Module 5 · Building relationships · Lesson 8 of 10

Mentorship

Finding mentors, being a good mentee, and one day being a mentor.

7 min read · Level: Practising · Free — no account needed to read

The idea

A mentor is someone more experienced who takes an interest in your growth. Good mentoring relationships often start small — a specific question, a thoughtful thank-you, a follow-up — rather than with “will you be my mentor?”

Being a good mentee means coming prepared, respecting their time, trying their advice and reporting back. And one day, being a mentor yourself — even to someone one step behind you — is one of the most rewarding relationships there is.

Why it matters

Mentors can save you years of trial and error, and people who are mentored often go on to help others.

See it happen

Fahad admires a senior engineer and wants her as a mentor.

The first reaction

He sends a long message asking her to mentor him regularly.

With the idea

He asks one specific question about a problem he’s stuck on, tries her advice, and tells her how it went. Over months, the relationship grows naturally.

What changed

Starting small and reporting back built a mentoring relationship without a big ask.

Easy to get wrong

• Asking for a big commitment from someone who barely knows you.
• Taking advice and never letting the mentor know what happened.

Try it now: A good first question

1. Think of someone whose experience you would like to learn from.
2. Write one specific, answerable question you could ask them.
3. Write how you would follow up after trying their advice.

Questions to think about

• Who has mentored you, formally or not, and what did they give you?
• Who could you help who is one step behind you?

Your challenge this week

Ask someone more experienced one specific question this week.