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I'm in a place in my career where I am desperately seeking a mentor. I feel my growth (and more importantly my success in the role) requires serious advice and guidance from a very senior executive mentor. Unfortunately, my company is very small and my network with senior executives in my city is rather non-existent.

How do I find that right mentor without "cold-calling"?

connick.

juliahhavener's picture
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I would try to position myself in places you're likely to meet the kind of person you're seeking. Depending on the size of the city you're in, you may do some research on top area executives, their interests, activities, etc. There are bound to be some links between you (Six degrees of Kevin Bacon, anyone?).

Of course, I could be *way* wrong here.

Mark's picture
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I've gotten loads of email about this, and I just missed that this would be a problem. Our cast on this will come out early in the new year.

For now, think about approaching SCORE, the Service Corps of Retired Executives in your area. And, don't worry too much about finding someone you know. You can have a mentor you don't know very well in the beginning.

Mark

gnattey's picture

Hi Mark,

Not too sure if SCORE operates locally (Canberra, ACT), however would things like private club memberships be an appropriate sort of source for this sort of thing?

Mark's picture
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SCORE doesn't have international chapters yet, sorry.

I don't think I would recommend joining a private club to find a mentor, but it certainly might yield one.

Here's a thought that may help many of you: stop thinking of having only one mentor. I'm not saying you "should" have 5 or 7 or 10, but if you take the burden off of having only one, the RIGHT one, the BEST one, the PERFECT one, you might open up your thinking to someone who can help in one area. Think of having ONE college degree... but LOTS of professors.

Mark

jwyckoff's picture

Thanks everyone for the input! Your posts have spurred some ideas... I'll keep you posted on my progress.

Regards,
connick.

gnattey's picture

[quote="mahorstman"]SCORE doesn't have international chapters yet, sorry.

I don't think I would recommend joining a private club to find a mentor, but it certainly might yield one.
[/quote]
Agree - it's too expensive to do just for that reason.
[quote="mahorstman"]
Here's a thought that may help many of you: stop thinking of having only one mentor. I'm not saying you "should" have 5 or 7 or 10, but if you take the burden off of having only one, the RIGHT one, the BEST one, the PERFECT one, you might open up your thinking to someone who can help in one area. Think of having ONE college degree... but LOTS of professors.

Mark[/quote]
Totally agree - gets to your comment about casting the net wide when building a network. If you have many fish to choose from, it's much easier to see the ones you want. I'm currently in the process of building a local cahpter of my Univesity Alumni association.. I think that there is greater potential there.