below you find my personal book-based "Tribe of Mentors". Top performers that share their lessons and insights with the world. Perhaps they might also qualify to join your tribe of mentors! Enjoy!