Embrace non-traditional mentoring to grow in career and life

For the longest time, I complained about not having a formal mentorship program at work. I voiced my discontent during audiences with senior management, focus group discussions with HR, and to many of my friends who worked at companies that do have a structured program to pair emerging talent with seasoned leadership. 

Don’t get me wrong, I do have a few mentors at work. But almost all of those relationships have progressed from friendships, meaning my mentors are generally at a lateral or a one-up position than me. Like many of my friends, I struggle to reach out to senior managers and ask them to be my mentor, unless I have closely worked with them as part of a project. But this approach is typically always what we are advised to follow.

Then a few months ago, I came across Rachel Hollis’ book “Girl, Wash Your Face.” I loved it! It quickly led me to discover her podcast “Rise Together,” of which I devoured every single episode. I also found several other educators in the online world like Pat Flynn, Anna Runyan, and Problogger, who are helping large audiences by freely sharing their knowledge. 

This was a lightning moment for me! I was no longer dependent on someone else to find me a mentor. I realized that beyond the typical routes of structured mentorship programs and cold-calling, there are several avenues for non-traditional mentoring, especially if you are looking to find one in areas beyond your current field of expertise. 

Non-traditional mentoring: how do I find a mentor?

Many people fall prey to the misconception that our mentors need to help us with all facets of our life. This is not true! Each person in our life can support us in a particular challenge we face, thus, acting as our mentor. 

So, my suggestion to you… Don’t wait around for someone to find you a mentor. Learn how you can benefit from non-traditional mentoring instead:

1. Books/Podcasts:

On my drive to work, I spend at least 30 minutes listening to one of my favorite online podcasts. My primary source of inspiration for starting Pinkcareers came from learning about how much impact these people have made on the lives of others by freely sharing their knowledge. I am also learning a lot about the tricks of the trade, which is increasingly making me a better blogger. 

2. Hiring a mentor:

When our stomach hurts, we go see a doctor. Similar to seeking a professional’s advice to ensure our good health, finding a mentor to support our career growth is the right thing to do. Depending on your budget, you can hire a one-on-one service (like offered by Careercontessa), join a mastermind class (MasterClass), or be part of a free mentoring program (LeanIn). 

3. Linkedin:

Did you know that you can use LinkedIn to get career advice? And it’s totally FREE! Through the LinkedIn Career Advice platform, you can connect with experienced professionals in your industry to seek mentoring. For more details on how to signup for LinkedIn Advice, check out this excellent article. 

4. Volunteering:

Volunteering with non-profit organizations and professional societies is a great way to meet new people and establish meaningful relationships as you work together towards a common goal. As part of the SPE GCS YP board, I have found mentors in many of my fellow board members. For example, our current president taught me how to remain calm in tense situations, and our past president showed me the power of being a cheerleader. 

5. Industry conferences:

An industry conference is not only a great place to meet senior leaders from your area of interest, but also other people who are in a similar career stage as yourself. Last month, I attended the Women’s Global Leadership Conference (WGLC 2019). I approached a senior female leader from my company to seek mentoring from her. I struggle with call-calling senior leaders at my company, but at the conference, it was not so hard as everyone was there with the intent of networking and finding career support!

6. Your Manager:

Contrary to the popular opinion on the internet, I have found that our managers can be great mentors (again remember we are talking about mentoring in a non-traditional sense). Our managers have been in our shoes! So, leverage their experience to navigate the challenges of your current job as well as learn about the skills you need to gain to move up in the organization. I have worked with 10 managers in the last 8 years with my company, and I try to implement many leadership lessons I have learned from them as I lead my own team. Check out the two posts I have written on this topic here:

1. Seven Positive Leadership Lessons My Managers Taught Me
2. Seven Mistakes You Must Avoid For Good Leadership

7. Yourself:

We may not realize it, but many times, we are our own mentors. We learn from our experiences, follow our ‘gut feeling’ when making decisions, and come out stronger from failures. By focusing on self-development, setting SMART goals for ourselves, and monitoring and improving our progress, we can essentially be one of our best mentors. 

This industry roundup article by The Muse also offers some great advice on the topic of mentoring!

Do you know of some other non-traditional ways to find a mentor?

Got more questions mentoring and coaching? Join us in the Pinkcareers Facebook group and we’ll answer any questions you have!