How to Be a Good Mentee
Photo Credit: @Nappystock
Mentorship is a two-way street.
You can only get out what you put in.
More and more, you see young professionals being intentional about seeking mentorship — as they should. There are tons of articles out there that talk about why mentorship is important and how to choose a good mentor. (Seriously! Try Googling “mentorship,” and in .60 seconds, more than 46,300,000 results show up.)
I’ve seen the good, the bad, and the ugly of mentors.
I’ve experienced mentorships where I had to pay over $100 each month just to have two or three hours of their time (And that was only when I had a “project” to show them for review because “mentorship isn’t teaching”…Yeah, I know. 🙄 What was I thinking?) to having really amazing mentors, like Sabrina Meyer, Online Visibility Expert, who teach me, speak life into me, and push me to do greater. (High-key: Sabrina is the one of the biggest reasons I even have this blog! 🎉 Shoutout to the Content Marketing Institute for pairing us.)
Long story short, mentors are important.
But how can you be intentional about being a good mentee?
How do you be the mentee that every mentor dreams of?
1. Do the work.
At the end of the day, your mentor is there to guide you. They can show you which path to follow, they can pick you back up when you stumble, they can encourage you when your legs feel weary, they can even teach you how to walk…but you still have to walk! You still need to take the steps. It shows that you’re listening and honoring their time when you have the care to put their lessons into practice. Remember to be diligent, hardworking, punctual, someone who takes initiative…you know, all that good stuff.
2. Be teachable.
I’m always surprised by mentees who ask for mentors…but then don’t want to be corrected. That’s like showing up to the Test of Life with a pencil that has no lead — it’d be pointless for you to be there. (Ba-dum, tsk. 🥁 Thank you, thank you, I’ll be here all week.) Put down your pride and don’t be deafened by offense. Remember that your mentors have the experience to see further ahead of you and more around you. Trust that, if they’re a good mentor, they have your best interests at heart. They are investing the time and energy to bring you up to your next level. They don’t need to be there for you. Don’t waste that opportunity because of unwillingness.
3. …But don’t be afraid to push back.
What being teachable doesn’t mean is nodding along to everything your mentor says. You can (respectfully) disagree. Seek more clarification. Dive deeper. Push your own boundaries. It makes sure you understand what you’re encountering so that you can build upon that experience. Plus, it shows your mentor that they don’t just have a mentee — they have a leader they’re raising up. Make ‘em proud.
4. Research. Experiment. Commit. Ask a lot of questions.
Your mentors provide the solutions. You bring questions to the table. Communicate clearly what your needs are. This means you have the self-discipline to do your inner-reflection and are aware what it is you’re seeking your mentor out for. It’s okay not to know how to get “there,” but your mentor cannot teach you to be hungry. They cannot be curious for you. Your mentor cannot commit for you. Aim to be so hungry that they have to keep up with tapping into their knowledge bank to keep feeding you!
5. Show joy and gratitude. Be positive and patient.
Mentors accelerate your progress. Sure, it is your responsibility to drive the relationship and help establish what expectations you have about when, where, and why to meet. But your mentor can open doors for you that otherwise you would have no chance of even knocking on your own. All because they want to! They don’t have to mentor you — they choose to. Honor their busy lives and their sacrifice to build you up. Above all, have a bright outlook on the process — you will not learn everything the first time. It’s important to be patient with your development, so as to not be discouraged or burnt out before you really gave yourself the space to flourish.
Mentorship takes teamwork. Both parties have to be in it to win it, but here’s your game plan to make sure you can do your part. Do you have any mentorship experiences that stood out to you? What did you learn from them? What other advice to you have to share? Hope to hear from you! And best of luck on your journey of goal-crushing with your mentor.